MARKING its 21 staging, music festival Rebel Salute will be held at Richmond Park Estate in Priory, St Ann, on January 17-18.

The announcement was made by the conceptualiser Tony Rebel at the festival’s launch at the renovated Countryside Club in St Andrew.

Tony Rebel

“Rebel Salute will offer camping, a better ticketing system, several new artists, and a more concise presentation of the musical line up,” Rebel told the Jamaica Observer.

The more than 40 acts, mainly local, are scheduled to perform with part proceeds going to the Rebel Salute Foundation.

“Even with the backing of the Jamaica Tourist Board we’ve tried to keep things mostly focused on the local acts that may be popular, but not on the charts,” said Rebel.

Rebel — along with Andrew Tosh, Bunny Wailer, and a surprise guest — will headline day one, while Rodney Pryce (Bounty Killer) will anchor day two.

The acts have been split across the two days with Rebel himself anchoring day one along with Andrew Tosh, Bunny Wailer and a surprise guest. Rodney Pryce, the artist better known as Bounty Killer, will anchor the second day.

The Jah By My Side singer differentiated between the persona of Pryce and The Killer, pointing out that the ‘former’ had a tremendous back catalogue of hit songs to perform.

“I’ve seen him do an hour set completely clean and still managed to keep the crowd eating out of his hands,” said Rebel.

“We had Busy Signal last year. Jamaican music is one big family, so there’s no reason we can’t expand the programme,” he continued.

The launch was punctuated by various acts including I-Wayne and Capleton.