Can we get some love for local artists/soundsystems??

Big up the SNWMF crew, organizing team, patrons...everyone. Thanks for always coming through with a quality festival every year. Is anyone else noticing the lack of local talent on the bill? California is rapidly gaining the reputation of one of the centers of reggae music and culture with plenty of singers, producers, musicians, soundsystems, MCs, etc.. Why is it then we have none of that represented at one of California's most world renowned festivals?
At this point i might rather see Guerrilla Takeover in the dancehall instead of Stone Love, I'd stick around to see Winstrong and Soulmedic instead of catchin the first part of Third World then going to eat.
The lineup is great so far and I'm looking forward to every moment of the festival. One heart.
-ID



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/13/2012 09:51AM by Jah Warrior Shelter Hi-Fi.

I agree and dont forget about InI soundsystems, etc. in SoCal. Wadada

i thought it was local soundsystems playing in between the stage acts.....?!

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FullWatts on your stereo...™

We deserve more than just intermissions where Doug Green talks on end about nothing over us

seen.

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FullWatts on your stereo...™

I always looked forward to jws at reggae on the river.. respect!!

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iriebarto
I always looked forward to jws at reggae on the river.. respect!!

Respect!! Love to be there for the people!

I agree! I love to see local talent at these festivals, but to the organizers credit, they did make an effort last year with plenty of locals on the bill! Overall, I think last year was a perfect mix of local, world and reggae music!

Please don't take this as disrespectful, but the very nature of "local" artists and sound systems means that they are easier to see year-round in California. I respect your works greatly, but Jah Warrior Shelter performs multiple times per week in the Bay Area. Winstrong fans have plenty of opportunities to see him the rest of the year. In this context, it makes sense to me that the festival - which offers the rare opportunity to see artists like Jah Shaka and Michael Prophet - would center their program around the non-locals and then turn to local artists to fill out the lineup. I feel similarly about non-local artists who tour frequently in CA - their presence on the lineup doesn't motivate me to pack the car, take time off and head to Booneville when I know they pass through the local venues every year.

People come from all over for this festival.. i myself live in oregon and have only had the chance to catch jah warrior. At festivals.. just sayin not everyone is blessed enough to live in the bay.. a little of the local talent wouldn't hurt

Valley sound stage 2011 Nuff Respect Jah Warrior Shelter Crew

Ill pass on all the overplayed, overpraised local artists and soundsystems. No disrespect, but anyone who has ever desired to check Jah Warrior Shelter already has.. same with Winstrong, Soulmedic, etc. etc. etc. What about some non-cali vibes.. maybe a sound from NY or Florida. Maybe offer some light to another artist who doesnt already have a local fan base and promotion team of frenz and crew. Cali people deserve to be awakened to what else is going on elsewhere in America and abroad. Overplaying the same acts only suggests that there is no1 else up and coming or deserving of attention. Any of us who have wanted to check the above listed and suggested artists can do so any week of any month. In fact, chances are if you really like those same acts-- you can check them twice within one week, and probably even at the same venue. Give thanks to California and all its many talents and blessings.. but wake up people-- THERE IS MORE OUT THERE TO SHARE!! Cali has it on lock in lots of ways, but not ALL!

BLESSINGS FLOWWW

I get what you're saying about bringing in talent from other parts of the country and world! Don't get me wrong, one of the reasons i love this fest is because i get to see bands and sound systems I wouldn't otherwise see, but there is something so inspiring about seeing local artists on stage or in the dancehall performing for the masses! Funny thing, in regards to Soul Medic and Windstrong, I live in the Bay Area and have never seen them outside of a large festival. So in my case, just because they are so available doesn't mean I see them perform. And I'm not advocating for a line up full of locals, but a few each year would be nice!

~irie~

Wow, we finally agree on something.......I agree with Iriegyal. Its nice to see our local talent on the big stage and in the big dancehall. I can only see JWS at smaller local clubs, 1 to 300 people.....I only gt to see them do it big at ROTR and SNWMF. And they bring it every time.......same way with Lion Camp, Mountain Lion and Guerrilla Takeover. In fact big up yeself all local talent and Soundbwoys and Gyals!

I think its nice to watch others enjoy them in a large setting. Its nice to see them as something more than filler.

must mean somewhere is freezing over if you 2 agree.........

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FullWatts on your stereo...™

i had to duck a pig just flew by

Christopher, you caught me skanking to JWS at the main stage. Green beenie, as per usual.

NW MASSIVE ready fi showcase what we do as well - JAH BLESS singers and players all ova di world

How about that guy from St.Louis, Missouri - Papa Ray! Nice/irie sets Friday & Sunday @ the Village Stage. Hope we get a repeat.
Big up Mid-West posse !

