Lee "Scratch" Perry, Matisyahu and More to Appear at Reggae Carifest

"Reggae" and "U.S. Open" aren't two words that are frequently said in the same sentence, but this weekend, Reggae Carifest will assuredly change that. The day-long concert will take place at the Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, home to the aforementioned world-class tennis tournament. The festival is a benefit, supporting Keep a Child Alive, a charity which fights AIDS in Africa.

Appearing on the bill are some of reggae's greatest names: Matisyahu, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Joseph Israel, Midnite, and more. I'm more than jealous of you New Yorkers who are a mere train-ride away, so be sure to come back and tell us all how fabulous it was.

On a side note, I just learned from Jeff Cooper, About.com's Guide to Tennis, that Ashe Stadium is a hard court, which makes a tennis ball bounce differently than, say, a fast grass court (like Wimbledon's) or a slow clay court (like Roland Garros). Does this, however, make any difference to the way reggae sounds when played on, above or near it? I cannot say for sure. I do know, however, that I wish I could be there to find out.