What's On: Raggamuffin Roadtrip hits Rotorua

For residents who can't wait for Raggamuffin to hit the city again next year, organisers are bringing a reggae road trip to the city this long weekend.

The Raggamuffin Roadtrip is a series of concerts around New Zealand involving big names in reggae - and, as the home of Raggamuffin, Rotorua will host one of the gigs.

J Boog, Fiji, Spawnbreezie, Hot Rain and Peetah Morgan (Morgan Heritage) will perform at venues in Rotorua, Auckland, Christchurch, Porirua and Hastings.

Top New Zealand acts will also join the line-up, including Sons of Zion and Soljah. They will perform in Rotorua on Monday.

George "Fiji" Veikoso fuses classic reggae with hip-hop, RnB and jazz and is one of the biggest Polynesian artists, J Boog has dominated New Zealand airwaves with his hit Let's Do It Again and featuring on the track This Is Love by Monster, which spent 11 weeks on the New Zealand top 40 singles chart.

America-based Spawnbreezie has had a lot of success with his track I'm In Love, while Hawaiian band Hot Rain is an up-and-coming group known for their backing abilities and Peter Morgan, from the legendary family band Morgan Heritage, is transitioning into a solo career.

Meanwhile, the Kiwi bands - Three Houses Down are brothers, cousins and close friends who blend roots, reggae and rock, Soljah are a five-piece unit based in Kaipara and Auckland, and Sons of Zion are a six-piece fusion band whose sound compromises a blend of reggae, heavy rock, dub and funk. Lead singer Rio Panapa is also a former Rotorua man.

The Raggamuffin Roadtrip starts today, and will end on Monday with the Queen's Birthday event at Rotorua's Energy Events Centre.

Tickets for the tour are available from TicketMaster.