Beatroots is Reading's community Samba drumming group. Started by Gavin Lombos in 1996, the band plays energetic carnival style samba music mixing African, Asian and other Latin-American rhythms. Over the years the group has developed a unique style of 'UK Samba' that is different from the playing styles typical of other UK bands.

Beatroots has played many high profile events, regularly leading the annual WOMAD festival procession and drumming for the runners in Reading's Half Marathon. They played as part of London's Millennium celebrations and have even drummed on the roof of the National Theatre to accompany a massive fireworks display. Last summer members of the band played as part of the SOS All Stars opening the Live Earth event at Wembley Stadium alongside Queen's Roger Taylor to a worldwide audience of 55 million people!

Beatroots will be playing a double bill together with RASPO on Thursday, 31 July. The concert starts at 7.45pm and will finish by 10pm. The bar will be open before the show and during the interval.

Tickets are available at £12 or £10, with a £1 off concessionary rate and for Your Reading Passport holders. A half-price ticket for this event or for any one of the other musical events in the third week of the Festival can be booked when booking a ticket to Taming of the Shrew.

A pre-show supper is available at Forbury's French Restaurant at an additional price of just £13.95. See the Booking page for more details or book your tickets now via Reading Arts.