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Cali Roots Rocks Reggae at the Fairgrounds P attee Arena at the Monterey Fairgrounds is surely in the top 10— along with Carnegie Hall, The Fillmore, Shea Stadium and the Hollywood Bowl—of America's legendary music venues. Every jazz giant imaginable has trod that stage, as have the biggest names in rock, from Daltrey to Dylan. History is about to be made again when the California Roots Music and Arts Festival (Cali Roots) makes its move from the Fairgrounds grassy expanses to the wide-open equestrian-arena-turned- concert-hall May 23 through 25. "The largest reggae-rock festival in the world is flourishing in Monterey," says Tanya Moore, director of promotions. Reggae rock is a musical genre that combines two seemingly diametrically opposed styles: laid-back, in-the- pocket reggae and in-your-face, amped-up, paint-peeling rock. But it works. The audience? "It's a diverse, free-thinking, individualistic crowd," Moore says. "Almost like the next generation of Grateful Dead followers. It's about unity and peace…very mellow." Nick Hexum, frontman for headliners 311, agrees: "311 is not just a band, it's a lifestyle," he says. "Our shows are events, like Jimmy Buffet and the Dead, where people come together with likeminded people." A unique fea- ture of Cali Roots is the inclusion of artists who set up easels onstage and paint their impressions of the music in real time. An avid musical historian, Hexum is stoked at the idea of playing the stage many of his heroes have performed on. "I know the Jimi Hendrix story very well," he says. "We once played a show at the site of the Woodstock Festival where he did his famous version of the national anthem. Now I get to per- form where he burned his Stratocaster at Monterey Pop in 1967. That will be a special moment." Other artists include Ziggy Marley, Steel Pulse, Rebelution, SOJA and Katchafire. And provisions are in place to house those thousands of music fans. "We have partnered with the Laguna Seca campground and will have shuttles running back and forth from 9am-1am," Moore says. For tickets and more information visit www.californiarootsfestival.com. —Michael Chatfield SHORTCUTS AT LARGE 311 will play at the California Roots Music and Arts Festival at the Monterey Fairgrounds, May 23-25. Frontman Nick Hexum says, "Our shows are events…" The festival, known as Cali Roots, is "the largest reggae-rock festival in the world." 58 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S P R I N G / S U M M E R 2 0 1 4 044-70 Shortcuts_SU05 Carmel Magazine 4/25/14 4:36 PM Page 7