Citywide Blackout, Aug. 10, 2017: John Barrett/Charlemont Reggae Festival/Shellz

Max Bowen

Opening the show is singer-songwriter John Barrett, back with some new music and a whole lot more! He's working on an animation for his music, a play at Shrewsbury High School, and even some hip-hop tunes. John is always working on a new project, and he tells us all about them and brings some live music to the show. Robert Bond of the Charlemont Reggae Festival calls in to talk about this great annual showcase of local reggae acts now in its 22nd year. An event like this isn't easy to put together, and Robert outlines what goes into it, and the artists that will be performing. Hip-hop artists Shellz and BADD return to the studio to talk about new work, including an album of Shellz's that is nearing completion. Shellz talks about the recording process, the challenge of knowing when to stop, and how he does with CDs versus digital downloads.