The inaugural staging of the High Vibes Roots and Reggae Festival reaped success earlier this month.The festival was held at the Aqueduct in Montego Bay, on Saturday September 3 and saw the likes of Kymani Marley, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, the King of the dancehall Beenie Man and Rap sensation Rick Ross headlining the show.Douglas Gordon, promoter of the event, explained that the festival wanted to pair entertainment and a medium to educate patrons about cannabis and, by extension, Rastafarian culture.“High Vibes Roots and Reggae Festival is a live music experience and much more. We wanted to share all aspects of the Rastafarian culture and not limit our showcase to just the music and we did just that. The expo booths had craftsmanship, cannabis farmers, chefs serving Rastafarian meals and vendors who have incorporated the herb into sweet treats, beverages, heath care products among many other items,” Gordon explained. He said there were also educators sharing basic knowledge about Jamaican Rastafarian culture giving patrons an ultimate Roots Reggae Festival experience.Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry and backing band Subatomic unique sound had patrons vibing to ‘Panic in Babylon’, “I am a madman,” “Disco Devil” and “Fussing & Fighting”. Kassiano Smith added a spin on his set, performing his singles in Spanish and English. Ky-mani Marley set the mood at the festival with his incredible upbeat attitude and positive energy, while bringing the crowd on an incredible journey through all his hits.
Incorporating hits from his new album ‘Unstoppable’, King of the Dancehall, Beenie Man delivered a spectacular high-energy performance. Rick Ross’s performance didn’t fall short. He had the crowd in a frenzy, before closing the show minutes after 3 a.m.
