Five reasons to check out One Love Westcoast Festival
1 Latin street festival
Not hot enough for ya? The One Love Westcoast Festival brings together reggae, ska, Afro/Latin and other hot-climate sounds for two sizzling days. The festival, which is designed to evoke a Latin street party, features a market, food pavilions, a kids’activity area and local and touring musicians on an outdoor stage.
2 Antidoping
Formed in 1992, headliner Antidoping is a pioneering Mexican reggae band. They are associated with the Razteca movement, which is a fusion of Mexican culture and Rastafarian philosophy.
3 The Sentiments
Portland’s the Sentiments mix ska, rocksteady, reggae and soul. The band includes members from other West Coast ska bands. Local ska fans may recall seeing them at the Victoria Ska Festival or here in Vancouver opening for New York’s the Slackers.
4 Coco Jafro
Vocalist Karina Morin leads this Vancouver band, which describes its music as“exotic funk.”A top 10 finalist in the CBC Searchlight competition, Coco Jafro is a go-to, get-the-partystarted act in town.
5 Opening night party
If hanging out at Swangard Stadium on the weekend isn’t your bag, you can catch several of the acts at a special kickoff concert Aug. 11 at the Rickshaw Theatre. The Rickshaw VIP Concert (tickets: $30) features performances by Antidoping, the Sentiments and St. Maarten vocalist Ku J.