The annual Rebel Salute, reggae festival kicks off in Jamaica Friday 15 -16 at Grizzly’s Plantation Cove in St. Ann. Tony Rebel, promoter of the event, says the show he first held in 1993 is one of the leading reggae events in the world, and on par with major European festivals like Rototom Sunsplash and Reggae Geel.”Rebel Salute is of the highest standard, we give no show any level above us” he told the Jamaica Observer. “Loads of people from those shows come to see what we do, so we set the bar.”
Rototom Sunsplash and Reggae Geel are calendar reggae events, both held in the summer. The former lasts for a week in Bennicasim, Spain and is recognized as the biggest, most organised of its kind.
Reggae Geel is held in Belgium and in its 36th year is one of Europe’s oldest and most established reggae festivals.
Rebel Salute is one of Jamaica’s biggest music festivals, known for its focus on roots and conscious music. It began in 1994 in the parish of Mandeville and was long held annually in St. Elizabeth until 2012. The event became a two-day festival as of 2014 and was moved to the Richmond Park Estate in St. Anns.
This year, marks the 23rd staging of Rebel Salute, Beres Hammond, The Abyssinians, Mykal Rose, Sanchez, LUST, Richie Spice, David “Mavado” Brooks and one of Reggae’s hottest tickets, Nesbeth are expected to perform.
The inaugural Rebel Salute showcased a number of artistes who were leading figures in a roots-reggae revival that took place during the early 1990s. According to Tony Rebel, unlike other Jamaican shows, he and his team have considered inviting hip hop acts.
“We are a concert that promotes the indigenous Jamaican music product which is reggae. Even if someone is coming from abroad, they must do our music,” he said.
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