Roots and Culture Stage

'The newly established and much anticipated Roots & Culture Productions at Sunrise presents two stages to showcase a diverse range of heavy basslines and urban sounds with the most positive of vibration. Expect an audio injection all about the RAW, the RHYTHM and the RHYME. A body beat fix to make you get down and dirty with holistic hiphop and lyrical gymnastics, the most delicious of reggae and earthy dub live bands and eclectic Djs, with more than enough room to step it up, keeping your feet firmly ROOTED to the Roots and Culture dance floor. The music is shared between the Chai Wallahs stage and the Peaceful Protest stage.


Tribal Vibe

Tribal Vibe is a festival gypsy folk band based in Brighton. Born out of the festival traveller community and inspired by gypsy folk and reggae roots Tribal Vibe is a fresh new acoustic groove based band with a visionto inspire and empower people, to join peopletogether in fellowship and reclaim our heritage of the heart.Sure to get you skanking....'
www.tribalvibe.co.uk

ZeJ

ZeJ aka: Juba & RaZz started their musical collaboration as a rhyth section, playing drums and bass for various bands, artists and producers. ZeJ is the product of the duo's passion for sound, improvisation, rhythm, production and making people dance. Experimenting with the latest music technology, ZeJ pursue new performance techniques to bring their studio sound to the high energy environment of the dance floor. ZeJ have Won a BBC new talent award for their innovative live act and accumulated air time on: BBC Radio 1, Radio 3, 1 Extra and Resonance FM. Based in east London, ZeJ gig regularly in clubs, raves, squat parties and festivals in the UK and Europe. "ZeJ's real power is in their live production and improvisational performance, the duo's multi sensorial, mind bending show, combining live electronic drums and bass with the effervescent synthesis and live gadgetry, provides an experience impossible to ignore... " DJ Cous Cous
www.myspace.com/zejmusic


L-Mo

Music is L-Mo's life. When he's not creating hisheartfelt acoustic music - a rootsy, funky, melodic rythmn fest with atouch of beatboxing groove, he's immersed in listening to it andthinking about it - usually while longboarding around with a smile onhis face Songs such 'Simple Living', 'Too Bad', and 'Do ThingsRight' reflect personal philosophies, while 'Surf Lagoona' and 'Made inHeaven' take you to some of the places of L-Mo's imagination andexperience of growing up in Perth, Australia, Arizona, USA and Leeds inthe UK. L-Mo's use of slide guitar, banjo, didgeridoo,ukeleli coupled with a dazzling vocal range through beat boxing,display a depth and startling originality. Renowned for hisinteractive and energetic performances, L-Mo is quickly establishing aninternational fan base from his home town of Leeds in the north ofEngland, to the far flung corners of America, Australia and Europe.Born from the inspiration of the mountains viewed from a snowboard,streets from a longboard and the world that inspired him, L-Mo's musicreflects his desire for people to look at the world in a different wayand question the things they would never think of questioning.
www.myspace.com/lukemoseley


Queen's English

Hip Hop meant something years back in the days of social inequality,political turmoil, corporate greed and urban decay. We've still got all that crap andnow rappers chat about gold, guns, bitches and liquor. That just ain't what it was all about. Queens English are the new soldiers of Hip Hop's vanguard - a balance of introspective philosophy and extroverted playboy nonsense. Formed in Leeds, in early 2004 the group have gone from strength to strength creating music from assimilated samples, breaks and synths. Queens English are: SherlQck, Leon Rhymes, Mr. Chips, MC Source, Pikey Esquire and DJ Something Else 'A sensational Hip Hip band!' Time Out 2007 (Michael Hodges)
www.myspace.com/queensenglish

Dub FX

"dub_fx” is an internationally developed one man act. Through his free spirit and endless traveling, dub_fx has gained world wide recognition independently via performing his art on the street. Using his beat box skills, dynamic vocal abilities and his effects pedals, he creates live Psychedelic acapella Trip-hop with a progression into dub step and world based rhythms, all by layering his voice through a sampler live on the spot. Using a pitch shifter he has the ability to alter the sound of his voice thus creating the two vital characters in his live show “Monsoon” (being the deeper voice) and “Lyric” (being the higher pitch voice). In the last 18 months dub_fx has sold over 10.000 copies of his yet to be released debut album to people on the street all over the world and has performed in many venues and festivals around Europe. His musical energy and charisma is a guaranteed show stopper.
www.myspace.com/dubafex


