ABOUT

It’s not often an act comes along with a truly unique demeanour standing out incomparable to the rest of the landscape. Yet Ipswich’s very own Ska and Reggae giants The Downsetters are one of these rare gems, offering a totally exclusive brand of Ska Fusion and Dynamite Reggae packed with enough energy to divert a lightning strike back into space! Influenced as a collective by all eras of Ska, Reggae, Dub, Punk, and even Heavy Metal…they have pioneered and championed an unmatched style and sound that takes the best bits from each culture turning into one almighty extravaganza!

Since lighting the Ska Fusion firework in 2011, The Downsetters very quickly became a hometown favourite playing all major local events and festivals, as well as headlining the UK’s biggest free music event – Ipswich Music Day in the bands second full year. It didn’t take long for the firework embers to start covering the rest of the UK, earning the Downsetters a well-earned place on the UK Ska Scene stage. Rapid popularity growth continued paving the way for performances at major UK festivals Glastonbury & Boomtown, support slots for legends Bad Manners, The Beat, Neville Staple band (The Specials) & The Lee Thompson Ska Orchestra (Madness).

More recent years have seen the rise of the Ska Fusion wave throughout Europe with multiple European Tours and Festival shows taking place in France, Germany, Belgium, Poland, Austria, Czech Republic, and Slovakia! Not only have they become a dominant force on the live stage, there is a backlog of studio releases that demonstrates the bands capabilities and talents from a songwriting and production perspective. Three album releases including the debut ‘We are now leaving the future’ / ‘The Asylum Hotel’ / ‘Chainsaw Lullabies’, as well as multiple single releases and limited-edition live albums. 2024 is poised to be a special year with the band marking the announcement of the eagerly anticipated fourth studio album.

It’s fair to say that the World Heavyweight Champions of Ska Fusion are simply unmissable and guarantee to leave the audience in a state of euphoria. If live music with the energy of three phase electricity is for you, look no further!

VIDEOS

MUSIC

Cool Down
Regeneration
Plastic Fantastic
Are You Reggae?
Mango Rock!
The Asylum Hotel (Check In)
 

SHOWS

2025

  • Saturday 22nd February / Cliffs Pavillion, Southend (Dualers Support)
  • Saturday 12th April / Private Event
  • Sunday 4th May / The Swan, Ipswich
  • Friday 9th May / Skamouth, Great Yarmouth
  • Saturday 12th July / Bures Festival
  • Friday 28th November / Big Ska Weekend, Devon

REVIEWS

"One of today’s most beloved British ska bands finally gets their latest album on vinyl – limited edition yellow from Grover Records! THE DOWNSETTERS are top shelf modern 2-TONE, and “CHAINSAW LULLABIES” is arguably their best release to date.

Capturing the feel of THE SPECIALS but without ripping the sound off – trombone and keys lead the way with good ol’ RODDY RADIATION influenced guitar riffs. THE DOWNSETTERS take a piece from today’s ska-punk pie, with modern chant heavy vocal breaks, occasional distortion and visits to ska-punk Hellcat related rhythms, along with “fake” radio intermissions. 

All in all THE DOWNSETTERS create an excellent sound for modern times with an homage to their British 2-Tone roots. A record for all fans of great ska, whether your “old” and lived through the 80s, or “young” and got hooked on ska from 90’s punky bands. This is the vinyl release we have been waiting for since it dropped in 2020!"

Album review,  Jump up records, USA
"Just on 8 o’clock the first band of the night appeared, The Downsetters. This seven piece, ska band hail from Ipswich. They had come a long way for their 35 minutes are were obviously planning to make the absolute most of their time.
It took a couple of songs before The Downsetters had the crowd jumping on demand but when they got them, they had them for the rest of the set. A frontman who kept the ska groove going throughout and a keyboard player who just danced, whether he was playing or not, made them a great watch and listen. It turns out their guitarist was Scottish, and how did we learn that? By listening to him sing a crowd-pleasing version of The Proclaimers “I’m On My Way”.
The Downsetters will be welcome here again. Just on 9:15 the main event arrived and eight of the nine piece band started to play an upbeat, ska instrumental before, main man, Tyber made his entrance. Like guitarist Pete, Tyber was resplendent in a kilt, and few things help connect with a Scottish audience more than a English band wearing kilts!"
Live Review, Rockfiend
"The Downsetters are quite simply one of the best ska and reggae acts the UK has ever produced. Not content with just reworking well known songs, including many a obscure gems, the group pride themselves on innovative, original songs masterminded by their founder - the late, great Stan Stanojevic. With a back catalogue to be mighty proud of and more new material being added all the time, The Downsetters continue to amaze and entertain with their unique style."
Stephen Foster, BBC
"My favourite Ska Band, The Downsetters! They are absolutely bloody marvellous, mark my words. If you haven’t seen them or haven’t heard of them, well....put that on your bucket list because they are simply superb. They’ve just left the Royal Ascot stage in a smouldering mess of goodness after smashing the joint, just like they did at this years Glastonbury festival! Expect more excitement, electricity, and top dancing music from the number one Ska Band in the land......The Downsetters!"
Gaz Mayall, Gaz’s Rockin Blues
"I managed to see 40 music gigs this year, which was brilliant, and most of them were superb – I think because they people I have liked for decades that have kept going just get better and better and also, I have had the pleasure of seeing new (and old) things with my kids at their suggestion. The most fun I had at a gig was dancing about on my own for hours to a ska band called The Downsetters at Glastonbury 2023."
Stewart Lee, UK Comedian