Only time I get to see JWS, guerilla takeover, comanche, $#it even wblk which is the resident sound in sebastopol, is at the big festivals. If y'all remember JWS TORE IT UP in the dancehall several years ago

Do you like:

Music or hype?

Talent or self-praise?

Heartical behavior or cronyism?

Dedication or dilution?

Tape saturation or market saturation?

Love or advertising?

what if I like all of those things?

I remember Comanche tearing it up every year. I mean NO DISRESPECT, but local sounds(JWS,WBLK,GUERRILLA,BROKEN SOUND) are constantly self-praising themselves as the best party around along with crazy drink specials day after day after day. That is not what this festival is about, which is probably why their applications are not picked up.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/10/2012 11:42PM by steeleman.

Come on now, they sell alcohol at this and every other Cali festival too. SNWMF isn't exactly Rebel Salute. Thats a lame argument.

I remember a few years back.. after a long weekend at ROTR I was passing out in my tent, and I could hear music blasting from the dome.. I heard I-vier on the mic and after hearing big tune after big tune I had no choice but to get up out of my tent and go check the vibes.. He was completely murdering it. Dub after dub after dub... and not just dropping dubs but properly mixing them seamlessly. The crowd was cracking and it seemed to me everybody was truly enjoying the vibes. So, yea Ive seen Jah Warrior Shelter, played alongside them multiple times, and honestly sounds like that can always rep properly and would no doubt hold it down at these large festivals. After going to ROTR for 12 years that was one of the best times I had seen in the dancehall... The people never seem dissapointed but at the same time I can see where the festivals thoughts come from on bringing new, out of town acts and that is respected as well..

I wasn' there last year, but from what I heard Guerilla takeover had the place cracking .. Weve had our share of ramming the dome with Broken Silence, Mountain Lion and tons of other West Coast Sounds.. Always a good time.

The argument that sounds play all the time so they shouldn't play at the festivals is kinda backwards to me.. If they are playing all the time they must be doing something right.. right?
Big up all the sound systems doing their thing and big up SNWMF for keeping it diverse, interesting, worldly and fresh!!

it seems like a compromise can be found here. What about the following options:

1. 4 local sounds play an hour each on Fri, with 15min hand overs between sets. Out of state/country sounds play on Sat night.

2. How about opening the dancehall up during the daytime for some sounds to play on? There are definitely lulls during the day when this would be appreciated.

3. Sunday night sets till midnight?

4. Extend the dancehall hours into the early morning by turning down the volume at a certain point so as not to violate the noise rules. If the dancehall volume is at 10 (or 11) until 1am or so, turn it down to 8 and keep playing. This might also help mitigate the number of parking lot sounds since the music and vibe will still be available to all in the Dancehall until lets say, 4 or 5am.

Problems are solutions waiting to be found.

JWS always Murders it at ROTR for sure, year after year. I too have gotten out of the tent to head back to the Dome for more due to the relentless amount of sick dubs that Iver was delivering. I recall a string of like 3-4 clean Gappy Ranks dubs that gave me a second wind, or more like a third or fourth wind, last summer. Bless up

i still like the idea of the all night dancehall with headphones like they are doing at other fests...would really cut down on the after hours noise in the campground

With headphones?? Sorry iam just picturing everyone dancing with their own ipod.. what if we dont have a working ipod

it would be interesting to try at SN. definitely wouldnt satisfy the bass heads tho. maybe have the dance run as usual til 2 then switch over to silent disco, idk tho itd be pain making eveything switch over in the middle of a set

iriebarto,
check silent frisco! they do a silent party! started to get around the noise ordinance in big cities! pretty cool party!
~irie~

Here's some local artists I would like to see return to the fest...
Sila & The Afrofunk Experience
Jesus Diaz Y Su QBA
Rupa & The April Fishes

From So.Cal. ...
Ricardo Lemvo & Makina Loca

thats got to be one of the most uncomfortable overheated ways to dance
how bout with earmuffs instead
the essence of reggae music is speaker amplification
that is some serious deviation

AS FAR AS LOCAL ACTS....
especially sound systems it seems to me they are treated bad because people pass judgement on soundsystem and dancehall culture
I SAY the California Sound Champion should rule the dancehall on the late night tip..........how many times does Stone Love need to come and sucky sucky??? or how many times do white people have to pat ourselves on the back by saying see, look at David Rodigan now he's on top
There is quality control right here in the Bay particularly if you listen to JWS on KPFA or KPOO the selections are maad crucial and to me that represents what will be played at the fest as opposed to more commercial things that get played for a late night party crowd at a club or bar in SF.
It seems the fest is more heavy on the culture than that and good soundsytems which we clearly have in the Bay, know exactly how to run things.
AND being that some newcomers have ruled the roost the past few years, like GTO or 1wise its not a foregone conclusion who it will be.
I feel the lack of appreciation for the true quality local acts and sounds is a slap in the face and a disrespect.

