The closing night of one of Barbados’ most anticipated annual music gatherings, Barbados Reggae Weekend, got off to an electrifying, soulful start on Saturday, as iconic local institution Spice and Company kicked off the Reggae in the Gardens event with a high-energy performance that had the venue buzzing from the first chord.
The beloved homegrown act, which is celebrating a remarkable milestone this year – five full decades since it first formed and began entertaining Caribbean audiences – received a thunderous, heartfelt reception from the sold-out local crowd. Attendees wasted no time joining in on the fun, singing every word of the band’s most well-known hit tracks in unison, creating a collective, immersive experience that honored the group’s decades-long contribution to Barbados’ reggae scene.
As the opening set wrapped, organizers and attendees alike turned their attention to the rest of the star-studded closing night lineup. Scheduled to take the stage throughout the evening are Jamaican dancehall favorite Dexta Daps, rising Caribbean talent D’Yani, and Grammy Award-winning international R&B and soul superstar Fantasia, who is set to close out the three-day weekend festival.
Reporting from the event venue is entertainment correspondent Dana Malcolm, who also captured on-the-ground photographic coverage of the opening night festivities.