Roots dans la Vallée

Jamaican music festival in Figeac

Figeac — Lot (46) Since 1999
Music Reggae Ska
Roots dans la Vallée
Edition
2013
Roots dans la Vallée

About Roots dans la Vallée

Roots dans la Vallée was a festival dedicated to Jamaican music that took place annually in Figeac, in the Lot region, at the Espace François Mitterrand. Born in 1999 in Vaux-le-Pénil in the Paris region, the festival settled in Figeac in 2009 to offer a rich program mixing ska, rocksteady, reggae, dub, and hip-hop. Organized by the cultural services of Figeac-Communauté, the event hosted renowned international artists such as Pat Kelly, The Skatalites, and Capleton, alongside French bands like Zenzile and Brain Damage. The festival had five editions in Figeac from 2009 to 2013.
Dates 20 Apr — 20 Apr 2013
Location Figeac (46)
Prices
Status Finished
Edition 2013

Roots dans la Vallée — edition 2013

5th and final edition of Roots dans la Vallée in Figeac, on April 20, 2013, at the Espace François Mitterrand in Figeac. A more eclectic program than ever with Madd Vibes Brass Band, Pat Kelly & Rude Rich and the High Notes, Zenzile, and Brain Damage.

Roots dans la Vallée 2013: A Memorable 5th Edition

The 5th and final edition in Figeac of Roots dans la Vallée took place on April 20, 2013, at the Espace François Mitterrand in Figeac. More eclectic than ever, this edition highlighted the richness of Jamaican musical heritage and its contemporary fusions.

An Exceptional Premiere Creation

The highlight of the evening was the premiere presentation of the Madd Vibes Brass Band, a creation born from the collaboration between Angelo Moore, singer and saxophonist of the American band Fishbone, and the French collective Ceux Qui Marchent Debout. This Franco-American musical fusion offered a unique show mixing funk, ska, and brass.

Rocksteady and Dub on the Program

Pat Kelly, a living legend of Jamaican rocksteady, enchanted the audience accompanied by Rude Rich and the High Notes for a distinguished and brassy set, paying homage to the golden age of rocksteady in the 1960s. On the dub side, French bands Zenzile and Brain Damage closed the evening with their complementary approaches to dub: instrumental and atmospheric for Zenzile, warmer and more dancefloor-oriented for Brain Damage.

Highlights Roots dans la Vallée 2013

  • 5th and final edition in Figeac
  • Exclusive creation Madd Vibes Brass Band (Angelo Moore × Ceux Qui Marchent Debout)
  • Pat Kelly, legend of Jamaican rocksteady
  • Double dub lineup with Zenzile and Brain Damage

Programme Roots dans la Vallée 2013

2013 Program

  • Madd Vibes Brass Band (Angelo Moore of Fishbone × Ceux Qui Marchent Debout) — Premiere Creation
  • Pat Kelly & Rude Rich and the High Notes — Rocksteady
  • Zenzile — Instrumental Dub
  • Brain Damage — Dub
Edition 2014

Roots dans la Vallée — 2014 edition

The 2013 edition was held on 20 April 2013. The dates for the 2014 edition have not been announced yet. This page will be updated as soon as the official programme is published.

Practical information

Practical information — Roots dans la Vallée

Practical Information

Venue

The festival took place at the Espace François Mitterrand, Place du Foirail, 46100 Figeac. This multi-purpose venue, in the heart of the city, hosted the festival's concerts and events.

Access

  • By car: Figeac is accessible via the D802 from Cahors (70 km) and the D840 from Rodez (60 km). Parking is available near the Espace François Mitterrand.
  • By train: Figeac SNCF station is served by regional trains from Toulouse (2h), Brive-la-Gaillarde (1h15), and Rodez (1h). The festival site is about a 10-minute walk from the station.

On-site Services

  • Bar: Yes
  • Food: Yes
  • Parking: Not dedicated (city parking)
  • Camping: No

Status

This festival is no longer active. The last edition was held on April 20, 2013. The information presented is kept for archival purposes.

A Jamaican festival in the heart of Quercy

Created in 1999 in Vaux-le-Pénil in Seine-et-Marne, the Roots dans la Vallée festival forged a solid reputation in the French Jamaican music scene for a decade in the Paris region. Building on this experience, the festival moved to Figeac in 2009, bringing a unique musical event dedicated to Jamaican roots and their contemporary offshoots to the Lot valley.

A program focused on musical fusion

The Roots dans la Vallée program highlighted Jamaican music as a root to follow in all its variations: ska, rocksteady, reggae, hip-hop, and more electronic branches of the genre like dub. Each edition offered a journey through the musical heritage of the "little island," Jamaica, while exploring the crossovers and fusions that were born from it around the world.

World-class artists

Over its editions, the festival hosted prestigious artists from the international reggae and ska scene. The 5th Figeac edition in 2013 notably featured an exceptional creation: the Madd Vibes Brass Band, the result of a collaboration between Angelo Moore from the American band Fishbone and the French collective Ceux Qui Marchent Debout. Pat Kelly, a legend of Jamaican rocksteady, performed accompanied by Rude Rich and the High Notes for a distinguished and brassy rocksteady performance. French dub pioneers Zenzile and Brain Damage also left their mark on the Figeac editions.

A musical legacy in the Lot

During its Parisian years, the festival had already hosted legends like The Skatalites, Capleton, Black Uhuru, The Abyssinians, and the Pannonia Allstars Ska Orchestra. By establishing itself in Figeac, Roots dans la Vallée contributed to enriching the cultural offerings of the Lot region, providing a unique musical event in the area. Organized by the cultural services of Figeac-Communauté, the festival had a bar and catering on-site at the Espace François Mitterrand. After five editions in Figeac, from 2009 to 2013, the festival ceased its activities, leaving behind the memory of a singular event that vibrated the Lot valley to the rhythms of Kingston.

Where does it take place — Roots dans la Vallée

Espace François Mitterrand
Place du Foirail, 46100 Figeac

Roots dans la Vallée in brief

Music Reggae Ska World Music African Music Outdoor Lot

History of Roots dans la Vallée

Edition 2012 Apr 2012

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