Toppa Top 10: Top Ten Summertime Festivals

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May 15, 2012


6. Rototom Sunsplash (Benicassim, Spain; August 16-22)

Originally held at the Rototom Disco Club, in Northern Italy, the family-oriented Rototom Sunplash has settled in Beniccasim, a beach town on Spain’s Costa del Azahar, where it will be held for a third time this year. Performances are just one element of the multi-faceted cultural event, which hosts percussion classes, photo exhibitions, seminars, debates and film screenings, among other community-building events. Beenie Man, Beres, Mykal Rose, Derrick Morgan, Tanya Stephens, Freddie McGregor, Protoje, Marcia Griffiths, Max Romeo, Cultura Profética, The Congos, Linval Thompson, Johnny Osbourne and Calle 13 are all on board this year, but the most intriguing set is likely to come from the combination of Sly & Robbie, Ernest Ranglin and Monty Alexander and Bitty McLean, all slated to perform together on opening night, Aug. 16.