General Levy, David Rodigan, Reggae Roast, The Skints, Solo Banton, Mr. Williamz, Don Letts, Tanni Browne, e Bristol Hi-fi

Had a great time. He was lively, energetic and engaging. I felt he could have performed for longer though (he performed for roughly 1hr and 40 mins). The supporting acts except one were rather mediocre.

Music is an art form that has the ability to evoke a number of different emotions on the same album. Whether it makes you feel sad, brave, joyous, hopeful or reflective, something is conjured up when you press play. Amongst these emotions, ultimately music should make us feel good, happy and care free.

The Skints are a band who certainly evoke those feel good vibes and in a country that can often come across as very miserable, these Londoners help bring that ever so needed ray of sunshine to the often dreary feeling of London Town.

Combining reggae, ska, dub, hip hop and punk music to create their sound, The Skints have bought back the happy factor and it was a pleasure to see them at The Hackney Weekender.

From covers to their own material including ‘Rise Up’ and ‘Cost of Living’, they really know to conduct and control the crowd. With the audience swaying side to side and hands raised, The Skints introduced the BBC Hackney Weekender in perfect fashion and tenacity, but what’s a reggae group without a tribute to some reggae heavyweights? The Skints covered tracks by Dawn Penn and the infamous Bob Marley, and with them being back again in the UK towards the end of the year, don’t let the cold weather stop you from getting a ticket, there’s always sunshine with The Skints.