Last year’s Love City Live headliner Third World, above, got the crowd in the Winston Wells ball field to its feet and kept them there.
Get ready to party St. John!
The island’s premier reggae festival is about to kick off and no one will want to miss any of the events.
Global Ventures Consultants’ Glen “Wasi” Philbert is back with the Second Annual Love City Live! on Saturday, January 28, featuring reggae roots legends Morgan Heritage performing together for the first time in five years.
“The concert will be their reunion performance because the band has not played together for about five years,” said Philbert. “This is their introduction back into the industry as a group. The band members had been working on solo projects, but they’re coming together again.”
And Morgan Heritage is just one of the four amazing acts set to take the stage in the Winston Wells ball field on Saturday night, January 28. Gates for the main concert open at 6 p.m. and Niyorah Olivacce will start the show, taking the stage at 7 p.m. Olivacce, from St. Thomas, is sure to impress with his distinct brand of roots reggae which has lately been garnering increased attention both locally and globally.
Melame Gange, back again this year, will entertain the sure to be maximum crowd next. Hailing from St. Croix, Gange sings of truth and enlightenment. His up-tempo stage presence and positive lyrics are sure to get the crowd ready for the anticipated set by Bambu Station.
Since forming on St. Thomas in 1996, Bambu Station has taken the reggae world by storm, releasing critically acclaimed albums and performing across the globe. Bambu Station is certain to get the crowd geared up for Morgan Heritage, who are scheduled to take the stage at 11:15 p.m., according to Philbert.
“We are going to start on time this year,” he said.
But the fun starts way before January 28. To get ready for the big night of dancing, Philbert is throwing a Sundown Beach Lime party at Oppenheimer on Thursday, January 26, from 3 to 7 p.m. The event is being hosted by Caribbean personality Jeanille Bonterre and Hollywood actor Malik Yoba.
“Jeanille and Malik are hosting the event and it’s really a toast to welcome everyone who is coming in for the show,” said Philbert. “There will be food and drinks on sale with all proceeds going to our Second Annual Youth Baseball Clinic in July.”
Yoba and Bonterre will also be hosting a program at the Julius E. Sprauve School on January 26, Philbert added.
“As part of our youth outreach they are going to talk to the kids about staying in school and the importance of arts and music,” said Philbert.
On Friday night, January 27, the party moves out to Coral Bay when Love City Live! takes over Miss Lucy’s restaurant for the festival’s official Meet and Greet. Home-grown reggae masters Inner Visions will entertain the masses sure to show up to meet Morgan Heritage and all the bands.
“That will be the chance to come out and get those autographs and photos taken with the bands,” said Philbert.
A shuttle will depart from Fatty Crab in Cruz Bay at 6 p.m. for the concert and fun out at Miss Lucy’s with proceeds funding Philbert’s youth baseball workshop. There is no cover charge for the Miss Lucy’s party, but the shuttle will run one $20 round-trip.
The big show at Winston Wells ball field is on Saturday, January 28, from 6 p.m. until Morgan Heritage closes the show in the wee hours of the night. Tickets for the main concert are $60 in advance and are available on St. John at Connections, Cases by the Sea and Love City Barbers. Or pay $80 at the door. VIP tickets, which give one access to a great area to watch the show, a bar with no lines, food and chairs, are also still available.
And that’s not all. The reggae fun continues after the concert ends. Sunday, January 29, is the chance to hit the seas during the Ultimate Power Boat Party at One Love Bar on Jost Van Dyke, BVI. Private boaters are welcome to join the party and non-boat owners can take one of the 60 left on Limnos Charters over to Jost, Philbert explained.
“We’ve reached out to a lot of people who own boats to go over to One Love on Sunday and for those who don’t have their own boats, we have Limnos going over,” he said.
The boat leaves St. John at 11 a.m. and will return at 6 p.m. Check out the Love City Live! website www.experiencelovecitylive.com for a full list of activities, ticket outlets and more information.
Although Love City Live! is still more than a week away, St. John has been buzzing already.
“I’m super excited about the show,” said Philbert. “We sold out of early bird tickets two days before the deadline. The buzz is out there and this year we’re really drawing reggae fans from around the world.”
Philbert, a St. Johnian himself, is happy to offer the community a great show with positive vibrations.
“I’m happy that I was able to come back and do this again,” he said. “There are folks who live here who have to deal with struggles every day. This is just one period of the year where I get to bring some excitement down.”
“I’m happy that I get to invigorate the folks here and give back to the school and do something for the kids,” said Philbert.