Several international music kingpins are set to take the stage during the highly anticipated Barbados Reggae Weekend at the National Botanical Gardens. But the homegrown talents have been creating a buzz among expected attendees.
Promoter Ryan Brathwaite referred to them as the flagbearers of the opening night titled Legends of Reggae: “That particular group of acts have been generating a lot of interest.
People are excited to see our own legends who have been pioneers in Barbados over the last few years and [though] we are accustomed to seeing them in a different genre which is soca, they are going to bring a special act on Friday night as part of the legend show.”
Among them are Lil Rick, Peter Ram, Ranking Rickey, Kid Site, Daddy Plume, and Natahlee.
The night will also boast an impressive lineup of reggae heavyweights like Admiral Tibet, Pinchers, Sanchez, and Eric Donaldson.
“We’ll have [those] legends but we have our own legends that will be given pride of place in that show because we don’t want people to come and not see them,” Brathwaite said.
The weekend will see performances by other anticipated artistes such as Sizzla Kalonji, Tessanne Chin, Jah Vinci, Chronic Law, Kranium, Brutal Crankstar, Byron Messia, Ghost Morgan Heritage and Queen Ifrica.
Coinciding with National Heroes Day, the premiere staging of the Barbados Reggae Weekend happens April 26-29 at the National Botanical Gardens and promises to deliver a wholesome and entertaining experience for the whole community.
In addition to the lineup of deliberately selected artistes, event organisers note that logistics are also carefully orchestrated to ensure a seamless experience for attendees. From multiple entrances to ample parking arrangements and comprehensive security measures, they shared that every detail of the weekend is planned to guarantee a safe and enjoyable event.
“What we’ve adopted is a model where all the events are at one venue. Of course, that makes things easier for us logically and it follows the model of various festivals around the world.
It also makes it easier for the patrons as well,” Brathwaite said, adding that despite being at the same event, each activity will boast its flair.
In light of ensuring inclusivity, Brathwaite said: “We’ve not left out the disabled community. We have ensured that all our entrances are accessible for persons with disabilities because we are an all-encompassing event and want to make sure that everybody has the opportunity to come and enjoy the activities at this national reggae weekend.”
With a week to go to the start of the show, promoters have already begun setting up the stage at the National Botanical Gardens and hosting walk-throughs with sponsors and service providers.
Boasting a high international traction manifested in ticket sales, Brathwaite shared that patrons from all over the world including Kenya, Nairobi, Ghana and Greece, are expected to be a part of the celebration. (S
