Soja Iration & J Boog

Jamaican reggae music is one of the best-known genres of music around the world, uniting people of all countries, all races, and all religions with a sound that is dedicated to searching for the answers to life, to conflict, to humanity, to the world, to love. There are few artists in this music genre today that are creating the epitome of this artistic insight, professing subjects that are so often glazed over by mainstream music. Hailing from Washington D.C. - reggae band SOJA is on the forefront of this revolution, telling the roots story, but from the other side: America. SOJA embodies musicians unlike any other band in any genre of music, to date. The members: Jacob, Bobby, Ken, Ryan, and Patrick have been a team since childhood with lifelong musical goals, which they are still pursing today.

Lead singers Jacob Hemphill (vocals, guitar) and Bob Jefferson (bass) met in first grade in Virginia, shortly after Jacob had returned from living in Africa with his family. The two instantly became best friends, and in middle school found a common love for hip hop and rock music. Throughout middle and high school, they met Patrick O'Shea (keyboards), Ryan Berty (drums), and Ken Brownell (percussion) - who would later form SOJA. During this period, reggae music was becoming an addiction for the budding musicians. Lead singer Jacob shares, "We loved rock and hip hop, but there was something missing in the message. Even with our favorite artists, you would get one song that hit home and touched you, then three that were about nothing. With our favorite artists in the reggae genre, Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, they were singing about something beautiful that truly mattered in every song. We never really got over it."

In addition to their new music and touring, the band remains committed to creating real music, music that cant be ignored. Jacob pauses, "Bob Marley's fans all feel like when he is singing a song, it's to them. You could be from anywhere, any situation, rich, poor - it doesn't matter; the song is directed at them. He speaks to you, the love songs too. That is what we are after. Not one side of the story, the whole thing, both sides of the coin. Just listen to 'Born in Babylon.'"


Iration is an alternative/reggae group of musicians formed in Isla Vista, CA. A deep-rooted reggae influence is fused with elements of rock and pop to create smooth original sounds that keep listeners' feet moving, hands swaying and hearts beating.

"We're all about luv" is the band's motto. The group is made up of members Joseph Dickens (Drums), Joseph King (Engineer), Cayson Peterson (Keyboard/Synth), Micah Pueschel (Guitar/ Vocals), and Adam Taylor (Bass). All members met while growing up in Hawaii, but formed Iration after reconnecting in Santa Barbara, CA during college. They have since released three full-length albums, Automatic (2013), Time Bomb (2010) and No Time for Rest (2007), as well as three EP's, Fresh Grounds (2011), Sample This (2008), and New Roots (2006).

Time Bomb, remains in the top 20 on Billboard's Reggae Album Chart to this day. Their third full-length album, Automatic, which debuted on Billboard's Top 200 chart, is described as 'forging a truly unique listening experience by crossing genre boundaries, fusing reggae with fresh pop and rock influences'. Both albums contain tracks that have reached the #1 position on several alternative radio stations. Iration is currently putting the final touches on an album recorded over the course of the last several months in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, CA, which is scheduled for a summer 2015 release.

The group has been touring nationally since 2008, performing at: Lollapalooza, McDowell Mountain Music Festival, Wakarusa, Sierra Nevada World Music Festival, Sunset Strip Music Festival etc. The band has headlined several successful national club/theater tours with multiple sold-out shows throughout the country from Los Angeles' Wiltern Theater, to St. Petersburg's Jannus Live. The Hawaiian-bred musicians look forward to spreading their original sound and Aloha spirit and squeezing a surf in in-between.

Want to hang with Iration before the show in an intimate VIP pre-show set? Want to get pictures with Iration, autographed VIP souvenir laminate and other goods? Join the Iration "Hotting Up" VIP event for the hottest experience at the show. Super VIP packages including seats on the side of the stage are also available. This is a pre-show VIP event.