Thats word

I hardly think SNWMF has slapped anybody's face in disrespect. Local folks are generally spinning tunes all day long between sets. It's all records (or similar) anyway.

Why would I wanna stay up late for local sounds I see around town and hear on the radio?

Good News Strikkly and to everyone else who thinks that SNWMF does not appreciate LOCAL QUALITY ACTS. In case you have missed the past few years at this festival, a very HIGH and TRUE ROOTS QUALITY LOCAL ACT that goes by the name of COMANCHE HI POWER has run the dancehall sound. You probably missed them related to the fact that they do not rely on self advertising and self praise you get from the other guys.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/11/2012 09:28PM by steeleman.

Quote
comanche-i
Do you like:

Music or hype?

Talent or self-praise?

Heartical behavior or cronyism?

Dedication or dilution?

Tape saturation or market saturation?

Love or advertising?

Why every time Comanche is mentioned there is some arrogance attached to it?


Even your supporters?

"the ONLY sound who lets their sound speak for themselves rather than the constant self advertising and self praise you will get from the other guys."

Really? Thats how yall see it? Thats "heartical behavior?"

Cool down your judgements...

Quote
Relic Secure

Quote
comanche-i
Do you like:

Music or hype?

Talent or self-praise?

Heartical behavior or cronyism?

Dedication or dilution?

Tape saturation or market saturation?

Love or advertising?

Why every time Comanche is mentioned there is some arrogance attached to it?


Even your supporters?

"the ONLY sound who lets their sound speak for themselves rather than the constant self advertising and self praise you will get from the other guys."

Really? Thats how yall see it? Thats "heartical behavior?"

Cool down your judgements...

I was thinking the same thing this morning....

trying to compare comanche hi power and jah warrior shelter is a bit like comparing apples and oranges; my guess is that both would agree that although they hope to musically entertain the masses, they are also striving for slightly different things. neither sound’s approach is any better than the others, but some folks will certainly prefer one style to the other. they have both been doing their thing for so long and doing what they do so well, that neither will offer an amateurish sound; they will surely offer differing sounds and vibes though. even though i clearly prefer one’s style to the other, lord knows there is room for both.
-----
as far as this goes: "the ONLY sound who lets their sound speak for themselves rather than the constant self advertising and self praise you will get from the other guys."

Really? Thats how yall see it? Thats "heartical behavior?"
-----
it does seem fairly accurate to say that if someone in the audience doesn't know either sound by sight, it might take them quite some time to figure out what sound is on when comanche is dropping tunes, whereas when jah warrior shelter gets busy you'll hear it's them a few times before the first tune/dubplate is over. different strokes for different folks.

m.

* [www.kboo.fm]
* [shocksofshebamusic.com]
* [www.shocksofsheba.podomatic.com]

Wow, this seems to have turned into an "us and them" discussion, I want to bring it back on point: I am saying that IMHO local talent should be given more value than simply providing filler and intermission sound.

I am not saying I choose one sound over the other, I am saying more of all local talent overall is more massive!

i agree about the us vs. them derailment--hence my post. big up BOTH local sounds and their respective works.

m.

* [www.kboo.fm]
* [shocksofshebamusic.com]
* [www.shocksofsheba.podomatic.com]

I agree.....

one love-juan love
(SAPO)

Nobody's gonna buy a ticket because Warren's a local guy deserving of some love.

From there it trickles down....



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/04/2012 04:12PM by HI*FI.

Quote
HI*FI
Sure every single dj at the fest looks up at Rory playing in the dancehall and says,"I can scream into a mic and play better wav files than him"

But who among them knows how to run a parametric eq or compressor? Who among them can and will load a moving truck full of gear and run it all weekend long?

Who among them will stand at the console (while everybody else is watching the headliners play) and give Rory and Rodigan and Zion Train all the monitor adjustments they request?

So you see the list gets pretty small really quick.


STAY POSITIVE SOUND can.... No problem. Hit me up I'll do it for free.

Quote
HI*FI
Sure every single dj at the fest looks up at Rory playing in the dancehall and says,"I can scream into a mic and play better wav files than him"

But who among them knows how to run a parametric eq or compressor? Who among them can and will load a moving truck full of gear and run it all weekend long?

