Forever Party – NYE: 2 Nights with Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, John Brown’s Body, and more…

New Year’s is a time of rebirth. It provides the opportunity to reflect on the year prior as it concludes and to raise the bar for the year that is about to be upon us. It gives us a fresh start, a chance to make change and to make resolutions that reflect the best self we aspire to be. This New Year’s sees one of America’s most influential reggae bands John Brown’s Body going on indefinite hiatus. But before they hit the proverbial pause button, JBB will be joining Rochester, NY’s hometown heros Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad as part of Panda’s two day Forever Party at Rochester’s premier venue, ANTHOLOGY.

Anyone hip to the American reggae scene knows that the Northeast is a mega-hub of talent for the genre. One look at the Forever Party line up shows why this event is already attracting ticket buyers from across the nation. Day one showcases Thunder Body, featuring Matt O’Brian and Rachel Orke, both original members GPGDS. Seeing Thunder Body and Giant Panda with back-to-back sets can only make one wonder: will we see some OG Panda come back from the vaults? JBB rounds out the bill as headliner of night one.

Night two sees Panda taking the headline slot, with trend setters Easy Star All-Stars playing their groundbreaking Dub Side of the Moon as direct support, and Rochester newcomers The Saplings starting the evening off right.

Rarely does such talent all come together for a single weekend of music. Come say goodbye to the turbulence of 2017 and raise a glass to a new year as we hone our collective focus on the challenges and opportunities ahead. Feeling lucky? Rootfire is giving away a pair of Forever Party weekend passes. Click here to enter, and remember, even as we say a temporary goodbye to the chapter of American reggae history known as John Brown’s Body, this reggae party will keep going on for forever.

photo: Dave Jones, Empire West Photo