And as part of the extravaganza, there are numerous gigs and events that anybody can attend. Like tomorrow at the Roundhouse in Camden, the RBMA is hosting a proper soundclash that brings together four generations of London’s soundsystem history.

You’ll find roots reggae, ’80s soul, jungle and dubstep represented by the Trojan, Soul II Soul, Metalheadz and DMZ crews respectively in, what is claimed to be, the capital’s first ever multi-genre soundclash. Since uprooting from JA, the UK version started in the ’50s, the soundsystem culture has had a massive impact British musical history that continues with Notting Hill every year at Festival time.

This follows their Royal Festival Hall take-over last week when Carl Craig, Francesco Tristano and Moritz von Oswald, Matmos, Bugge Wesselltoft and Henrik Schwarz as they flipped the “sci-fi electronics, discoball jazz, neo-classical, laptop soul and 22nd century techo” formulas! They better put some links up to that one on their website.

And if you’re still up for it, don’t forget the Brownswood gig at East Village with Pangaea, Lukid, the bPm, Simbad and Mamiko Motto (see HERE for future details).

So, it looks like London really is the place to be (well for 24 days at least).

Links:
RBMA, London 7th February - 12th March
www.redbullmusicacademy.com
Wake the Town, Tell the People - written by Melissa Bradshaw / 15 Feb 2010 www.dontpaniconline.com/magazine/wake-the-town-tell-the-people