Bequia Mount Gay Music Fest coming

It’s just two weeks to go before the Bequia Mount Gay Music Fest kicks off its 9th annual four-day music-filled weekend in Bequia.{{more}} Opening honours go to the Frangipani Hotel, where the fabulous 13-piece Elite Steel Orchestra from St. Vincent will perform on Thursday ,26th January, from 9:00 pm.

Thanks to Basil Charles, on Friday 27th the Bequia Mount Gay Music Fest once again welcomes The Mustique Blues Festival to Bequia. Dana Gillespie and the London Blues Band and her guest artistes will guarantee another thrilling night’s entertainment dedicated to the Blues at its very best. Headlining this year are Chicagoan guitarist Zach Prather, pianists Julien Brunetaud and Paddy Milner, blues ukulele player Veronica and guitarist Lewis Cohen. The Mustique Blues Festival will also be performing at the Aquatic Club in St. Vincent on February 3rd.

l On Saturday 28th from 12.30 pm, the Bequia Beach Hotel in Friendship will be the venue for a free hot and cool Jazz ‘n’ Blues Jam by the beach. Artistes Jan and Louis on piano and sax, “Patches” on keyboards, drummer Flour Haddaway, bass player Thomas from St. Vincent, jazz saxophonist Jab Duplessis from St. Lucia, Stan & Cora from Europe (piano & sax), and New York trumpeter Jim Coleman will be among the many musicians joining in the jam session.

l Saturday night is the second big night of the Music Fest at De Reef. The Caribbean’s “saxiest” man, virtuoso saxophonist Arturo Tappin will be one of the show-stopping highlights of the evening, back in Bequia by extraordinary popular demand. Tappin will be joined on stage this year by Bajan vocalists Betty Payne and Niki Nicole.

Bequia Mount Gay Music Fest is now like a second home for award-winning NEXCYX – currently THE hottest band from Barbados – and they are back again this year, much to the delight of their thousands of loyal fans in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Last year in Bequia they brought the house down with their signature blend of Rock, Hip Hop and Pop and 2012 promises to be even better.

Prepare also to be blown away by “Bimstone” from Barbados, with Scotty Z on guitar, and guitarist Simon Pipe performing with singer/songwriter “Indrani” & percussionist/vocalist Onika Best. The evening will open with Reggae band “Versatile” from St. Vincent and Bequia’s own rising star, singer songwriter Amanda Gooding.

l Sunday 29th January will be a day to chill out at De Reef in Lower Bay to the sounds of country music from Bequia’s “Country Relatives”, Jazz, Blues and Rock by the Denzil Bacchus Blues Band, the “Honky Tonics” with Jan and Louis, the Bequia Blues Band, and the legendary virtuoso guitarist and Bequia Mount Gay Music Fest favourite – Toby Armstrong and his band.

The afternoon will close out with much, MUCH more at the Mount Gay Finale Party with surprise guests and performances to rock the crowd till the sun goes down…

Tickets for the Friday and Saturday events at De Reef are on sale at Quik Print and The Bounty in St. Vincent, and in Bequia at the Bequia Tourism Office, Lina’s Delicatessen, De Reef, Bequia Beach Hotel, Bequia Technology Center and the Frangipani Hotel.

Tickets prices are EC$65 for advance single night tickets (EC$75 on the door) and a bargain EC$110 for a two-night package. Tickets for Sunday afternoon are EC$20 (EC$30 on the door). Admission is free to the Frangipani on Thursday and to the Jazz ‘n’ Blues Jam by the Beach on Saturday afternoon at the Bequia Beach Hotel.

The Bequia Mount Gay Music Fest is only possible because of the enthusiastic support it receives from local businesses. Apart from headline sponsor Mount Gay Rum (Barbados), and major sponsors SVG Ministry of Tourism/SVG Tourism Authority, Karib Cable, Hairoun Beer, LIME St. Vincent, LIAT, SVG Air, Air Adelphi, the Bequia Beach Hotel, Frangipani Hotel, De Reef, CRS Music & Media, (Barbados), Admiralty Transport, Quik-Print (St. Vincent), the Bequia Mount Gay Music Fest is also generously supported by Basil’s Bar Mustique, Cross Country Radio, Nice Radio, Keegan’s Beach Resort, Gingerbread Hotel, Julie’s Guest House, Mango’s Bar and Restaurant, Mac’s Pizzeria, Brydens (St. Vincent), Doris’ Fresh Food, L’Auberge des Grenadines, Bequia Technology Center, Bequia Express, WAG Service Station, Sandpiper Company Bequia, Compass Publishing and Outhouse Graphics.

For more information see ad in this paper or visit www.begos.com/bequiamusicfest and www.facebook.com/bequiamusicfest