Masdafarai

"Everchanging combinations of mesmerizing performers, bound by their love of great sounds and good vibes..... This is The Masdafarai Live Show. Masdafarai began as the rich, organic studio world of all round musical being, Dan Massie. Improvisation is a key part of Masdafarai's distinct sound which combines many different styles & influences. Recreating these diverse and original vibes on stage took a while to evolve..The resulting show involves a seriously talented collective of artists and musicians.. Captivating & stunning vocalists Miriam Lamen & Sarah Biscuit are accompanied by the coolest crew of musicians: Jazz Trumpet (Lester Brown - LazyHabits), Guitar (Carlos Olmos ), Bass/Bvs ( Colin Starr - Lazy Habits), Drums ( Lawrence Clack ), Beatbox(Wandan) withpercussion & fx from Dan himself... . Prepare to be enthralled, soothed and amazed by their original, soulful, genre defying show.... see www.masdafarai.com for more trax and info..."
www.masdafarai.com

Sarah Williams White

Introducing South London girl Sarah Williams White... the innovative Soulful singer-songwriter, with melodious hooks and some of the most honest intelligent poetry and musical artistry currently on display in this hyperbole age of 'young and cool' London acts. After her recent airing on the BBC 1xtra's podcast, Ras Kwame compared her to be more soulful and funky than Lilly Allen and Kate Nash types. Asides her vocal accent however, her style is much more matching to Alternative songwriters Fiona Apple or Regina Spektor, and the Neo Soul quirks of Erykah Badu. She learnt her craft playing the piano classically until the age of 14 when she found her joys in Fruity Loops and Cubase, with hours spent creating mini Pop anthems in her bedroom. Her love for music making took her to the infamous BRIT School and then onto university. Just as warm and invitingly charismatic as her voice, she's most often seen sitting on a piano stool with a beaming smile across her face. Singing or speaking her poetry reveals intimate stories of life and love, and whether surrounded by an array of musical timbres, or alone at the piano, it's unequivocal that this is a true classic artist in the making. Label signings are undoubtedly imminent for this 22-year-old talent, as the word spreads around the recordings for her second self-release EP (due for release this Spring). www.sarahwilliamswhite.com


Works In Progress

Works In Progress are a 6 piece live collective of producers, DJ's and musicians. After a year of intense improvised jamming as resident band at Readings premier Hiphop night 'Beat Feast', W I P went underground to work on an EP. Having played festivals from Hamswell to Henley and everwhere in between, and numerous gigs in and around london, the band has been working on some killer new material and have had a track released on a DAILY EXPRESS covermount CD last July 2007. 'W.I.P' is all about the fun! As Mike Walsh from XFM said: "you guys could start a party in a morgue!". Don't turn up to a gig of theirs and expect not to dance!! "you guys could start a party in a morgue" - Mike Walsh (Xfm). "Jonny Virgo is a talent to be seen heard and admired"
Linda Serck BBC Radio Berkshire
www.myspace.com/worksinprogressmusic

Freedom Of Expression

Freedom of Expression, F.O.E, are a five-piece musical outfit; Kej raps & rhymes, Bob guiars & vox, Robbie bass, Xavi keys & effects and Nick drums, with an avant-garde approach to experimental music. Drawing on Reggae, Hip Hop, Jazz and Drum & Bass, the sound is familiar whilst challenging. The collective have played at venues as diverse as Igualdas 'Anolia' festival, whilst back on home turf they have rocked crowds for Original Heroes in Bradford, the Hi-Fi Club in Leeds and Mr. Wolfs in Bristol, as well as some of our dear capital's finest — Notting Hill Arts Club, Cargo and Plan B. F.o.E's original sound and free-spirited group aesthetic, evident from their name, has seen them build a solid reputation for electric and eclectic live sets. Undeniably talented musicians, their faultless timing and audacious synth/keyboard layering are an education in uplifting and accessible electronic grooves. This has seen the band play alongside increasingly serious live acts, from Joe Driscoll, Belleruche and Remi Nicole to Bonobo, Fila Brazilia and the Foreign Beggars.
www.myspace.com/foeism


