Herbs set to reunite for Raggamuffin music festival

Wyclef Jean is one headline act. Photo / Herald on Sunday

Promoters have announced the four New Zealand acts to perform at January's Raggamuffin concert in Rotorua.

Katchafire, Sola Rosa and Iva Lamkum, Pacific Herbs and Sweet and Irie will join a line-up of international artists on January 23 at the Rotorua International Stadium.

For the first time in more than a decade, members of the legendary reggae band Herbs will reunite, alongside members of House of Shem, to perform the best of Herbs under the name Pacific Herbs.

Former Herbs members Tony Fonoti, Spencer Fusimalohi and Carl Perkins will perform all of their hits including French Letter, Nuclear Waste, Long Ago and Sensitive to a Smile.

Concert promoters Andrew McManus Presents said Herbs would be joined by Hamilton eight-piece Katchafire, who would perform songs from their soon-to-be-released fourth album and old favourites such as Giddy Up and Say What You're Thinking.

A Wellingtonian of Samoan-Chinese descent, Iva Lamkum blends funk, soul and jazz and she will join dub outfit Sola Rosa in Rotorua to perform singles Turn Around and Get It Together.

Completing the New Zealand line-up will be South Auckland's Sweet and Irie, a nine-piece band led by singer/songwriter Ed Ru, a Cook Islander born and raised in South Auckland.

Described as playing "sunshine reggae", Sweet and Irie play a positive and uplifting brand of reggae likely to please the crowds.

The four New Zealand bands will join international acts Wyclef Jean (the Fugees), Shaggy, Steel Pulse, Julian Marley, Sly & Robbie and Sean Kingston at the festival.

New Zealand's largest reggae music festival gives fans more than 10 hours of funk, dub, hip-hop, soul and of course reggae.

More than 22,000 people attended the last festival, and about 32,000 attended the year before.

Ticket prices for 2010 are expected to be about the same as this year, $109 to $120.

Raggamuffin 2010 tickets go on sale tomorrow and can be purchased from Ticketmaster.

Go to www.raggamuffin.co.nz for more information.