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Scene and Heard: Reggae stalwart Toots plays on

Don’t let years of studio inactivity deceive you: Toots and the Maytals have not fallen off artistically, despite a break of nearly nine years between albums of original material.
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Frederick Hibbert, leader of Toots and the Maytals, gave reggae to the world with the single Do the Reggay in 1968.

Don’t let years of studio inactivity deceive you: Toots and the Maytals have not fallen off artistically, despite a break of nearly nine years between albums of original material.

In fact, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better spokesman for reggae music than the man who invented the term. Frederick (Toots) Hibbert, whose 1968 single Do the Reggay brought the Jamaican music to the masses, enjoyed a rise to international popularity that pre-dated that of Bob Marley by a year or two — which is worth noting, because Hibbert is one of the few reggae giants left standing.

Toots and the Maytals last played Victoria in 2012, when they headlined the Victoria Ska Festival at Ship Point. They are coming back this summer to headline again at the newly rebranded Victoria Ska and Reggae Festival, just their third local performance since 2001.

Toots and Co. were announced this week as part of the 17th annual Skafest program, the longest-running festival of its kind in North America. Other acts expected to appear during the festival’s June 22-26 run include Australia’s Dub FX, New Zealand’s The Black Seeds, Argentina’s Los Entangados and Israel’s Skarate Kid, among others.

Tickets are on sale at Ticketweb.ca, Jupiter (619 Johnson St.), Lyle’s Place (770 Yates St.), and the Tourism Victoria Visitor Centre (812 Wharf St). They are also available in Nanaimo at Fascinating Rhythm (51 Commercial St.) and in Duncan at Area 51 (191 Station St.).

For more information, visit victoriaskafest.ca.

 

Tickets to hear Jai Wolf play at Sugar nightclub (858 Yates St.) on May 7 are dirt cheap at $12 — but you can’t buy them if there aren’t any left, and there’s a very good chance his appearance will be sold out long before the doors open. Move quickly to Lyle’s Place and Blueprint.electrostub.com and get yours in advance.

Wolf, known to his friends as New York-based artist Sajeeb Saha, 23, turned heads when he was signed by Skrillex to his OWSLA label on the strength of a single remix. In the time since he signed, he has added Coachella and Bonnaroo appearances to his resumé. His date in Victoria is just one of two in Canada on his maiden headlining tour.

Although you shouldn’t expect Wolf’s show on May 7 to match the hyperactive hysteria that was Skrillex’s show at Sugar in 2011, Wolf will deliver a nice night of ear-friendly electronics, no doubt. Don’t miss him.

 

Jim Jefferies has seen his stock rise in recent months, it would appear. One year ago, the comedian made his Victoria debut with two sold-out shows at the Royal Theatre. His return is set for June 17, it was announced this week, but in a considerably bigger room: the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.

Jefferies hails from Australia, found fame in Britain and now lives in Los Angeles, but his comedy is universal — and much-loved. Freedumb, his upcoming Netflix special, will likely break him to an even bigger audience. At present, his Victoria stop is one of only two Canadian stops on his upcoming tour.

Tickets ($39.50/$49.50) are on sale now by phone at 250-220-7777, in person at the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre box office or online at selectyourtickets.com.

 

The Desserted Island Comedy Tour, which began its run of the Island Thursday in Port Alberni, has several stops remaining.

Fans can catch comedians Sandy Danto (Los Angeles), Kathleen McGee (Vancouver) and others up close and personal in the following locations: The Cobblestone Pub in Cobble Hill (tonight), the Maple Room at the Sticky Wicket in Victoria (Monday), the Quinsam Hotel in Campbell River (Wednesday), Jack’s Waterfront Pub in Tofino (Friday), and the Avalanche Bar and Grill in Courtenay (Saturday). For ticket information, visit ticketzone.com.

 

Comedy tours are making a beeline to the Garden City at the moment. The Alix Goolden Performance Hall is getting in on the action with back-to-back nights of comedy as Vancouver “stunt magician” Wes Barker and Montreal humourist Jonathan Goldstein are on tap Oct. 14 and 15, respectively. Tickets for both shows are on sale at Lyle’s Place and Ticketfly.com. Barker will cost you $22. The cost to see Goldstein (the popular This American Life contributor) is $25.

For more information, visit atomiqueproductions.com.

 

Portland, Oregon’s Red Fang is performing at Distrikt nightclub on Wednesday as it prepares for the release of its collaboration with former Korn and Slipknot producer Ross Robinson.

Red Fang is flying the stoner rock flag with pride in its 10th year as a band. Word has it its sessions with Robinson at the producer’s Venice, California, studio have produced the best material to date. Red Fang will be supported Wednesday — which is shaping up to be the metal event of the year — by two exceptional metal acts from Vancouver, Bison and Black Wizard.

Showtime is 8 p.m. Tickets are $23 at Bplive.electrostub.com.

mdevlin@timescolonist.com