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| Executive Chairman of the St. Kitts Music Festival Allister Williams during presentation at Music Festival breakfast meeting. | Basseterre, St. Kitts (March 19, 2004): Executive Chairman of the St. Kitts Music Festival Allister Williams told members of the business community that the success of the festival requires their “active involvement.”
Williams was at the time addressing attendees at a breakfast meeting held at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort yesterday, to brief traditional and potential investors on the benefits which sponsors of the four-night event enjoy, and update the stakeholders on plans for the 2004 staging.
“The ... festival has grown tremendously over the past years,” he said noting that the formula has been copied by similar concert organisers throughout the region including the St. Lucia Jazz Festival. “The ... increased visitor arrivals and attendance (at the concerts) are testimony that the festival provides economic benefits and is the ideal platform for business entities such as yours to ... promote your goods and services to a wide audience.”
To attract that audience, Williams and his committee are looking at a number of regional and international recording artistes who will appeal to a majority of persons across social, economic, cultural and generational lines.
Persons have suggested that the committee will be hard pressed to surpass last year’s lineup which was hailed as the best ever, and included Shaggy, Elephant Man, Ashanti, Sizzla, Eve, Sparrow, Percy Sledge, The Temptations Review and DMX.
The executive chairman countered by naming acts that they have contacted and in some cases are in negotiations with their representatives. Missy Elliot, 50 Cent, Mary J. Blige, Ja Rule, Fabulos, Nas, Mya, Air Supply, Alicia Keys, Toni Braxton, Buju Banton, Bounty Killer, Shania Twain, Michael Bolton and a host of others were mentioned.
“The final selection ... will be made after we have thoroughly considered the guarantee compensation that is being asked, the availability of these acts and the size of travel party and other requirements they may have,” Mr. Williams disclosed.
Plans to host exclusive ‘After Parties,’ which will be held after the each concert and allow fans to interact with performers, as well as celebrity sporting events and other additional activities are being considered to provide further entertainment to Music Festival patrons. |
