BASSTERRE, St. Kitts - THE self-acclaimed ‘Sweetest Band in the World’, the Small Axe Band, is expected to be the first performing act tonight’s (Jun. 27) at the opening of the 17th Annual St. Kitts Music Festival, while the Kollison Band will bring the curtains down on the ‘Jump Up Night’ affair.
This information was made public today at a press conference held by the St. Kitts Music Festival Committee at the St. Kitts Marriott Hotel.
Seated at the head table were representatives for each of tonight’s acts which will be held at the Warner Park Cricket Stadium.
They were Jermaine ‘Chubby’ Clarke of Kollision Band, Jahreese Jones of the Kore Band, Gregory ‘Mr. Mention’ of Nu Vybes Band International (De Sugar Band), Royston ‘Mr. World’ Wigley of Small Axe Band, Bunji Garlin, Super Blue of the Asylum Band from Trinidad, and Alex Condell of the Grand Masters Band.
Bunji Garlin informed that his wife, Fay-Ann Lyons who was not present at the press conference, “was resting herself for tonight”.
Tourism Minister Richard ‘Ricky’ Skerritt highlighted that efforts are being exerted to “move” the Festival from just being a show and concert to an “experience”, adding that such is the reason behind the Festival’s tag phrase, “An Experience Like No Other”.
He talked about the challenge over the years in getting more to people to attend the Thursday night’s session and made a passionate appeal for patrons to support Soca music.
“If you want Soca music to live, put money where mouth is,” he encouraged.
According to Skerritt, “Soca has to grow if the Caribbean story is to be told around the world.”
All of the bands’ representatives are encouraging patrons to come out tonight and have an enjoyable time.
Super Blue, in particular, who is the father of Fay-Ann Lyons, announced that this would be the first time he would be performing with his daughter and his son-in-law Bunji Garlin.
According to Super Blue, the show “is going to be an awesome feeling words can’t describe,” after which he humorously asked, ‘You got a dictionary?”
He then asked the audience, which comprised mainly media representatives, to give his son-in-law a round of applause.
Popular radio personality Juni ‘Big L’ Liburd chaired the event.
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