Katchafire has released ‘Revival 2.0 Remixed & Remastered‘, a refreshed version of the album that started it all for the Aotearoa-based group. Originally recorded around 2000 and released in 2003, Revival marked the band’s first time in a studio together. More than twenty years later, the album returns with new clarity, while keeping the spirit of those early sessions intact
The new version has been remixed and remastered by Logan Bell, Stephen Maxwell, and Irie Yute Phillip McFarlane. For frontman and founding member Logan Bell, revisiting the recordings was something the band had spoken about for years. Hearing the original performances again brought a sense of pride in the early work and the people involved at the time, while finally allowing the band to present the album the way they always felt it could sound
Katchafire’s music has long stood at the intersection of reggae and Māori identity. Their sound blends Jamaican roots foundations with their Pacific influences in a way that feels natural and unforced. Over nearly twenty-five years, the band has built a catalog that consistently reflects values of whānau, unity, and cultural pride, themes that are still central to their music today.
The release of Revival 2.0 also comes as Katchafire prepares to join UB40 on the Kingston Calling tour, with shows scheduled across Fiji and Aotearoa. Sharing stages with UB40 connects generations of reggae audiences and underlines Katchafire’s place within the wider global reggae movement
Revival 2.0 Remixed & Remastered is about giving a foundational album the space and sound it deserves, while honoring where the band came from. For longtime listeners and newer fans alike, it offers a clear reminder of why Katchafire’s music continues to resonate far beyond their home shores.
Kingston Calling 2026 New Zealand Tour Dates:
- Feb 5, 2026: Whangārei, Semenoff Stadium
- Feb 6, 2026: Napier, Tremain Field
- Feb 7, 2026: Mt Maunganui, Bay Oval
- Feb 10, 2026: Auckland, Eventfinda Stadium (Note: some sources list this date)
- Feb 12, 2026: Wellington, Waitangi Park
- Feb 13, 2026: Pukekohe, Navigation Homes Stadium
- Feb 14, 2026: New Plymouth, Bowl of Brooklands
