Some Sunsplash acts named
Plans are emerging for the virtual staging of Reggae Sunsplash which is set for next weekend, November 27 and 28.
The organisers of the event have scheduled a virtual launch for later today, where the details of the two-night event will be unveiled, however they have begun dropping names on social media of some of the artistes who will make the line-up.
Among the acts who will take to the stage come next Friday and Saturday are Barrington Levy, Masicka, Agent Sasco, Capleton and Romain Virgo. Capleton and Virgo are both featured on video presentations, which are on social media, speaking to their inclusion on the festival.
This is the third revival of the event, which is the original local reggae music festival first held at Jarrett Park in Montego Bay in June 1978. It was revived 14 years ago and held August 3-6, 2006 at Richmond Estate in Priory, St Ann.
In a statement released to the media just over a week ago, executive producer of Reggae Sunsplash Tyrone Wilson noted that his organisation was grateful to still be able to offer the Reggae Sunsplash experience to the world despite the pandemic.
“We hope that through this unique performance package that we have created, fans of Reggae Sunsplash all over the world will be able to enjoy. This is a historical and iconic brand that helped to birth Jamaica’s Music Festival economy. Our main aim at iCreate is to aid in the development of the digital and creative economies and this festival will be reintroduced to Jamaica and the world at a critical juncture,” said Wilson.
Sunsplash’s successor, Reggae Sumfest, was forced to go virtual in July of this year due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. The organisers of Rebel Salute, another major reggae festival, are taking a watch-and-see attitude towards the staging of their event, which is traditionally held in January. Event promoter and reggae artiste, Tony Rebel, told the Jamaica Observer recently that all the plans are in place for the 2021 staging of the festival; these he noted can be adapted to suit both a live or virtual format.
