Redemption is here

Reggae legends Buju Banton (Mark Myrie), Beres Hammond and Luciano (Jepther McClymont) will touch down in Trinidad today for the eighth staging of Redemption the Concert at Queen’s Park Savannah in Port of Spain on Saturday.

The eagerly-anticipated Anthony B (Keith Blair) gets here on Saturday.

The four pillars of reggae will be joined by Trinidad and Tobago’s lone local act on the cast, Black Loyalty.

Public relations liaison for Redemption Aba Luke encouraged patrons to get to the venue early to enjoy the full cast of performers.

“All is set. On the night, patrons can expect a seamless flow,” she said.

Luke told Newsday that this particular group of reggae crooners was selected in alignment with the same vision of their past seven editions, to return peace, love and unity in a downward spiralling TT.

Crime is at an all-time high and Luke even urged parents to bring out their teenagers to experience a night of positivity through music. “As with all Redemption concerts from the very beginning, it has always been the aim of the organisers to promote peace and positivity. We believe music carries tremendous weight when it comes to lyrics and lyrical content.

“The artistes who’ve been selected throughout all the campaigns were ones whose music carried strong positive messages. It’s no different this year.

“We encourage moms and dads to come with their kids and show them the other side of life and music; music with positive lyrics that can uplift your soul, real content,” Luke added.

The Jamaican singers have produced catalogues of reggae music over the past four to five decades. Globally, they are regarded, among others, as masters of their craft and are world-renowned icons of the genre.

Despite their rich musical history, there is a buzz on the ground from eager fans to see Anthony B hit the stage in Trinidad once more.

This comes after he missed out on his past two advertised performances (not Redemption) over the years, and sent another seasoned reggae campaigner Louie Culture, as his replacement.

Gates open at 7 pm and showtime is 8 pm.