Festivals

North Carolina Reggae Events from 1989 by The Amateurs

Outer Banks Coliseum with The Itals, The Amateurs and Piece of Mind

The Amateurs Reggae Band and Bill Shepherd have coordinated and acted as the sponsoring participant in a series of North Carolina Reggae Festivals and significant Reggae Concerts in Nags Head, Morehead City, Swansboro, Raleigh and Wilmington. The Group took on the task to create a North Carolina showcase for a number of important international Reggae artists. At the same time the band was able to share the stage with many international and regional artists including  The Itals, I'shell Cole and Strikers Posse, The Mighty Diamonds, Roots Radix, Third World, Judy Mowat, Israel Vibrations, Inner Circle, Yellowman, Stephen Marley and Awareness Art Ensemble, Micky Mills and Steel, as well as Chuck Davis' African Dancers.

"I have next to no memory of this but if The Amateurs were involved, I know it was good. Shep did a lot to keep reggae alive and well at the coast during those days. I'm wagering a guess that this was held on Saturday, June 30th, 1990. I believe Inner Circle was beginning to gain some notoriety from the use of their song "Bad Boys" on the TV show Cops. If that's accurate then 1990 would make sense as Cops premiered in March of 1989" - Jonathan Lee

Israel Vibration and The Amateurs in Raleigh NC