Ska Boom-Episode 015: The International Ska Festival of 1990

In this episode, I look back at the International Ska Festival held at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley, CA on Earth Day in April of 1990. The all day festival with a sold-out crowd estimated at 10,000, is a key event in the development of a uniquely American version of ska. First, the line-up included a number of leading American ska bands featured in my book including The Uptones, Gangster Fun and Let’s Go Bowling – who were then at the forefront of the late 80s American ska scene.  Next, the size of the crowd and its passionate response also opened the eyes and ears of original 2-Tone musicians there that day to the fact that young Americans were passionate about ska music and that the U.S. was now a viable market for touring.  During one 12 hour festival, a sea change in the American ska scene occurs. Older bands have reached the end of their road but newer ones are there to take the torch.  And legends like Roland Alphonso of The Skatalites and Ranking Roger who are there that day are  so inspired by the experience and crowd response, that Alphonso reboots The Skatalites and  Ranking Roger forms Special Beat. And so, I think its fair to say that on April 21, 1990, ska finally arrived in America.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices