The Rivertones To Perform At The Drama Factory

Reggae Night - The Rivertones will perform the hits of Bob Marley, Ub40 & Eddy Grant at Reggae Night at The Drama Factory on Sun 8 December 2024.

About “REGGAE NIGHT - THE RIVERTONES PERFORM THE HITS OF Bob Marley, UB40 & EDDY GRANT”

This is an exceptional show with Cape Town's most loved reggae band, The Rivertones, performing not only the hits of reggae legends Bob Marley from Jamaica, UB40 from the UK, and Eddy Grant from Guyana, but some of their originals too. The band had the honour of supporting Ali Campbell's UB40 during their South African tour in 2023.   Reggae music, a treasured cultural export from Jamaica, has served as a unifying force among diverse cultural groups in Cape Town, with The Rivertones at the forefront of this movement. The global popularity of reggae has allowed it to reach audiences worldwide. Bob Marley, one of the most influential and inspirational musicians in history, is often seen as the embodiment of reggae. His smooth melodies and powerful lyrics remain a staple in the soundtrack of many people's lives. UB40, the iconic English pop-reggae band, helped define the British reggae sound with their romantic ballads and upbeat commercial hits. Their success has been significant, with four Grammy Award nominations for Best Reggae Album and a Brit Award nomination for Best British Group in 1984. The band has sold over 70 million records globally, and their performance of “Red Red Wine” at Nelson Mandela's Tribute Concert catapulted the song to the top of the charts. Eddy Grant, a Guyanese-British singer-songwriter and musician, was the founding member of The Equals, one of the UK's first racially integrated pop groups. He pioneered the genre known as ringbang, which blends rhythms originating from Africa into a unified sound that transcends geographical boundaries. His music spans multiple genres, including reggae, rock, pop, electro-pop, funk, disco, calypso, and soca. Grant's solo hits, “I Don't Wanna Dance” and “Electric Avenue,” both achieved platinum status and reached No. 2 in the UK and the US. His anti-apartheid anthem, “Gimme Hope Jo'anna,” was a No. 7 hit in the UK in 1988. Grant performed at Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday concert in 2008 and was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the government of Guyana in 2016.

The Rivertones' performance features Bob Marley reggae classics such as “One Love,” “Is This Love,” “No Woman No Cry,” “Buffalo Soldier,” and “Could You Be Loved.” They also deliver popular UB40 hits like “Kingston Town,” “Red Red Wine,” “Can't Help Falling In Love,” and Eddy Grant songs like “Electric Avenue,” “I Don't Wanna Dance,” “Do You Feel My Love,” and “Hope Jo'anna,” along with other reggae favourites. Prepare to jam to the sounds of Bob Marley, UB40, and Eddy Grant—this is reggae at its finest!

The Rivertones, founded in 2006 by lead vocalist Roland Geoffrey Nair, who made his stage debut at age 12, also perform internationally with their energetic, skanking, joyful, old-school reggae sound, promoting a message of “one love.” During the 1980s, the reggae scene flourished in South Africa, and Roland emerged as a pioneering figure alongside bands like Survival, Dread Warriors, Rapula, and African Vibes in Johannesburg. Roland had the privilege of performing with Bob Marley's legendary band, The Wailers, in Cape Town in 2009. His successful vocal performance led to an invitation to tour with Bunny Wailer during a Reunion Island tour. Roland performed in 15 countries to crowds of 75,000, sharing the stage with The Wailers. Apart from supporting UB40 on May 30, 2023 (Grand West, Cape Town), and June 1 and 2, 2023 (ICC, Durban), The Rivertones also performed at the UB40 after-party event at Grand West during the band's first visit to South Africa. Roland has shared stages with artists like PJ Powers, Hugh Masekela, and Lucky Dube. After four decades on stage, Roland and The Rivertones remain a favourite across South Africa at major festivals, wine estates, restaurants, hotels, theatres, theatre supper venues, private, corporate, and government functions. Roland has even performed for presidents! 

Book securely online with a credit card for any show at The Drama Factory by visiting www.thedramafactory.co.za. The direct booking page for this particular show is www.thedramafactory.co.za/whatson#8Dec24.

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