Well then ladies and gentleman the summer is well and truly underway with Glastonbury valiantly kicking off the festival season. In the searing heat of the Shambala office the team have been working their socks off to make this years 10th anniversary the best one yet. If you haven’t already get your tickets they are being snapped up quicker then a pair of cheetahs playing snap!

Less then 7 weeks now till Shambala festival, so to get everyone in the mood, Bobby Lost from the Lost & Found crew and Deanne (Blonde Ambition DJS) take you on a musical journey to wet your appetite. Featuring exclusives from some of the great acts who will be performing at Shambala this year, as well as interviews and insightful background history to the event.

There’s also a competition to WIN 2 TICKETS to the festival so check it out!

Click here to listen: http://shambalafestival.podomatic.com/
Click here to subscribe to the RSS feed: http://shambalafestival.podomatic.com/rss2.xml
Click here to subscribe using iTunes: itpc://shambalafestival.podomatic.com/rss2.xml

Shambala has teamed up with Sustrans to offer free guided cycle rides to Shambala. The initiative combines our commitment to encouraging low-impact (and fun) ways to travel to the event, and Sustrans unquenchable enthusiasm for cycling! Make the Festival into a longer holiday and raise funds to support the ever-expanding National Cycle Network!

Rides are going from Bristol, Birmingham, Coventry, Leicester and Sheffield. We hope to expand to many more cities next year!

You should find all the info you need in the downloadable info sheets, sign up-form & sponsorship pack on the website including how to get a cheap massage as a reward when you arrive at the festival! All the rides are lead by professional folk. All riders get a free cyclometer too!

This year we decided that more effort should go into the intimate and cosy spaces…so we have personally invited the best crews to curate and host small venues…… From Bristol we have the Compass of Desire crew who will present a smorgasbord of weird and wonderful acts, surreal encounters and libidinous beats in the sumptuously sexy world of their late-night boudoir…………Twist and Spout, Leicester’s groovy intimate music stage and cafe offers live bands like El Goodo, Ambrose Tompkins, Colourama and Mik Artistik to name but a few…………and from Birmingham the return of the mighty Roots Yard massive with more great Caribbean cuisine, another serious line up of ‘toon selectas’ and mc’s, a larger tent and a new later license we can now soak up more of the heavy, conscious, roots vibes!

@ The Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath

It is with huge delight that we present the world’s finest contemporary reggae band, Groundation for their Birmingham debut and only their 4th UK show!

Groundation bring classic roots music into the serious times of the 21st century. Their sound is an awesome organic fusion of Roots Reggae, transcendental Dub and heavy Jazz fusion; their live shows are synonymous with high-energy positive communal vibrations and for delivering a powerful message. With a large and ever growing fan base, and 5 successful albums already under their belt, Groundation have become one of Reggae`s most loved contemporary bands.

We can`t wait to welcome Groundation for their Birmingham debut as they tour their eagerly anticipated 6th Album, “Here I Am.”  Which, back in the good old days, you could have picked up from Jibbering Records.  Alas, those days are gone, so you have to search the internet!

Groundation usually perform in front of crowds of thousands.  So, to have the oppurtunity to catch them live in such an intimate venue as the Hare and Hounds is a treat not to be missed!!

DATE:  Mon 13th July

VENUE:  The Hare and Hounds, Kings Heath, Birmingham B14 7JZ

TIMES:  Doors open at 8pm  Band On Stage at 9pm ish

TICKETS: Adv tickets £10 from the Ticket Sellers: Phone: 0844 870 0000

For those of you that have not yet been enlightened by the music of Groundation, check out TheirSpace and have a wee look at these bits n bobs!!

Groundation “What Could Have Been” (Music Video)

Groundation “Weeping Pirates” (Song with pictures)

A classic Groundation track, “Jah Jah Know” (Song with pictures)