The number of dates on Buju Banton’s Long Walk to Freedom tour is steadily growing.

Concerts in the sister Caribbean islands of The Bahamas, Barbados and St Kitts join Jamaica and Trinidad which were previoiusly announced.

The new dates follow the announcement that the tour will commence here in Jamaica with the concert set for March 16 at the National Stadium. Tickets for that event go on sale on January 16, which is the seventh anniversary of his last concert, Before the Dawn which was held in downtown Miami, ahead of his trical and subsequent conviction and sentence on drug-related charges.

The latest gigs to be announced are Nassau, The Bahamas on March 30. The show is set for the Thomas A Robinson National Sports Stadium and is being promoted by Bahamian firm Paradise Productions. The details on this event are yet to be made public.

Buju Banton is also set to perform at the Barbados Reggae Festival at Kensington Oval, Barbados on April 27, 2019. This is the 15th year for the staging of the festival, which has grown to become Barbados’ biggest annual private-sector entertainment production. It consistently attracts large numbers of patrons at the events.

Meanwhile the St Kitts Music Festival which will take place from June 26 to 30 will also feature the Grammy-winning artiste. The deejay joins a strong line-up for this year’s festival which includes Smokey Robinson, Popcaan, French Montana, and Davido.

Trinidad will experience Buju Banton on April 21 at the Queen’s Park Savannah located in the capital Port of Spain in a concert dubbed ‘I Am Legend’.

Tickets for the show, have already hit the streets and have been priced at US$58 for general; US$143 for VIP; and US$286 for the VVIP slots. It has been explained that VIP ticket holders will be in close proximity to the stage and will have a cash bar in the section. Those with VVIP tickets will enjoy in the closest proximity to the stage, and the cost includes food and drink, private restrooms and free secured parking.

So far no guest artistes have been announced. High Frequency Entertainment, promoter of the event, said the other acts will be announced in the new year.

Trinidadian promoter Glenroy Watson and his team caused a stir earlier this year when they announced that Buju Banton’s first concert after his released would be held in Trinidad. Jamaicans at home and abroad questioned the logic and the decision was quickly rescinded. Watson later said he spoke out of turn.

Buju Banton, whose given name Mark Anthony Myrie, was released from a US jail on December 7, after serving a 10-year sentence on drug-related charges.

— Richard Johnson