LISF2026 Day 3: Rock Against Racism 50th Anniversary: Misty In Roots, Ruts DC, Cimarons & more

Event Information

The London Int’l Ska Festival presents
Rock Against Racism 50th anniversary starring
MISTY IN ROOTS
RUTS DC
CIMARONS
& more!
At Camden Town's iconic Electric Ballroom, London NW1

£50 advance +booking fee

Free entry for LISF2026 wristband holders.

2026 signals the 50th anniversary of Rock Against Racism. As vital as ever we are emphatically mark the occassion with an exclusive re-uniting of artists that championed the movement then and now!

Misty In Roots originally formed in 1975 to back Trojan Records star - Nicky Thomas (famed for his Love of The Common People Top 10 single). It wasn’t long however that Misty In Roots started to develop their iconic roots reggae sound and come 1979, the band released their debut album - Live at the Counter Eurovision, which is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest live albums recorded. A staggering 9 John Peel BBC Radio One sessions, 4 studio albums and international touring followed, truly establishing Misty In Roots as one of the worlds leading reggae bands. Their popularity was further broadened by their involvement in the Rock Against Racism movement, where they regularly gigged alongside the likes of; Elvis Costello, The Specials, Tom Robinson, The Ruts (who’s debut single Misty funded), Steep Pulse, and The Aupairs.

Formed in 1977, The Ruts led the way in forward thinking brew of punk and dub, as so phenomenally demonstrated on their classic hits – Staring At The Rudeboys, Jah War and their Top 10 hit single Babylon Is Burning. Their first incendiary release – In A Rut, was actually funded by Misty In Roots and released on their People Unite label! Both bands went onto play vital parts in the Rock Against Racism movement.

Following the untimely death of lead singer Malcolm Owen in 1980 the band morphed into Ruts DC. Five decades on, with original members John “Segs” Jennings (bass) and Dave Ruffy (drums) at the helm, they are still setting dance floors alight around the globe and continuing to release world class music, as their latest Counterculture album superbly proves.

Cimarons are true pioneers of British reggae shaping the sound of the genre since the late 1960s. The band was the first reggae band in Europe and has been founded in London in 1967 by a group of Jamaican musicians including guitarist Locksley Gichie and bassist Franklyn Dunn. They recorded a countless number of songs for the iconic Trojan Records, and worked with some of the biggest names in music, including Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff, Dennis Brown, Lee “Scratch” Perry, Toots Hibbert, and even Paul McCartney! Their incredible journey has recently been captured in the critically acclaimed documentary “Harder Than The Rock”, a must-see film that tells the untold story of the band’s impact on reggae and beyond. As with Misty, The Cimarons played RAR shows including 1978's huge Victoria Park concert and the sold-out Roundhouse show the same year.

And more!