Kifaru at Ska Splash.

Well, what can we say.......? A great time was had by the band.
 Arrived on the Friday about six o'clock & after a little confusion, got our accomodation for the weekend. The place had been a little hard to find, so Sarah was too tired to go driving around in search of a supermarket for supplies so we decided we could wait till Saturday. After one drink we realised we hadn't any beer back at base so we went shopping after all! We thought we could get to the shop & back before Roddy & The Skabilly Rebels came on at 10pm. Walking past the venue just after 9 we could hear Ratrace so we legged it back to base to drop our supplies off and catch the rest of their set. I think one band hadn't turned up so The Skabs went on an hour earlier. A good set from Roddy & the boys, shame I missed Hey Little Rich Girl. As we had our set at 12pm the next day I thought it prudent I go to bed at a reasonable time..........
Saturday: Got up at about 8am, apparently some of the single members of the band had got a bit shouty when they came in about 2 in the morning but.......that's our business! Got to the venue for about 11:30 only to find the FoH speakers had to be returned to base & replaced with some that actually worked! Kettering! Speakers turned up about 12, I was worried our set might be cancelled so as not to screw with running times but my fears were soon dismissed. We did a quick one song soundcheck, then had a quick break til 1pm when we started properly.
Set list for any one interested:
Waste away (Soundcheck)
1 Freedom fight
2 Walking down
3 Ethiopia cries
4 Feelings Divine
5 Sinner man
6 Reasons why
7 South Afrikkka
8 (Our one) Destination
9 Be with I
10 Remain in us.
It was great to see a lot of people come to see us, afer all being the first band on  the second day at a festival (especially when it finished at 3am that morning!) is normally a dreaded spot. We got a good reaction from the audience & I think we entertained them. Shan our new keyboard player in only her second gig played like she'd been with us for ages.
After our set I went back to base while Errol Jason Paul & Shan all stayed at the venue. Later on I caught The Big's set, always entertaining, don't know how he can play guitar like that & sing! We all met up & caught the sets from Hotknives, Special Guests & The Rough Kutz. The Kutz were brilliant as usual though have gone through a line up change since I last saw 'em with only Mucka as Singer now. Chell Heath is excellent as usual with a stage invasion from our very own Shan! I only managed to catch The Beat & The Pioneers but the rest of the band say Mark Foggo's Skasters were brilliant.
Sunday: I don't really know what happened, as I don't really wanna listen to rumours & speculation, all I know is Jet (one of the promoters) is not there, Sarah the other promoter was but not very happy. I'm not gonna expand on any of the bullshit as it is not my place, I was just gutted that Jet had worked so hard & wasn't there to see out the last day............
The running order had been very truncated, many of the bands who were supposed to be appearing and had actually turned up were suddenly off the bill. (Nothing to do with Jet BTW).
Of the bands that did play, I managed to catch Cracked Actors from Brum (I particularly liked their 2nd to last song Flowers), Neville Staple Band &  Prince Buster with  Delroy Williams. I danced my ass off to Neville, that man has some energy in him! The Prince was as brilliant as I expected him to be. I Enjoyed Myself! We then drove home straight after Prince Buster closed the festival as some of us hadn't booked the Monday off! All in all a brill Festival and I'm looking forward to the next one. Hopefully we will be on the bill again (maybe sneak up the running order next time!).
Thanks for reading, Stevo Kifaru

Modern Ska classic from Stoke on Trent's Rough Kutz. Taken at Ska Splash 2008. Later on in the vid you can see our new keyboard player Shan get up & dance onstage, you can also see Sarah in one clip. Sorry for the sound quality but I was far too close to speakers. Historic value over quality I think someone once said............