When & where: Reggae Sunsplash in Japan 2006 takes place this Saturday, Aug. 19 at Yokohama Shinko Pier Bayside Stage in Yokohama. Doors open at noon, show starts at 2 p.m.
Inside track: After an eight year hiatus, Reggae Sunsplash returns to Tokyo. "Reggae" has been a blanket musical term since the early 1960s, covering multiple genres of Jamaican music that share varying degrees of similarity. The organizers of Reggae Sunsplash Japan have done a good job arranging a sample platter of some of the more popular representatives of several styles.
Crowd: There's a pretty even mix of dancehall, soca, and reggae music lined up, so expect a wide variety of high-energy dance enthusiasts there for the big bass (and Mr. Boombastic himself, Shaggy), and more refined reggae fans hoping to get a little taste of real roots rocksteady.