Reggae legend Ali Campbell (UB40) has joined the Raggamuggin 2009 line up!

Following the great success of his solo project ‘Running Free’, Ali Campbell will return to Australia in early 2009 to join Raggamuffin . Ali Campbell and UB40 thrilled crowds as they headlined Raggamuffin earlier this year, which were the band’s final shows together. Since then the legendary voice of UB40 has been touring with his own 9-piece band, the Dep band.

Andrew McManus Presents regrets to advise that Stephen Marley has had to withdraw from the tour due to a knee injury. Stephen’s European tour has also been cancelled, as he is under doctor’s orders to rest his knee whilst awaiting surgery. It is hoped Stephen will join the 2010 Raggamuffin line-up.

Ali is excited to bring his band to Australia to play for his many fans here. “I am really looking forward to the Raggamuffin Festival this year. I will be bringing my new band, the Dep band to Australia , to join a fantastic line up. Last year, the festival was awesome, the crowds were great and we all enjoyed the tour enormously,” Ali said. “ Australia has always been one of my favourite places to tour. We’re looking forward to playing some tracks from ‘Running Free’, as well as some of the classic hits along the way.”

The annual Raggamuffin event, starring Ziggy Marley, Eddy Grant, Shaggy, Arrested Development, Inner Circle and Bonjah, hits Australia in Jan/Feb 2009, with six shows nationally and one in New Zealand, kicking off on Jan 24th in Perth.

Raggamuffin is a feast of the world’s best reggae music - a day of live funk, dub, hip hop and soul. The 2008 event was an overwhelming success throughout Australia and New Zealand. Shows in Perth and Brisbane sold out in record time and in New Zealand, the line up played to a crowd of 25,000 thrilled fans. With a bigger and better line up, this year event is sure to send fans wild! Next year’s event will be the first ever visit to Australia by Eddy Grant.

 

Headlining Raggamuffin 2009 is reggae icon Bob Marley’s eldest son, ZIGGY MARLEY. He first sat in on recording sessions with his father at a tender age and soon joined with his siblings to form The Melody Makers. Ziggy’s solo career, has included top hit singles ‘Tomorrow People’, ‘Look Who's Dancing’ and ‘Kozmik’. Ziggy’s incredibly successful career has earned him four Grammy awards. Ziggy’s live show is not to be missed and includes songs from the Melody Makers, his solo arsenal and a few of his father’s classics.

EDDY GRANT needs no introduction with major international hit singles, including the US #1 ‘ Electric Avenue ’, ‘I Don't Wanna Dance’ and ‘Romancing the Stone’. In July 2008, Eddy is toured the UK, playing to packed stadiums, as well as appearing at Glastonbury and Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday celebrations at London's Hyde Park.

After one decade, six albums, two of them multi-platinum, five #1 hits, and eleven top ten singles world wide, Grammy winning SHAGGY is still on the grind. Shaggys top hits include ‘Oh Carolina’, “It Wasn’t Me” and “Angel”. To date, Shaggy has sold over 20 million albums and his live performances sell out around the world.

ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT lit up audiences everywhere as part of the first Raggamuffin event, and audiences just had to have them back! The eight-piece band's music shook the bootys, hearts, minds and souls of the fans, getting a gorgeous groove going with hits like ‘Mr Wendal’, ‘Everyday People’ and ‘Tennessee’. Led by the indefatigable Speech, ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT see themselves as warriors of rhythm and storytellers of dignity.

INNER CIRCLE are chiefly known for the gritty outlaw anthem ‘Bad Boys’, the theme song of the long-running Fox TV series Cops, and the irresistibly upbeat dance number “Sweat (A La La La La Long)”. But this Grammy winning quintet is one of the world’s most respected reggae groups with a long string of successes stretching back to the mid- 70’s. INNER CIRCLE’S special brand of pop-oriented Jamaican beats in their energy-filled live performances cannot be missed.

Popular Melbourne-based NZ reggae/roots/funk five-piece BONJAH will open all shows. With 450 Australian gigs under their belt since arriving two years ago, and a debut album ‘Bring Back The Fire’ out later this year, BONJAH will kick off the day in fine style.