Thousands Expected For Raggamuffin 2014 This Weekend

Thousands Expected For Raggamuffin 2014 This Weekend

Friday 31 January & Saturday 1 February 2014
Rotorua International Stadium

• DAMIAN MARLEY
• SHAGGY
• MORGAN HERITAGE
• GROUNDATION
• REBEL SOULJAHZ
• COMMON KINGS
• TIKI TAANE (ft OPTIMUS GRYME)

Thousands of reggae fans will be heading to Rotorua this Friday for Raggamuffin 2014 to catch acts including reggae megastars Shaggy and Damian Marley.

The full two-day schedule for the festival has been released showcasing 17 artists including nine international acts and 12 top DJs performing this weekend at Rotorua International Stadium.

Raggamuffin 2014 kicks off on Friday at 4.40pm with Soljah followed by Tiki Taane (featuring Optimus Gryme), Ardijah and Rebel Souljahz ahead of Shaggy.

The music on Saturday starts from 11.45am with Strangely Arousing and ends with a two-hour set by Damian Marley and the Ghetto Youths International artists.

Along with headliners Damian Marley (youngest son of legend Bob Marley) and Shaggy, the festival also features international acts Groundation, Rebel Souljahz, Morgan Heritage and Common Kings along with three stars from the Marley brothers’ Ghetto Youths International record label, Christopher Ellis, Black Am I and Wayne Marshall.

“Raggamuffin is proud to have an incredibly fresh and relevant line up for the 2014 festival,” says Festival Director Jackie Sanders. “Of the nine international artists, seven are first time performers at Raggamuffin. Damian Marley, Shaggy and Morgan Heritage all headline major festivals overseas and we have the honour of having them all on the same stage over the festival’s two days in Rotorua.”

The New Zealand line-up includes Tiki Taane (with Optimus Gryme), who will be launching his new album at the festival, as well as Sons of Zion, Soljah, House of Shem, Three Houses Down, Ardijah, Aotearoa Reggae All Stars, Majic, Lion Rockers Hi-Fi plus the winners of the 2013 Smokefree Pacifica Beats competition, Strangely Arousing.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Tiki Taane and Ardijah to the festival for the first time ever, plus the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience reggae supergroup Aotearoa Reggae All Stars smash out a set of classics on the main stage.”

Tickets are still available for the two-day festival which takes place on Friday 31 January and Saturday 1 February and Damian ‘Jr Gong’ Marley is thanking New Zealand fans attending Raggamuffin 2014 with a free download of his new single ‘Is It Worth It (Gun Man World)’. All purchasers of tickets via Ticketmaster will receive a link to download the track.

New Zealand musician Tiki Taane has chosen Raggamuffin as the launch party for his latest project With Strings Attached (Alive and Orchestrated) on Friday night. The live album features talented Shapeshifter friends Pdigsss, Sambora, Nicky and Reno, Jason Johnston (Jakob) and majestic vocalists Ria Hall, Tali, and Tiki’s father Uekaha Taane Tinorau. Fans can grab the album at the festival and get it signed by the man himself on Friday night.

The KAVA Lounge was a surprise hit of the 2013 festival with huge demand from festivalgoers wanting a taste of island culture in a fabulous chill out zone. This year the KAVA Lounge returns bigger and better than before so more fans have the opportunity to experience the traditional kava ceremony. If you fancy something a bit more energetic, grab a few mates and head to the Coruba beach volley-ball set up nearby in the Ragga Village.

New this year is the Lion Rockers Hi-Fi Soundsystem. Soundsystem culture is growing in popularity in New Zealand and this incredible set-up will give fans a chance to see and hear what it’s all about.

Demand for Raggamuffin’s VIP Lounges has again exceeded expectations. TheSaturday Coruba Lounge has sold out and the House of Marley VIP Lounge has limited capacity remaining on Saturday 1 February.

Organisers have opened the House of Marley Lounge on Friday 31 January from 4pm – midnight with a limited amount of tickets available for $110+ booking fee. The lounges all have premium views of the stage, their own bar, toilets and resident DJs and it’s a great base to enjoy the festival.

Ms Sanders says Friday night ticket sales are double the previous year and she is predicting a massive night to open the festival.

Raggamuffin 2014 is supporting the charity Y for Youth, with a donation from every ticket sold going to help support New Zealand youth organisations.

Tickets for Raggamuffin 2014 are still available through Ticketmaster 0800 111 999www.ticketmaster.co.nz and include two-day passes, single day tickets, family passes and group discounts.

All festival and line-up info, including plenty of accommodation options, can be found atwww.raggamuffin.co.nz

ABOUT Y FOR YOUTH
By providing sustained funding, Y for Youth minimises the burden of fundraising and competing for grants for youth organisations, enabling them to use their resources more effectively and scale capacity to impact a greater number of youth. Y for Youth’s mission is to become the leader in providing sustained funding for organisations and programmes that educate, motivate and mentor youth. Visit http://yforyouth.org/ for more information.

RAGGAMUFFIN 2014 SCHEDULE

Friday 31 January – MAIN STAGE
4.40PM: SOLJAH
5.45PM: TIKI TAANE ft OPTIMUS GRYME
7.00PM: ARDIJAH
8.15PM: REBEL SOULJAHZ
9.45PM: SHAGGY

Friday 31 January – RAGGA VILLAGE
4.00PM-Late: LION ROCKERS HI-FI

Saturday 1 February – MAIN STAGE
11.45AM: STRANGELY AROUSING
12.25PM: SONS OF ZION
1.25PM: THREE HOUSES DOWN ft MAJIC
2.45PM: COMMON KINGS
4.00PM: HOUSE OF SHEM
5.00PM: AOTEAROA REGGAE ALL STARS
5.50PM: GROUNDATION
7.20PM: MORGAN HERITAGE
8.50PM: DAMIAN MARLEY ft GHETTO YOUTHS INTERNATIONAL STARS CHRISTOPHER ELLIS / WAYNE MARSHALL / BLACK-AM-I

Saturday 1 February – RAGGA VILLAGE
4.00PM-Late: LION ROCKERS HI-FI

Friday 31 Jan and Saturdary 1 Feb – MAIN STAGE & VIP ZONES

CHE FU / KING KAPISI / DJ SIRVERE / DJ POROUFESSOR / DJ ART / DJ LOCKSTEADY
SGT BENJI / BEN SIFTY GOODNESS / DEACH / DJ MASIVE / DJ JAYRASIK

ENDS

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