The Barbados Reggae Festival has officially launched, and its promoters are predicting the largest turn out for the festival since its humble beginnings back in 2005. During the short press briefing at its launch this year, Al Gilkes, Director of FAS7STAR, recounted the festival’s first show years ago:
“Sunday 1st of May 2005; it is not a day that is easily forgotten by the more than 15,000 people who packed Farley Hill National Park for that event. Music was [beautiful], and transcended all colours, classes, and creeds in terms of the 15,000 plus people who were assembled at Farley Hill that day. It was truly a unifying experience.”
Also during the briefing, press and sponsors were treated to short performances by local Reggae singer, Buggy Nhakente, and Jamaican Dancehall artist Spragga Benz, who shared his history with Buju Banton, whose Long Walk To Freedom Tour was making its next stop here in Barbados for the festival.
“… to see Wayne come out, and be the one who bring Buju Banton to the forefront as an artist and introduce him to the public. And then Buju being the one that actually came and take me and inspired me to become an artist as well. That’s a trinity right there that a lot of people don’t even recognize. So this show to me, and to all of them, is very special [and] something that we are looking forward to.”
Buju Banton’s Barbados stop is being held at Kensington Oval on Saturday, April the 27th, with a massive crowd being expected for his show. The Magnum Xpolsion Reggae Beach party will be held at Pirates Cove the following day. Sizzla and Busy Signal, both out of Jamaica, will headline that event. Kensington Oval is also set to host the Mount Gay Vintage Reggae Show and Dance on the 30th, featuring the likes of George Nooks, Admiral Tibet, Barrington Levy, Judy Boucher and Mikey Spice.
