Birmingham carnival date for Don Letts
One of the most influential people in British music, known for bringing reggae to the mainstream, Don Letts is returning to Birmingham this May Bank Holiday.
After a DJ set at The Night Owl in Digbeth in October that went down a storm, Letts will be headlining the venue’s Bank Holiday Carnival on Sunday.
Letts will be playing all his favourite carnival classics, as well as tracks found deep within the reggae label Trojan Records vaults spanning reggae, ska, rocksteady, mod, punk, disco and more.
Becoming well known in the underground club scene in the 70s, Letts was one of the first DJs to introduce reggae and dub to the punk scene. Since then the DJ, record producer, filmmaker and director has become a pivotal part of the representation of Jamaican music, DJ’ing at London’s annual Caribbean celebration the Notting Hill Carnival.
Joining Letts are Birmingham’s premier soul, ska and funk revue The Heels, an eight-piece outfit that fill every room with horn-heavy soul grooves and feel-good funky brass music. Resident Night Owl DJs Steve ‘Jools’ Belgium, known for the legendary Birmingham funk and soul night Sweat, and Tom Mason from The Night Owl’s monthly disco extravaganza Le Freak, will also be spinning the turntables.
A spokesperson said of the Lower Trinity Street venue: “The Night Owl is the perfect place for Don Letts to bring the carnival party.
“A soul and retro music club at its core, the intimate venue is run by music fans and often hosts sell-out funk and soul club nights as well as live music gigs and daytime free events. This year, The Night Owl was appointed the official venue to celebrate 50 years of Trojan Records - a reggae, ska and rocksteady label who brought the sounds of the Caribbean to the world.”
Don Letts’ Bank Holiday Carnival takes place on Sunday at 2pm. Children are free with a paying adult and allowed until 8pm. Letts’ DJ set will take place at 8pm.
For tickets, click here.
