Dub Pistols at Ballroom, Dreamland Margate

Dub Pistols are bringing their mix of dub, reggae, ska, punk, breaks, beats and drum ‘n’ bass to the Ballroom on Friday 15th March, with support from Makola.

Tickets start from £15 + booking fee in advance, limited tickets at £12.50 + booking fee for Dreamland members.

This is a 14+ event. Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult, aged 18+.

One of the hardest working bands in showbusiness, Barry Ashworth and his motley crew have added a much-needed swagger to the UK dance scene in recent years and their latest album ‘Crazy Diamonds’ finds the band at their uncontrollable, bass-driven best.

A rampant mix of dub, reggae, ska, punk, breaks, beats and drum ‘n’ bass, the album is a full-on dub-quaking extravaganza, built for big fields and summer sound systems. It also happens to feature some of the biggest names in the game including Dancehall dons Beenie Man and Cutty Ranks, reggae singer Earl Sixteen, hip-hop act Too Many T’s, seminal MCs Navigator and the Ragga Twins, and long-time collaborator Lindy Layton.

Although Makola’s roots lay in Finland and Ghana, the duo have crafted a sound, forged in London, which is an irrepressible explosion of hip-hop and afrobeat. Their debut single released in mid 2017, ‘This Is London’, was jumped on by Beats 1 DJ Julie Adenuga, hailing it as one of her “tracks of the summer”. The record went on to secure support from Radio 1’s Phil Taggart and Mistajam, and playlisted by BBC Radio 1Xtra as their BBC Introducing’s track of the week. The grimier second single ‘Black Man Statues’ found a place on Spotify’s Grime Shutdown playlist and featured as Mistajam’s ‘Inbox Fresh’ as well as being supported by Huw Stephens at Radio 1. As a result of just two track releases, the vibrancy and effect of their music awarded them their first headline gig at KOKO in Camden, which sold out. They have since gone on to perform at major festivals across the UK and Europe, bringing their music to life on stage as they deliver unrelenting musical and theatrical entertainment, giving them a reputation as an act you must see.