This summer's 27th edition of the Victoria Ska and Reggae Festival proved to another unforgettable experience for Victoria and audiences from across Canada, the US and beyond.
We've had a couple of months to rest and regroup so we can continue to bring you more great shows before we wrap up the rest of the year.
And what better way to kick off our fall season with the return of Toronto's
KOBO TOWN with guests
Hot Pot who are coming to ENCORE on Wednesday, September 30th?
Kobo Town is one of Canada's best kept musical treasures and they are loved by fans around the world. Led by Drew Gonsalves who was born in Trinidad and Tobago, Kobo Town has dedicated their careers to keeping calypso music alive and evolving. They do so by blending irresistible melodies and rhythms that are familiar to lovers of both traditional and contemporary Caribbean styles of music such as dancehall, reggae, ska and other adjacent styles that keep audiences dancing non-stop!
It's no surprise that they were Calypso Rose's main backing band for her largest European tours.
Kobo Town whose careers span over two decades are longtime friends of the Victoria Ska & Reggae Society and have played on the Victoria Ska & Reggae Festival and various special events several times over 15 years.
At their show on Wednesday, September 30th we look forward to celebrating selections from their most recent album Carnival of Ghosts and enjoying some other Kobo Town classics throughout the night.
Opening the evening before Kobo Town will be Victoria's Hot Pot who are making their first appearance with us in over a year. Get ready for a generous helping of hip hop, funk and soul delivered in a way that will have you dancing and sometimes laughing at the same time.
Tickets on sale August 28th at 10am on Ticketweb.ca Admission to 19yrs+ in advance.
VICTORIA BC SKA & REGGAE SOCIETY
KOBO TOWN with Hot Pot in Victoria!
Wed Sep 30 2026
7:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Ages 19+
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- On sale soon
- Fri Aug 28 2026
- 10:00AM PDT
-
Kobo Town
World
Kobo Town continues to redefine calypso music and pushes the boundaries of the Caribbean sound with its fourth album, CARNIVAL OF THE GHOSTS.
Behind the running social commentary and satirical mood, this is a collection of songs about the human condition – about our quirks and foibles, our anxieties and hopes, and the haunting sense of impermanence that imbues our every moment with its urgency and priceless worth.
Named after the storied district in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, where calypso was born, Kobo Town has been described as “an intoxicating blend of lilting calypsonian wit, dancehall reggae and trombone-heavy brass” (Guardian) and a “unique, transnational composite of rhythm, poetry and activist journalism.” (Exclaim!) Since their founding in 2005, the group has brought their distinct calypso and ska-inspired sound to audiences across the world.
-
Hot Pot
Free Funk
Hailing from Victoria Hot Pot brings a mixture of jazz, reggae, funk, soul, hip hop, and other schools of music with roots in West Africa, the Caribbean, and Turtle Island.
- On sale soon
- Fri Aug 28 2026
- 10:00AM PDT
Ages 19+
This summer's 27th edition of the Victoria Ska and Reggae Festival proved to another unforgettable experience for Victoria and audiences from across Canada, the US and beyond.
We've had a couple of months to rest and regroup so we can continue to bring you more great shows before we wrap up the rest of the year.
And what better way to kick off our fall season with the return of Toronto's KOBO TOWN with guests Hot Pot who are coming to ENCORE on Wednesday, September 30th?
Kobo Town is one of Canada's best kept musical treasures and they are loved by fans around the world. Led by Drew Gonsalves who was born in Trinidad and Tobago, Kobo Town has dedicated their careers to keeping calypso music alive and evolving. They do so by blending irresistible melodies and rhythms that are familiar to lovers of both traditional and contemporary Caribbean styles of music such as dancehall, reggae, ska and other adjacent styles that keep audiences dancing non-stop!
It's no surprise that they were Calypso Rose's main backing band for her largest European tours.
Kobo Town whose careers span over two decades are longtime friends of the Victoria Ska & Reggae Society and have played on the Victoria Ska & Reggae Festival and various special events several times over 15 years.
At their show on Wednesday, September 30th we look forward to celebrating selections from their most recent album Carnival of Ghosts and enjoying some other Kobo Town classics throughout the night.
Opening the evening before Kobo Town will be Victoria's Hot Pot who are making their first appearance with us in over a year. Get ready for a generous helping of hip hop, funk and soul delivered in a way that will have you dancing and sometimes laughing at the same time.
Tickets on sale August 28th at 10am on Ticketweb.ca Admission to 19yrs+ in advance.
We've had a couple of months to rest and regroup so we can continue to bring you more great shows before we wrap up the rest of the year.
And what better way to kick off our fall season with the return of Toronto's KOBO TOWN with guests Hot Pot who are coming to ENCORE on Wednesday, September 30th?
Kobo Town is one of Canada's best kept musical treasures and they are loved by fans around the world. Led by Drew Gonsalves who was born in Trinidad and Tobago, Kobo Town has dedicated their careers to keeping calypso music alive and evolving. They do so by blending irresistible melodies and rhythms that are familiar to lovers of both traditional and contemporary Caribbean styles of music such as dancehall, reggae, ska and other adjacent styles that keep audiences dancing non-stop!
It's no surprise that they were Calypso Rose's main backing band for her largest European tours.
Kobo Town whose careers span over two decades are longtime friends of the Victoria Ska & Reggae Society and have played on the Victoria Ska & Reggae Festival and various special events several times over 15 years.
At their show on Wednesday, September 30th we look forward to celebrating selections from their most recent album Carnival of Ghosts and enjoying some other Kobo Town classics throughout the night.
Opening the evening before Kobo Town will be Victoria's Hot Pot who are making their first appearance with us in over a year. Get ready for a generous helping of hip hop, funk and soul delivered in a way that will have you dancing and sometimes laughing at the same time.
Tickets on sale August 28th at 10am on Ticketweb.ca Admission to 19yrs+ in advance.
Share With Friends