Who among them will stand at the console (while everybody else is watching the headliners play) and give Rory and Rodigan and Zion Train all the monitor adjustments they request?

So you see the list gets pretty small really quick.

There is one local sound system playing the dancehall this year, Comanche, but they have to do an awful lot of hard, heavy and mostly unacknowledged work to get the 3 hrs of airtime.

Really, the opening slots are totally thankless positions. I don't know why anybody would want them. The dancehall is pretty much empty til 10:30.

I agree with Face668 - JWS was reel good in 2007.

But that was a really small crowd of people. Why would you even want to do it again?


Nobody's gonna buy a ticket because Warren's a local guy deserving of some love.

From there it trickles down....

To answer the 1st part about the sound guy thing and whos gonna run it...
I know some guys that go by the name of BASS CRAFT that would have that dancehall sounding VERY VERY NICE !!! Matter of Fact... i know another guy who has the same exact sound system as Bass Craft (in Mendocino Co.) that would probably do it for next to nothing. There are nuff sound people out there that could do the job and not even want or ask for play time...

From what I remember of JWS playing in the dancehall... it wanst that small of a crowd & those boyz ran tune Hard that night !!!

Big up to every 1 still... theses cant be easy decisions to make year after year from the folks that work hard to put this fest on.

one love-juan love
(SAPO)

I would say that Comanche has done nothing wrong when it comes to running the sound inna dancehall...
i mean sure, it could be played a little louder..... last year seemed pretty darn quiet.... but to imply that they are the only ones that CAN do it is just ridiculous.... remember, it ran for many years before the this sound was doing it....

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FullWatts on your stereo...™

"So you see the list gets pretty small really quick. "

To add to this - it's not just who can, it's who did. I don't have detailed knowledge and so I may be off on this, but my impression is that Warren didn't just go to Comanche and say, "hey, coordinate the dancehall sound system and I'll give you guys a spot." Instead, Comanche had the vision to see how SNWMF's dancehall could be improved, and of their own accord stepped up and worked to achieve that goal - and the year-to-year improvements in the dancehall as a result of their efforts have been very evident, in my opinion. It's pretty easy to look after the fact and say "yeah, I can do that too," but a good bit harder to take the initiative in the beginning.

Still getting derailed in the us and them mentality.........

I am saying that IMHO local talent should be given more value than simply providing filler and intermission sound.

More of all local talent overall is more massive! I don't understand why all the dick measuring is going on! OK, Comanche is great!! Swell! So is Chris, Sapo n crew, JWS, Gorilla Takeover, Full Watts, Broken Silence, sameway.

While we're at it, whats up with Irie Dole as an Emcee?

I second Irie Dole as Emcee. He did a great job at New Parish for the Lutan Fyah show.

Secondly, why can't the dancehall be in operation during some of the slower parts of the day, or later into the night with the correct volume dialed in so as not to violate any ordinances?

yeah irie dole got nice mic control and not the screaming type but he holds your attention with just a simple and honest vibe that anyone can connect to. He knows how to respect the crowd and his place on stage and therefore gets the same in return. And big up ID cause i see the man everywhere, always on that grind. (just caught him walkin outta H&R Block next to guitar center just the other week no lie, and i don't live in the bay)
im all about the local sounds but i definitely see them a lot. same way tho, i could pass on another rodigan/stonelove set. cali does this thing where they rebook the same artists until you start to almost realize that its not as amazing as you once thought....but its how cali is. perfect example, nobody was really at the ras shiloh shows when he came out, but they ALWAYS check don carlos. i got no problem with the man, i feel like im at every doncarlos, b. levy, midnite show as well but it amazes me how people never tire of the redundancy.
and if we can keep getting rodigan and stonelove, cant we get any OTHER sounds of that same caliber...like maybe another mad professor set or even deeper into the crate and pull out some aba shanti or iration steppas. can we get some stuff outta germany, spain, japan? is that impossible?...we got all these void speakers out here, lets bring out the first sound (IS) to realy put it on the map. and why never any love to the socal sounds...is this a cali fest or a northern cali fest? i understand the proximity and all, but would love to hear some APS or BHW at the controls. i feel like if we want local acts, lets look to some other local acts and not the same local acts over and over again. all the local talent always provides a good vibe but life is short and jaws, gt, bs, and 1wise are not the only local sounds im trying to see for the rest of my life. that said, there def should be a compromise cause as much we all come to see these rarely seen acts, the local community also adds stone to the foundation and we gotta respect that.

well put!