Rototom Sunsplash 2013 - Day 8

By Francesco "Versoescondido" Iampieri on Tuesday, December 31, 2013 - Photos by Mauro Sindici - Comment

Rototom Sunsplash Day 8 with Misty In Roots, Gondwana and Damian "Jr Gong" Marley

After an extraordinary week of reggae music and culture, the 20th edition of Rototom Sunsplash 2013, arrived to the last day. It was an impressive edition from all points of view especially for the number of participants (240.000 - the highest ever) that proved the growing interest for this music and the winning formula of Rototom.

The last series of concerts of the Main Stage was opened by the great Misty In Roots, an indipendent London band that for over 30 years refused the major labels and dedicated its projects to spread the Rasta message out and fought against African discrimination. The concert was intense like their songs, full of deep reflection on intolerance, violence and the roots of Mother Earth. Songs like True Rasta, Jah Bless Africa, Mankind, Dancehall Babylon and Cover Up, left a positive emotion to the audience, their music was able to conquer the thinking and conscious minds of the fans. Misty in Roots

At 22:30, straight from South America, the Chilean band Gondwana stepped on Rototom stage for the first time ever. A long-lived band that increased their success and fame year after year, offering to their fans a mix of reggae, dub and Latin music. During the past years different singers came in succession, but the greatest, I-Locks Labbè (also founder and bass player of the band), was the one that had the band's skills and distinction reaching the top in the whole South American continent. A big group of fans from Chile raised the national flag up in the air to show love and affection to the band that paid them back with the songs that each of them knew word by word such as Felicidad, Armonia de Amor, Piensame and Sentimiento Original, songs that got women, lovers and romantic people's hearts melted. In their last album, “Anyway”, there are not only love songs; the other reggae songs like Ghetto Sur, Me Veras and Revoluciòn explain how much the World needs a mental revolution that starts from hearts and the brains. The concert was a fully deserved success. Midnight came.

Damian Marley The ending show was committed to Damian "Jr Gong" Marley, the most awaited name of the entire Festival, the name that drawn almost 35.000 paying guests to the final concert in Benicassim. His entrance was overwhelming, a thousand lights on the stage for the powerful Make it Bun Dem ( the song that is famous for the collaboration with dj Skrillex) that hypnotized the massive which sang all together with the hands up in the air. Immediately after, the energetic Set up Shop, drove the thousands fans, participating to the concert, crazy. His show made the crowd breathless, it was a mix of dynamic and touching moments as when he started to sing Road To Zion, Affairs of the Heart and There’s for You and everybody put their lighter or cell phone up to the sky. Explosive shouts started in the exact moment when Welcome to Jamrock started, the song that gave him worldwide fame. Not missing were the remembrances to his father Bob, with Could You be Loved, I shot the Sheriff and Get Up Stand Up. Damian Marley showed his talent, once again, to his fans that are used to it. They had the opportunity to enjoy his one and only European date and his first Rototom time that couldn't desire a better end.

Main Stage area was then just a carpet made of bottles and papers, the crowd moved for the last time to the other stages, where the music was still going on, to the restaurants to eat something, or just for a walk to remind about the amazing and unforgettable experience they just had. Sunset was getting close and the thought was already turned over to the 2014 edition of Rototom Sunsplash!