TONIGHT’S Startime will be the biggest in the event’s 29-year history, according to promoter Michael Barnett.

He was addressing special guests at Thursday night’s media launch, held at ATL Automotive’s Audi Terminal on Oxford Road in New Kingston.

“The level of the headline acts, the venue, and the magnitude of the organisation to make it all possible, mark this as the biggest Startime I’ve worked on,” he told the Jamaica Observer.

The Manhattans, featuring Gerald Alston & Band, will headline the show also including Derrick Morgan, Ken Boothe, DJ Denis Al Capone, Gem Myers, and Lloyd Parks and We The People Band. It is scheduled to start at 8:30 pm at the National Arena, St Andrew.

Alston said the event marked a milestone for his group.

“It’s special to us because we’re celebrating 55 years together and will share this with the Jamaican audience, so we’re looking forward to seeing you all out on Saturday night. We’re going to go back, take it back from the beginning and bring it all the way up the present time. So bring the one you love, the one you’re with; we’re going to have a wonderful time,” he said.

Startime has garnered a reputation for a focus on live, local vintage, so when asked why an international headliner, Barnett was candid about the current state of the vintage music scene.

“We have had international headliners over the years; this is nothing new. But there have been several significant deaths of vintage musicians which have reduced our options that we can use to pull an audience,” he explained.

While The Manhattans have performed in Jamaica a multitude of times in the past, this will be their first time performing on Startime. Barnett said the line-up has not been packed with other artistes to ensure that each, especially the headliners, will have plenty of time to give the audience, allowing them to experience the maximum musical catalogue.