Don’t forget! One of the biggest vintage Jamaican reggae line-ups to hit Minneapolis this year is upon us tonight! Rocksteady and reggae superstars The HEPTONES and KEN BOOTHE will both be performing at Epic Nightclub in downtown Minneapolis (doors at 8:00pm). This event is a continuing celebration of Jamaica’s 50th year of independence, and catering will be on site with delicious Caribbean food for a true Jamaican festival experience!

Shows like this don’t come around often, and especially not in the Twin Cities, so let’s show these Jamaican legends how much we love reggae here in Minnesota! For more info, please visit http://epicmpls.com/events/mighty-heptones-ken-boothe

Here is some footage of Cincinnati ska/reggae band The Pinstripes closing down their set last month at the World Cafe in Philadelphia, PA.  Most of that set is on YouTube if you care to check out the rest.

You can check out this video on YouTube HERE

Overproof Radio episode 11 is now live; get some boss ska and reggae in your ears via the stream below or the show page on Podomatic — there are new tunes from the Moon Invaders, Chris Murray, Iba Mahr and more!

Check out the tracklist for this episode after the jump, and don’t forget to keep an ear on the show via Facebook and Twitter.

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Last night on the Tunnel One show on WNYU (89.1 FM New York), Brooklyn rocksteady band The Forthrights, along with Maddie Ruthless, played a live set of big tunes.  The entire episode of this weekly ska radio show is currently streaming on their website.  The live set is toward the end of the episode.  While listening to the show, I was reminded of the night last May at the Terminal Bar in Minneapolis when these guys rocked out with the MNSKA massive.  Good times!

You can stream the episode HERE

MNSKA’s own The Dropsteppers released their smash-hit debut full-length Get Up In It! last November and it is currently in the running for Best Ska Album of 2011.  As a surging ska community, we should all show our support and vote for them over at joescholes.com.  It’s time to put MNSKA on the map!

You can cast your vote HERE.  You better hurry, the polls close January 22nd!

WI reggae-rockers T.U.G.G. are pleased to announce they will be releasing a new EP, and to celebrate, the band put together a promo video premiering their new song “So Good.”  The band says:

In the fall of 2011 TUGG wrote, recorded, and produced their latest EP, “Home Brew”. As the title would suggest the band took on every aspect of crafting this record. After many long hours, re-takes, mixes, beers, debates, cheers, and all around craziness the end product is “Home Brew”: A 5 song journey that dives into the roots and foundation of a sound for which the band has worked so effortlessly to hone in the past 3 years on the road playing with their contemporaries & idols within the alternative reggae genre.
So, from the TUGG HQ holding tanks straight to your ears we’re very excited to announce that the new EP, “Home Brew” will be available everywhere music is sold online Tuesday December 20th. Look for it on iTunes, Amazon, CdBaby, and many more online retail outlets.
Please enjoy the following video for the new song from the EP, “So Good” which includes footage from the last few years on the road and also from the studio this fall.

You can check out the video on YouTube HERE

LA’s premiere dirty reggae band The Aggrolites are bringing their gritty sound to the 7th Street Entry at First Avenue in Minneapolis on Thursday, October 20th!  The band is currently on tour to promote their Unleashed Live: Volume 1 collection of live songs.  Also playing this show are Roots Of Creation and local Wisconsin reggae-rockers T.U.G.G.  MNSKA’s own Aaron Porter (The Prizefighters) will be spinning Jamaican 45s in-between sets to keep the party rocking all night.

Tickets are available HERE

Thursday, October 20
7th Street Entry / 8:00 pm / 18+
THE AGGROLITES
with ROOTS OF CREATION
T.U.G.G.

DJ sets by Aaron Porter (The Prizefighters)

$15.00 adv | $15.00 door

Fall 2011 is looking to be a solid season for MNSKA!  There are going to be a whole truckload of new releases from bands in the MNSKA community.  Let me give you a run down of what you can look forward to:

Rocksteady Breakfast will be releasing their new CD on Saturday, September 3rd at The Rat Hole in South Minneapolis.  The band has spent the past year and a half working on this album.  It is a must-have for fans of raw energetic underground punk-ska!  Details for the release show can be found HERE

The Prizefighters have been busy this past year putting together a special-edition vinyl LP of their recent release Follow My Sound via Jump Up Records.  Along with songs from the album, side B of the vinyl will include new unreleased songs, instrumental versions, and even a dub from Anthony Abbinanti (The Drastics).  The band will be releasing the album at special double release show with MNSKA band The Dropsteppers on Friday, October 21st at The Nomad World Pub in Minneapolis.  The Dropsteppers spent the early part of 2011 in the studio to create their debut full-length CD Get Up In It via Megalith Records.

Veteran third-wave ska band 3 Minute Hero recently announced their triumphant return to the Twin Cities music scene.  To commemorate being back in the saddle, they are hard at work on a new release that should be out this Fall.  Stay tuned to MNSKA.com for more details!

Long-time Twin Cities reggae band Dred I Dread will be releasing their much anticipated follow-up to 2009′s Tribulation sometime in early 2012.  The band previewed some of their new songs at the recent Jamaican Independence Day party at The Red Sea.

MNSKA band 2 Tone Runts is playing a benefit concert at The Red Sea in Minneapolis, MN TOMORROW NIGHT!  The show is called BAND-AID: Our Wealth To Their Health and is presented by the University of Minnesota’s Chapter of Amnesty International and Biology without Borders.  Doors for this event open at 8:30 pm with 2 Tone Runts taking the stage at 10:15 pm.  The show is $5 for those under 21 and $4 for those 21 and over with all proceeds going to Doctors Without Borders.

MNSKA band The Dropsteppers have been very busy the past 9 months.  This 6 piece rocksteady crew have been playing near-weekly gigs all over the Twin Cities.  Now the band will be performing a 1 hour set and short interview on 88.1 KVSC Monday Night Live this Monday September 27th from 10pm-11pm. The live show can be streamed online HERE. You can also watch the show on Public Access or you can tune into 88.1FM if you are in the St. Cloud area.  The band be performing 95% original music of their 2 Tone Ska, Rocksteady, Reggae and American Soul sound.