Tom Bombadeal and the Green Men of the Mythical Forest

Tom Bombadeal and the green men of the mythical forest is a project conceived and produced by Brighton-based hip hop producer and mc Tom Caruana. The idea was formed whilst living in Forest Row, a small village in Sussex among the Ashdown forest. Tom spent the first 2 years planning and making beats that used folk samples as the idea of the project was to be a concept album with a narrative; educational folk tales fused with a hiphop twist.. The track 'Songs From The Wood' got onto the Brighton Hip Hop festival 2007 CD which was distributed on the front of Hip Hop Connection. Due to the positive response of the festival track, 'Songs From The Wood' (a 27 track album) was created, which came out on Tom's label, Tea Sea Records. The next logical step was to compose a live performance of genre-defying substance to tour the festivals with. Tom Bombadeal humorously juggles rap, folk, environmentally awareness and dressing up with lyrical dexterity and theatrical execution...This is hiphop getting back to nature.' "You should listen hard for 'Songs From The Wood' by Bombadeal (The Green Man). I guess you'd call it folk-rap- and I love it!' - Mike Lewis from HipHop Connection . 'It's brilliant, even if, like me, your middle aged and dislike all this rap stuff' - Mark @ Waxfactor records, Brighton
www.myspace.com/bombadealgreenmanmythicalforest

The Common Moral Cause

TCMC are a collective of eleven musicians who combine their eclectic tastes of funk, hip-hop and soul to create a sound of their own. Their unique style and engaging live performance has already seen them play numerous sell out gigs, including appearances at the London Astoria, Oxford's Zodiac and all over the South East. Keen festival goers will have noticed the band starting to make their mark on the UK's festival scene, with appearances at: Sunrise Celebration, Hamswell Festival (as headliners), Urban Action, and Windsor's Freestyle Weekend. Their live achievements and energetic show has cemented TCMC's place as one of the UK's foremost live hip hop crossover acts.
www.thecommonmoralcause.com

Lazy Habits

Since early 2004Lazy Habits has comprised of a 5 piece core that form the backbone of this jazzy hip hop crew including rhyming, live drums, percussion, bass and brass. In addition to this other collective members include MC's, beatboxers: WanDan and Flutebox, DJ Itchi and other like-minded multi media based artists that are used both in the studio and for live performances, constantly evolving the output of the collective. Their aim, in part, is to enjoy music, writing, recording, and performing whilst constantly pushing themselves to achieve a fresh sound and new angle to attack the world of hip hop in the UK. However, on listening a little closer to the lyrical content and overall feel they have achieved you can see a deeper side than some, highlighting social climate and tangling with subject matter that at least means something to them, "We're not trying to put the world to rights but we are definitely pointing out a few of the inconsistencies. Their live shows are always something special as they place a large emphasis not only on the songs themselves, but also on the delivery of these songs; they incorporate guest MC slots and beatbox sections to their performances, with the live band known to switch seamlessly from tune to tune like a club DJ, helping to hold the audiences attention. www.lazyhabits.co.uk

Samsara

Samsara emerged out of the primordial porridge as a 5 piece reggae band situated on the south cost with the aim to uplift, enlighten and get spirits skanking. Samsara's sound has its roots in the English Two-tone reggae bands of the 70's and 80's, and they have re-defined the style for the modern age using musical genres from all over the world and throughout the history of pop music, to produce a startlingly new angle on The Jamaican sound. With carefully crafted, memorable songs, and a sound that has been compared to The Police, Sublime and Manu Chao, their debut Album, "'Full Circle" is "an album that deserves to be a great international success". (Zig-Zag Wanderings review). Samsara have now emerged with a strong following, and their boundless energy is leaving all heads buzzing, feet stomping, and minds pontificating the human condition!
www.myspace.com/samsara5

