Romantic Rhythms Music Festival
Encyclopedia
Romantic Rhythms Music Festival is a music festival
that is set to take place in Antigua and Barbuda
every year during the slow tourism season of May/June. The inaugural festival took place from the 13 to 16 June 2008. Headliners then included Keyshia Cole
, Shaggy
, Lionel Richie
, Kenny Rogers
, Musiq Soulchild, Damian Marley
, Destra Garcia
, Brian McKnight
and Maxi Priest
. The first festival took place at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Grounds built for 2007 Cricket World Cup
.
The Music Festival was the brainchild of the Antigua Minister of Tourism, Harold Lovell, his team and the chairman of the festival board, Dr. Alvin Edwards. The festival was to be a "shot int the arm" for the tourism slump around the months of May and June. It was mean't to keep a steady flow of visitors into Antigua
between Antigua Sailing Week in April and Antigua Carnival
in July/August.
The original festival cost a reported US$2 Million to host.
Sir Vivian Richards Stadium is a multi-use, world class ultra-modern stadium in North Sound, Antigua and Barbuda
, named after Viv Richards
. It was built for use in the 2007 Cricket World Cup
where it hosted Super 8 matches. It holds 10,000 people normally, but temporary seating doubled its capacity for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007. Its construction was financed by China
.
The stadium is strategically built on a site approximately 10–20 minutes drive from the capital city St. John's and the country's international airport (VC Bird International Airport). The venue cost an estimated US$60 million to build, with the majority of the funds comes from the Chinese Government grant.
Music festival
A music festival is a festival oriented towards music that is sometimes presented with a theme such as musical genre, nationality or locality of musicians, or holiday. They are commonly held outdoors, and are often inclusive of other attractions such as food and merchandise vending machines,...
that is set to take place in Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua and Barbuda is a twin-island nation lying between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. It consists of two major inhabited islands, Antigua and Barbuda, and a number of smaller islands...
every year during the slow tourism season of May/June. The inaugural festival took place from the 13 to 16 June 2008. Headliners then included Keyshia Cole
Keyshia Cole
Keyshia Myeshia Cole Gibson born October 15, 1981) is an American singer–songwriter and actress. She gained nationwide acclaim when her 2005 debut album, The Way It Is went platinum. Her sophomore album Just Like You went into production shortly after that and was released in September 2007...
, Shaggy
Shaggy (musician)
Orville Richard Burrell , better known by his stage name Shaggy, is a Jamaican-American reggae singer and rapper. He is perhaps best known for his 1995 single "Boombastic" and 2000 single "It Wasn't Me"...
, Lionel Richie
Lionel Richie
Lionel Brockman Richie, Jr. , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. Since 1968, he has been a member of the musical group Commodores signed to Motown Records...
, Kenny Rogers
Kenny Rogers
Kenneth Donald "Kenny" Rogers is an American singer-songwriter, photographer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur...
, Musiq Soulchild, Damian Marley
Damian Marley
Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley is a Jamaican reggae artist who has won three Grammy awards. Damian is the youngest son of Bob Marley....
, Destra Garcia
Destra Garcia
Destra Garcia is a Soca singer and songwriter based in Trinidad and Tobago. Destra is noted for her high energy performances, harmonious vocal skill and eccentric fashion style...
, Brian McKnight
Brian McKnight
Brian McKnight is an American singer-songwriter, arranger, producer, and R&B/Pop musician. He is a multi-instrumentalist who plays nine instruments: piano, guitar, bass guitar, drums, percussions, trombone, tuba, flugelhorn and trumpet....
and Maxi Priest
Maxi Priest
Max Alfred "Maxi" Priest is a British reggae vocalist of Jamaican descent. He is best known for singing reggae music with a R&B influence, otherwise known as reggae fusion, and became one of the first international successes who regularly dabbled in the genre as well as being one of the most...
. The first festival took place at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Grounds built for 2007 Cricket World Cup
2007 Cricket World Cup
The 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup was the ninth edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup tournament that took place in the West Indies from 13 March to 28 April 2007, using the sport's One Day International format...
.
Origins
Antigua and Barbuda, award winning destination for Weddings and Honeymoons, will burst onto the entertainment scene as the epitome of romance, when The Romantic Rhythms Festival is launched during the month of June 2008. Music aficionados will fall in love as the lyrical beauty engulfs the entire destination, spreading peace, love and unity to locals and visitors alike. - According to the festival promo.The Music Festival was the brainchild of the Antigua Minister of Tourism, Harold Lovell, his team and the chairman of the festival board, Dr. Alvin Edwards. The festival was to be a "shot int the arm" for the tourism slump around the months of May and June. It was mean't to keep a steady flow of visitors into Antigua
Antigua
Antigua , also known as Waladli, is an island in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region, the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua means "ancient" in Spanish and was named by Christopher Columbus after an icon in Seville Cathedral, Santa Maria de la...
between Antigua Sailing Week in April and Antigua Carnival
Antigua Carnival
The Antiguan Carnival is a celebration of music and dance held annually from the end of July to the first Tuesday in August. The most important day is that of the j'ouvert , in which brass and steel bands perform for much of the island's population. Barbuda's Carnival, held in June, is known as...
in July/August.
The original festival cost a reported US$2 Million to host.
Location
Full article: Sir Vivian Richards Cricket GroundsSir Vivian Richards Stadium is a multi-use, world class ultra-modern stadium in North Sound, Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua and Barbuda is a twin-island nation lying between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. It consists of two major inhabited islands, Antigua and Barbuda, and a number of smaller islands...
, named after Viv Richards
Viv Richards
Sir Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards, KNH, OBE is a former West Indian cricketer. Better known by his second name, Vivian or, more popularly, simply as Viv or King Viv Richards was voted one of the five Cricketers of the Century in 2000, by a 100-member panel of experts, along with Sir Donald...
. It was built for use in the 2007 Cricket World Cup
2007 Cricket World Cup
The 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup was the ninth edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup tournament that took place in the West Indies from 13 March to 28 April 2007, using the sport's One Day International format...
where it hosted Super 8 matches. It holds 10,000 people normally, but temporary seating doubled its capacity for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007. Its construction was financed by China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
The stadium is strategically built on a site approximately 10–20 minutes drive from the capital city St. John's and the country's international airport (VC Bird International Airport). The venue cost an estimated US$60 million to build, with the majority of the funds comes from the Chinese Government grant.