Alkaline is slated to be one of the headliners at this year’s staging of Reggae Sumfest. Following recent episodes with his fans, concerns have been raised as it relates to security for patrons attending his performance at the annual summer festival on July 21.
Chairman of Reggae Sumfest and CEO of Downsound Records Joseph Bogdanovich is assuring everyone’s safety.
“We are working closely with Alkaline and his team to ensure that everything goes well. Over the years, the history of Sumfest has been impressive. Our event is well secured every year, as fan safety is paramount. So this year we are working with a team which is second to none to ensure that everything goes smooth and nothing happens,” he told Jamaica Observer yesterday.
In recent times, the Vendetta artist has attracted scores of overenthusiastic fans which resulted in stampedes and even the cancellation of a concert at O2 Brixton Academy in London last week. A few weeks earlier, fans at Magnum New Rules concert held at the National Stadium car park in St Andrew got rowdy during the entertainer’s performance and broke down the fence separating VIP and general areas.
This will be Alkaline’s third recent performance in Jamaica since the beginning of the year. He is expected to attract hundreds of patrons to Reggae Sumfest, which is slated to run from July 16-23 at the Catherine Hall Entertainment Complex in Montego Bay.
Alkaline (given name Earlan Bartley) is currently one of the hottest artists occupying the dancehall space. His EP New Level Unlocked debuted at number one on the Billboard Reggae Charts in April 2016. The 15-track set has tracks including Champion Boy, ATM and Conquer The World.
– By Simone Morgan-Lindo
You must log in to post a comment.