BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE recently concluded British Virgin Island Music Festival has received mixed reviews from attendees.
The festival was held at the Cane Garden Bay from May 22-24 and some persons have expressed their displeasure in the way local artistes were treated while performing. Some of them said that the time allotted to the artistes was too short and they disliked the way the host interrupted their performance.
According to a blogger on the BVInews.com website, the decision to embarrass the local artistes showed how unprofessional persons from the BVI are.
“You all should be shame a you all self,” they said. “The local artist deserve better than this; they didn’t even get the full time that was given to them.”
Another blogger, Concerned Local, said that while some blamed the host for the bad treatment the locals received, the host was only carrying out orders from the BVI Music Festival Committee.
“It's ridiculous how they were pulling people off the stage, and I don't blame DJ Berch either because he was only following orders. I could see he wasn't happy doing it,” the person stated. “The BVI Music Fest Administration however, them I blame. The local artists were treated with no respect, neither when they were on stage or before the Music Festival. They were treated like they were begging a favor to be on the show when you would hope the local administration would promote local acts.”
Other persons cited that the duration of the festival was too long, and by the time Sizzla Kolongi went on stage to perform the majority of patrons had left because they were tired.
It was said that Jamaican dancehall artiste Busy Signal brought down the Thursday night with a 55-minute performance of pure energy and hits.
One attendee stated that Serani should be banned from the festival because he failed to impress the audience. The attendee also noted that Beenie Man had performed at last year’s festival and many patrons claimed that they do not want him to return.
Reggaeton great Daddy Yankee is said to have set the place ‘on fire’ and not one comment about the Latino act said that he disappointed fans.
It was said that although most of the patrons did not understand the words of Daddy Yankee’s songs because of the language barrier, he had everyone moving to the beat of his music, especially the Latinos living in the BVI who came out in their numbers.
Although some said they enjoyed the festival overall, many stated that the former committee which was led by Frank Mahoney should organise the festival for years to come.
Mahoney, who had chaired the festival since its inception, was replaced by a new chair with a new committee months before the ninth staging of this year’s festival.
“He was the founder of the Music Fest in the BVI, and if you guys were displeased and wanted to form a new committee (which you did) you should have at least kept him in the loop. I am pretty sure Frank already had his line up and it would have been much better than your line up. But guess what? God don't like ugly!” said a blogger. “Now look how many terrible comments are geared towards this new committee. Frank, I think you should go ahead planning next year's Music Fest cause I honestly don't think anyone will show up to another music fest if this new committee has anything to do with it.”
Another blogger suggested that the festival be moved to a location in Road Town because a venue there, which was also suggested by Mahoney, would take the cost away from the government and the venue will also be able to accommodate more attendees.
Other artistes who performed at the festival were The Drifters, Tanya Stephens, Sister Joyce, Callaloo poets, Queen Ifrica and more.
There was also a fashion show organised by Champagne and Roses Model Agency, which was showcased on the Saturday night of the festival.
