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scotch bonnets press room

The Scotch Bonnets at The Press Room

The Press Room
77 Daniel St.
Portsmouth, NH 03801 United States

Sundays are for ska.

18+

Punky reggae rockers from Baltimore, Maryland, The Scotch Bonnets play an infectious blend of Jamaican-inspired grooves mixed with American rock and R&B stylings. Their leader and visionary is Lady Hatchet a.k.a. Kristin Forbes. A formidable triple threat as lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter, she leads a formidable quintet drawn from the Mid-Atlantic music scene.

After the band’s founding in 2009, the Scotch Bonnets cut their teeth in collaborations with HR of Bad Brains and Roddy Radiation of The Specials. Early triumphs led to local headlining shows and opening slots for touring acts including The English Beat, Fishbone, The Slackers, The Toasters, The Suicide Machines, The Pietasters, and The Aggrolites.

The Scotch Bonnets have played the main stage of the Supernova International Ska Festival, the Victoria Ska & Reggae Festival, and Baltimore Artscape, as well as numerous local festivals and summer concert series.

Corresponding with their rise as a live act, the Scotch Bonnets have released two full-length LPs, numerous singles, and were featured on several compilations. Their second album, Come On Over (Jump Up Records), was selected by Do The Dog Skazine as one of the top albums of 2019. Their cover of “Give Paris One More Chance” was featured on a Jonathan Richman tribute record that charted at #23 on Billboard’s Compilation Albums chart. The Bonnets are currently writing and recording a third album of original music.

In the pandemic year of 2020, the Scotch Bonnets expanded into livestream concerts and made virtual appearances with the Big 10 festival in the UK, the 2020 Supernova International Ska Festival, and on the Slackers’ Holiday Concert.

Having previously performed many outdoor shows along the waterfront and in parks in Baltimore, The Scotch Bonnets channeled that experience into successful headlining tours of outdoor venues in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic in 2021 and 2022.

In 2023, the Scotch Bonnets are confirming tour dates in the Northeast, Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, and beyond. Their debut album, Come On Over, turns 10 this year, and Jump Up Records is re-releasing it for the first time on vinyl.

Lady Hatchet is sponsored by Reverend Guitars.