Version City Tour:

For this Version City Tour, King Django will lead a compact and versatile quartet, joined by Brian Hill of NC’s Regatta 69 on bass and vocals, guitarist/vocalist John DeCarlo of hard-touring Boston ska group Westbound Train. The show will be flexible between one long set and three shorter sets showcasing the songs of these three veteran performers, along with drummer Anthony Vito Fraccalvieri of Long Island bands Broadcaster and Royal City Riot, who has just come off of a six-week US tour with The Toasters.

King Django is internationally loved and respected as an important proponent of roots music. With a diverse career now spanning nearly three decades he has made his mark as an influential bandleader, singer, songwriter, arranger, engineer, producer and musician, especially in the genres of ska, rocksteady, reggae, dub, rhythm & blues, soul, klezmer and even hardcore/punk rock. He has toured many times throughout the US, Europe, Canada, and Japan as the leader of Stubborn All-Stars, Skinnerbox and the King Django band and as a sideman with such renowned acts as Rancid, Murphy’s Law, The Slackers and the Toasters. He currently performs regularly with the King Django Band and Bad Luck Dice.

Brian Hill’s unmistakable voice, memorable songs and lyrical bass stylings have been the sonic backbone of his touring rock-reggae band Regatta 69 for more than a decade. More recently with guitar in hand and a slight shift towards looping grooves, his latest music envisions a place deep in the foothills ricocheting with emotions. His honest desire to fill you with his uplifting songs and skewed perspective is true to his very core. Lyrical twists of sarcasm and wit give you his somehow eternally optimistic premonitions of what might be, reminiscent of the days gone by. Through this new take on his interpretation of the reggae sound, your ears will lead you to mine what echoes within.

John DeCarlo is an accomplished guitarist of over 15 years who has toured extensively throughout 11 countries. Perhaps best known as a member of 2-time Boston Music Award winner Westbound Train (Hellcat/Epitaph Records), he has performed and/or recorded with countless artists including legendary singer Derrick Morgan, Larry McDonald, King Django, Dr. Ring Ding, Chris Murray, Satori, the Void Union, Boubacar Diabate, Pressure Cooker and Obi Fernandez. John recently began fronting a new project John DeCarlo & Company, which features his original songs mixed with early reggae and soul classics.

By popular demand, in late 2012, New York’s long-standing Reggae, Rocksteady and Ska party (active in various forms since 1997) took it on the road for the first time. The first “Version City” tour was a compact six-piece revue in three acts featuring diverse and fresh blends of Jamaican roots music-- reggae, rocksteady, and ska-- peppered with American rhythm & blues and soul. The show opened with a set from Matt MacLeod, soulful vocalist and keyboardist of The Heavy Beat, with backing from the Snails. Matt then switched to bass for the Snails’ own set, fronted by the dynamic singer/guitarist Todd Fausnacht. For the finale, King Django would take the helm and lead the troop through a wide selection of material from his long and diverse career.