The European Reggae Contest 2010 continues without a break with the Hungarian Final of the Reggae Contest on 8th July at Club KOBUCI KERT Budapest (H) Beginning the long tour of the national winners with the date in Udine with Arawak at Rototom Free and Home Bwoy Rasta at the Real Beat Reggae Ethnic Festival in Prague. (See all tour dates at this link) It's now time for the band that will represent Hungary at the European final of Benicassim to be chosen. The bands on on stage at Kobuci Kert in Budapest on Thursday 8th July will be OCHO MACHO, ZAGASTIC and THE THREE TEADIES.  The jury will select the band that will be heading to Spain. All of them have already won a nice bonus and will participate in the LB27 Reggae Camp Festival on the evening of 27th July - a night dedicated to European Reggae Contest with Hungarian 2009 winners Kingston Cruisers and Jr Brown all on stage.

Due to Deep Culcha's last minute cancellation, three bands participated in the Benelux final at the Muziekgieterij Maastricht held on Friday 18th June. The bands delivered great performances, thus fully justifying their high ranking in the qualification round. Youth of Spirit and Zionyouth, both representing Belgium, played roots reggae, while Black Prophet & Thunder Strike from the Netherlands treated the audience to a mix of nu roots and dancehall music. A tie was the overall outcome of the technical jury as Zionyouth and Black Prophet & Thunder Strike got exactly the same amount of points. So in the end the votes of the public had to make the difference. With almost double the votes of the other bands it was Black Prophet & Thunder Strike who became the winner of the first Benelux live final.

The four outstanding finalists who performed in the splendid setting of the Magnolia Circle in Idroscalo, Milan to a wonderful audience of over a thousand people were Dub All Sense (Caserta), Son Dooley (Milan), Good Vibe Styla (Crema), and Arawak (Sassari). All four bands deserved a place in the final to be held in Benicassim on 25th/26th August, but the jury has had to choose just one, and ARAWAK were victorious. Special thanks to VitoWar and his Reggae Radio Station Night and Magnolia Circle for the excellent organisation and hospitality.

Tomorrow 25th June
live finals of the Italian selection
in CIRCOLO  MAGNOLIA in MILAN
On stage from the 21,00
Sun Sooley, Good Vibe Styla, Arawak, Dub All Sense