Roots Therapy #02

Following positive feedback from our first Roots Therapy event, we bring you another instalment! This time featuring one of UK dub's rising stars, Gully Roots, playing in Bristol for the first time, as well as Bristol's own soulful Afrikan Caribbean songstress & poet, Nia Melody Bimkubwa!

We are transitioning Roots Therapy to an earlier evening session starting from 4pm and running until midnight. This not only serves both the night owl dubheads and early bedtimers, but also makes this residency family friendly!

For our second edition, we welcome 2 highly valued guest artists to play on the soundsystem:

GULLY ROOTS

Hailing from East London, Gully Roots is a young producer, selector and mic man connecting the capital’s sound system circuit to stages across Europe. Described by many as the sound of the future, his music blends deep roots reggae and dub foundations with the raw energy of UK urban subgenres, such as grime, hip-hop and house. Working closely with sound collectives such as Ital Power and Rasta Yard, Gully Roots regularly drops limited-edition dubplates and exclusive digital tracks. We are looking forward to hosting his very first session in Bristol!

NIA MELODY

Nia Melody (formerly known as Vanessa Melody) is a multifaceted creative matriarch, highly sought after across Bristol’s performing and visual arts scene. A proud Bristolian Empress, she is a cultural steward of Jamaican folkloric heritage and an integral part of St Paul's community. Nia is a soulful performer, singer-songwriter, poet and actress, with natural mystical priestess qualities. Versatile across jazz, soul, reggae & classical music, her rich, grounded voice has a power that both soothes and shakes the soul. Nia creates art deeply embellished with the essence of her Afrikan lineage. Drawing frequently on personal experiences, her work explores introspection, elevation, and the celebration of the human spirit. We honour Nia Melody as an extended family member of 1Relation and have collaborated on a very special studio project, set for release in 2027. Having graced our sound a few years ago, we are delighted to welcome her back. Bristol’s own platinum songstress returns to sing live, stepping deeper into her power and joining us for her first Roots Therapy performance!

1RELATION SOUND

1Relation are known for producing their own music and lyrics, as well as artwork, without cutting corners or compromising the heart and quality of what they create. Sticking to the traditions of mixing desks, outboard equipment, and lugging vinyl around, whilst creating a sound that feels authentic and unique, with a good dose of Bristolian spirit. 

Wilfy Rootikal & King Fisha Sound selecting and keeping the levels right, with the beautifully soothing live vocals of 1Relation's Queen and conductor of ceremonies, Sista Ina (Rosina), regularly featuring over the dubs, with deep spirit and intention.  

As for the sound system itself, those who have heard it will know that it combines significant warmth & character with clarity & power. The perfect conduit to deliver the music therapeutically, where quality is not sacrificed for the pursuit of power for powers sake, but the power is there to be utilised in a responsible way.

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In these perilous times, where fear is used as currency, it can be hard to keep our heads above water and maintain balance over mind, body & soul. Roots Therapy provides a place of respite, reconnection and restoration, through dance, community & word sound, to encourage introspection and keep us topped up with love & courage required to grow and face life's challenges. We believe it is important that children are welcomed into these educational and spiritually therapeutic community spaces. Exposure to traditional sound system culture can help cultivate a sense of identity rooted in an innerstanding and overstanding of our shared past, present and future.

Through the powerful medium of Jamaican roots, reggae & dub soundsystem culture, we intend to cultivate an intergenerational and intercultural experience that showcases and honours the heritage and vibration of this amazing music- in a way that is both in keeping with tradition & familiar to elders, and innovative & universal, inviting new people to discover their own authentic healing connection with the sound. This liberating genre is rooted in the fight for equal rights & justice for oppressed people, and carries within it the power to change the world and contribute to the collective evolution of human consciousness, like no other genre that we have come across. A true testament to the strength, heart & resilience of the Rastafarians and diasporic Africans who pioneered it.

STALLS & FOOD

In celebration of community and holistic medicine, we have invited local artisans to share their offerings. We'll also be serving food cooked from the heart by Wilfy Rootikal who's just as skilled at selecting flavours as he is at selecting sounds!

ACCESSIBILITY & SAFEGUARDING

We are privileged to call The Pickle Factory home for our Roots Therapy residency. This is a homely grassroots arts venue and youth centre, run by a conscious team who share our principles and values. This event is wheelchair-accessible, with a courtyard, garden, bar, indoor dining area and dance floor, with plenty of space for skanking!

All ages welcome. We are aiming to cultivate a family-friendly atmosphere with activities in the courtyard for the earlier half of the dance until 8.30pm.

Please note:

* Under-16s must be accompanied by a guardian aged 21 or over.
* We recommend that parents bring ear defenders for their little ones to wear near the soundsystem. We will have a limited number of spare ear defenders available for babies and children who don’t have their own.
* Disposable earplugs for adults with sensitive ears will also be available behind the bar.

Tell your friends & we hope to see you there!