Share the news!
Mystic Bowie’s Talking Dreads to Kick Off the Summer With Fun and Funky Reggae Party at The Westport Library
Friday, June 27; Doors/DJ (Tim “Journeys by DJ” Fielding): 6 pm; Show: 7:30 pm
Featuring Reggae Covers of Your Favorite Talking Heads Songs.
From honoring the legendary Keith Richards in March, to breaking the record for World’s Loudest Library during four unforgettable days of VersoFest 2025 in April, The Westport Library has had a rockin’ spring season.
Now, Verso Studios and DinkinEsh Presents are kicking off the summer with Mystic Bowie's Talking Dreads for a can’t-miss Reggae Dance Party on Friday, June 27.
The show will take place in the Library’s Trefz Forum. Doors open at 6 pm, featuring a live DJ set from Tim “Journeys by DJ” Fielding to get the groove going. Mystic will take the stage at 7:30 pm. Tickets are priced at $37.50 and are available for purchase here.
Prepare to hit the dance floor with classic Talking Heads songs reimagined through the pulse of roots reggae, ska, and lover’s rock. Not your typical cover band, Mystic Bowie’s Talking Dreads’ infectious island rhythms transform new wave anthems like “Psycho Killer” and “Burning Down the House” into funky Caribbean bangers — applauded by Chris Frantz, drummer for Talking Heads, as “a total home run!”
Known as the “Head Dread” of the Talking Dreads, lead singer Mystic Bowie traces his passion for the Talking Heads back to his early days performing at hotels in Jamaica, when he heard “Wild Wild Life.” In 1996, he joined Tom Tom Club, the side project of Talking Heads’ founding members — and Fairfield County residents — Frantz and Tina Weymouth. For nearly 20 years, he performed alongside them on vocals, making an appearance on their 2000 album The Good, the Bad, and the Funky.
Since debuting the Talking Dreads in 2015, Mystic has performed across North America, dazzling longtime Talking Heads fans and winning new ones along the way.
“Talking Dreads is much more than a cover band,” Mystic said. “I am very much drawing on my own musical culture and history to make these amazing songs my own, while at the same time preserving the integrity of the Talking Heads songs. I’ve always felt that reggae’s dance-inspiring, feel-good vibe is universal, as are many of the band’s songs.”
The Talking Dreads debut features an amazing lineup of legendary reggae figures, including singer Freddie McGregor, whose recording career dates back to his 1980 album Bobby Bobylon; ska guitar master Ernest Ranglin, who has worked with Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff, and Monty Alexander; singer and Soul Train Award nominee Tarrus Riley; and saxophonist Dean Fraser. The sole non-Jamaican featured in their debut ensemble is Cindy Wilson of the B-52s, harkening back to the new wave heyday in a dreamy, soulful rendition of “Heaven.”
“Talking Dreads’ sound is tight,” applauded Frantz. “We had a blast the night of the show and we walked away with a definite bounce in our step.”
In their first single off their 1979 album Fear of Music, “Life During Wartime,” the Talking Heads declared, “This ain’t no party, this ain’t no disco” — but with Mystic Bowie’s Talking Dreads, it absolutely is.
Starting that party will be ace DJ Tim “Journeys by DJ” Fielding, who opened for Gang of Four during VersoFest 2025. A graduate of the Balearic school of DJing, Fielding is one of the key figures behind two of London’s most storied clubs: The Brain and The End. The founder of Brainiak Records (which released the world’s first album of live electronica bands, Live at the Brain) and of seminal imprint Journeys by DJ (the first legit series of DJ-mix CDs), Fielding produced legendary works by DJs including John Digweed, Paul Oakenfold, Farley & Heller, Coldcut, and Gilles Peterson, reflecting his own eclectic taste and broad range in music.
“I tend to play the smaller rooms,” said Fielding, “but they are usually packed with smiling faces, and people who are seriously getting down.”
Event Information at a Glance
Summer Reggae Party: Mystic Bowie’s Talking Dreads
Friday, June 27
6 pm
Trefz Forum, The Westport Library
Story link: https://westportlibrary.org/mystic-bowie-talking-dreads-reggae-party/
Event link: https://westportlibrary.org/event/summer-reggae-dance-party-with-mystic-bowies-talking-dreads/
***
About The Westport Library
Founded in 1886, built in 1908, and transformed in 2019, The Westport Library is one of the most active and innovative public libraries in the nation, devoted to enriching the intellectual and creative lives of the community. Among its many highlights are a full collection of books for children, teens, and adults; an engaging and colorful Children’s Library; a MakerSpace; a Library of Things; a Seed Library; a robust café and store; and professional art installations that rotate throughout the year. The Westport Library is also home to Verso Studios, replete with an SSL hybrid analog sound studio and broadcast control suite featuring a state-of-the-art console and six robotic cameras, and the Trefz Forum, an open, flexible space that can accommodate up to 600 patrons and features an 18-foot video wall, 35-foot stage, state-of-the-art sound, and theatrical lighting. Situated in the heart of downtown Westport overlooking the scenic Saugatuck River, The Westport Library annually hosts StoryFest, the largest literary festival in Connecticut, and VersoFest, its multi-day music and media festival. Above all, the Library strives to serve the whole community as a vibrant gathering spot where people of all ages come to seek information, gain knowledge, exchange ideas, and share experiences. For more information, visit westportlibrary.org.
