THE 2012 Digicel Barbados Reggae Festival kicks off April 22 with its traditional beach party in Bridgetown, the country’s capital.

A statement from promoters, FAS Entertainment, said the event has retained its customary line-up which features mainly Jamaican acts covering the dancehall, reggae and rocksteady eras.

The beach party features dancehall acts Vegas, Cham and Popcaan. Vintage Night on April 27 has singers Admiral Tibet, Freddie McGregor, Glen Washington and Ernie Smith.

Home-grown artistes take the spotlight on Bajan Reggae Night the following evening. They include Biggie Irie, Crimeson and Barbados and West Indies cricketer Sulieman Benn.

Closing day, Reggae On The Hill, takes place at the scenic Farley Hill National Park where Jah Cure, Third World, Capleton, Chris Martin, Konshens and Tanya Stephens will perform.

With the Barbados Jazz Festival on hold for the past two years, the reggae festival and the traditional 11-week Crop Over event in May have become the major live shows in that country.

Jamaican pop music, particularly dancehall, has taken off in the eastern Caribbean, the Bahamas and Guyana in the last 15 years. Artistes such as Kevin Lyttle of St Vincent and the Grenadines (who had a massive hit in 2004 with Turn Me On) and Trinidadian Machel Montano have recorded in Jamaica and collaborated with dancehall stars Spragga Benz and Shaggy.