THE pioneers of UK reggae are headlining a music festival being staged in Falmouth.

The Cimarons will be performing at Falmouth Reggae Festival, which is being held at the Princess Pavilion on Friday, October 3 and Saturday, October 4. The band will be joined by legends such as Aziza Jaye, Shaniece, Earl 16 and Horseman on the Saturday.

The Cimarons has helped shape the sound of the genre since the late 1960s. They were the first reggae band in Europe after being founded in London in 1967 by a group of Jamaican musicians that include guitarist Locksley Gichie and bassist Franklyn Dunn.

The legendary reggae act were the first UK-based reggae band to gain international recognition after recording a number of songs for the iconic Trojan Records, which laid the foundation for reggae’s rise in Europe.

The band has worked with some of the biggest names in music over the years including Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff, Dennis Brown, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, Toots Hibbert, and Paul McCartney, who was a producer of the album Reggaebility in 1981.

Toxic Sound System, Pinnacle Sound and Konquerin Soundz will stage a sound system showcase in the main theatre before Rigatoni performs in the garden room on the Friday night.

A full day of reggae for all ages and a night time of vibes for the older generations will be staged on the Saturday.