“Une Soirée Sound System”

Depuis une dizaine d’années, le sud de la France connait un renouveau de la culture sound system et des soirées reggae. En effet, la région Sud-Est abrite maintenant plus d’une douzaine de sound systems, de Cannes jusqu’à Montpellier, en passant par Avignon, Aix en Provence, Toulon et bien sûr Marseille.

Les Dub Stations mises en place par l’association Musical Riot sont une des principales raisons de ce renouveau, et ont permis à un public plus jeune de (re)découvrir le reggae et le dub.

Par conséquent, il n’est pas étonnant que plusieurs ‘jeunes’ sound systems sont apparus au cours de ces dernières années, bien décidés à promouvoir cette culture avec l’aide de leurs aînés. La nouvelle  génération (Welders Hifi, Lion King Dub, Jumping Lion, Natural Bashy…) partage maintenant les affiches avec les vétérans de la scène tels que Lion Roots et Salomon Heritage.

Et pour voir cette nouvelle génération à l’oeuvre, il ne faut pas chercher très loin. A  Aix en Provence, c’est l’asso CMAE et le Jumping Lion Sound System qui sont à l’origine des Skanking Foundation, le repaire mensuel des amateurs de reggae et dub-addicts de la région. Et pour comprendre l’enthousiasme de ces artistes, collectionneurs et autres amoureux de cette musique, voici un court métrage réalisé par Guillaume Trapp qui suit le déroulement d’une des Skanking Foundation et explique les fondamentaux d’une soirée sound system:

AF

‘United We Stand’

Reggae and sound system culture has been growing more and more these past few years, both in the UK and across Europe, so it’s no surprise that there has also been a desire by many to explore the more recent developments in the scene. Set up by frenchman Alexandre Goanach, ‘United We Stand’ is one of the lastest projects that attempt to dive into sound system culture in Europe.
As he explains, the aims are:

– “To do justice to a culture that is too often boycotted and caricatured by the mainstream media and cultural world by giving a voice to the artists of the underground roots, dub, stepper and free party techno scene, all united by their love of music and sound systems.

– To discover how this alternative way of listening to music, through the medium of sound systems, has become entrenched in Europe and especially in England and France, by talking to 3 generations of artists who are part of this scene.

– To find out how the sound system becomes an art and a way of life for these artists, and how Roots and Dub music heard through this medium can reach us deep within our subconscious, and what this implies for our role as audiences in modern society.”

A teaser for the documentary is now available, and features already several interviews of leading sound system crews as well as footage from Garance Reggae Festival 2014 and Dub Camp 2014. The hope is of course to be able to explore the scene across Europe, not only in France.

The project is crowdfunded, so if you enjoyed the teaser and want to help, you can visit the United We stand page on KissKissBankBank

AF.

The Story of Rototom – Episode 1

By now, most people have heard of the Rototom Sunsplash. Considered today as one of the biggest European reggae festivals, it brings reggae lovers from all over the world to the sun-filled beaches of Benicassim.
But until 2009, Rototom was held in Osoppo, Italy, and has grown from being a small nightclub promoting ‘alternative’ music into the world world famous reggae festival it is today.

In order to celebrate its 20th anniversary,  this 8 part series explores the festival’s history; from it’s Italian roots in the early 90s to its new Spanish home in late 00s.

Episode 1 looks at the prologue: the Rototom Nightclub which was set up in 1991 in order to host and promote alternative music – from rock, punk, hip hop to reggae –  and the first edition of the Festival held in 1993. Blending memories from the organisers and personal anecdotes from artists and friends, it shows us how these people created a cultural and musical hub in a small village of northern Italy.

MORE THAN TWENTY
A film in 8 episodes 1991-2014

Directed by: Tommaso D’Elia, Silvia Bonanni
Language: Italian
Subtitles: Italian, English, Spanish, French

Rototom Sunsplash Festival
August 16th-23rd

After All sound system @ YAPTLM

Reportage video sur After All sound system lors de l’édition 2013 du (très réussi) festival Y’en Aura Pour Tout Le Monde, avec une petite Interview des membres d’After All sound sur leurs débuts ainsi que sur leur collaboration avec le festival.
Featuring: After All crew, Marina P, Riddim Tuffa, Artikal Sound, S’Kaya & more

Realisation: Quentin Spinosa “Spinosa Production”

There’s Nothing Like A Sound System

By Bartosz Madejski – 2013

Short documentary about the sound system scene in Glasgow. Filmed entirely on a Nokia Lumia for the Nokia Sundance LDN Short Film Festival.

Featuring:
Mungo’s HiFi; Samson Sounds; Agronaut Sounds; CC Sound; YT; Soom T…

http://www.bartphoto.co.uk/

“Il étais une fois… raggamuffin”

KDY Films – par Babacar Sly

Ce documentaire retrace les débuts du raggamuffin en France, et rencontre les pionniers qui ont poussé le dancehall et les sound systems vers l’avant dans l’hexagone et les Dom-Tom.

This documentary explores the roots of raggamuffin in France, and meets the pionners that pushed french dancehall and sound systems to the top.

Avec:
Daddy Yod, Pappa San, Saï Saï, Nuttea, Admiral T, Tonton David… et beaucoup d’autres.