MudSun

Mud Sun combines the talents of UK Slam Champion MC Dizraeli and Canadian MC Baba Brinkman, creator of The Rap Canterbury Tales with production by London's Infinite Potential, and Brighton's Tom Caruana. Mud Sun's debut EP is available now from Lit Fuse Records, mixed and mastered by Lin Gardiner of Super G Music, with cover artwork by Bryan Talbot, the legendary British underground comic book artist. Mud Sun is a composite of opposites, darkness and light, earth and fire, New World and Old World, lyrics and melodies, mind and spirit, serious and absurd, bangers and mash. Mud Sun is good old fashioned crowd-hyping rap music, a gritty, angry, riotous, scathing, and hilarious reflection of life on this ball of spinning dirt in the 21st century. Mud Sun is the sound of hip-hop evolving.
www.myspace.com/mudsun

Portico Quartet

Portico Quartet are the rising stars of the live circuits in the UK. Their debut album, ‘Knee Deep in the North Sea’, was voted Jazz album of the year by Time Out. Consisting of double base, soprano sax, drums and 2 hangs, this instrumental group create an intricate, emotive and cinematic sound that captivates audiences. www.myspace.com/porticoquartet

Jamie Woon

Jamie's excursions into the darkside of soul, acoustic and electronica have recently earned him iTunes single of the week and stages all over the world. Armed with a guitar, loop station and that killer voice, it is an enchanting experience to see a performance from Woon firsthand. www.myspace.com/jamiewoon

Elova

Elova are a trio consisting of baritone guitar, cajon, percussion, acoustic guitar, smooth bv's and soul drenched vocals. Their infectious energy and grooved based, out-there song writing make them an absolute favourite for people that like their music funky, uplifting, deep, unique and punchy. www.myspace.com/elovamusic

Joe Driscoll

Hailing from upstate New York, Joe Driscoll has making big waves on both sides of the Atlantic with his original take on the one-man band. Rapping, singing, beatboxing and playing a wide variety of instruments including guitar and didgeridoo into his loop sampler, the Indy Award winner is a veteran of the all night jam and UK festival circuit. www.myspace.com/joedriscoll

MC Xander

Beat-boxer/multivocalist MC Xander is no run of the mill beat-boxer. Although his beat making skills would rival that champions of this world, Xander has taken making sounds with your mouth to another level, incorporating eastern scales, overtone chanting, harmonics and most importantly...really good, original song-writing. This is cutting edge vocalism with conscious verse and this one-man-band can get crowds dancing. www.myspace.com/mcxander

David J

Quite the enigmatic performer and one that is renowned for each performance being different from the last, David J is a world-class artist. Spoken word derived from a hip-hop career, David's lyrical wordplay, verbal dexterity and freestyle skills are simply awe inspiring and the content of these works straddles the worlds of dark politics and mysticism in a unique and powerful way. It's an education to see this artist let lose on a stage. www.myspace.com/davidj14

Nick Mulvey

This infectiously joyful musician mixes western acoustic styles with afro-beat rhythms and stories for a truly unique experience. The 23 year old gives heart-felt performances and tells stories of travelling, faraway lands, ancestors, his godson and biscuit tins. www.myspace.com/nickmulveymusic

Gideon Conn

Another festival favourite from the OneTaste tour, Gideon is hailed as one of Manchester's most idiosyncratic new song-writing talents. You will sigh, cry, choke and get a stitch in your side during this performance. Gideon mixes genius song-writing with Hip Hop influenced lyrics and delivery. www.myspace.com/gideonconn

Excentral Tempest

One of the most rousing spoken word artists in London, Excentral Tempest is a multiple slam winner and her passionate delivery, message and artistic wordplay appeals to hip hop heads and literati alike. Massively respected on the hip-hop and underground scenes, this will be Excentral’s grand debut with the touring OneTaste Collective. www.myspace.com/excentraltempest

Daisy and Archie

The outrageously talented and vivacious Daisy will be gracing our stage to play acoustic tunes. Daisy’s sets possess a mad power that seduces all who are there to witness it. Her strong voice and her free approach to performance made her a vital asset of OneTaste Collective jam sessions at the festivals. And her new material worked out with musical wizard and guitarist Archie brings new flavours to Daisy melancholy, soulful songs. www.myspace.com/dizzadaze

Inua Ellams

A seasoned OneTaste performer, this multi-talented poet, visual artist, graphic designer and writer delivers performances that are intended to transport and mystify. A contemplative and detailed poet wit the explosive delivery of a great performer, Inua will ignite the passion in you. www.myspace.com/phaze05


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