Reprive!!!

The last time I was complaining of the restrictions concerning coverage of Antigua & Barbuda's Romantic Rhythms festival, but fortunately for the media some of these have been lifted.

Knowing how some unscrupulous individuals will use footage from the event for monetary gain, the festival's committee and artists management are trying to safeguard their product from being exploited.

So far media personnel will now be able to record audio, video footage and photos of the artists for the first 10 minutes of two songs. This is far much better than the proposed deal where no audio or video was to be entertained.

Also on the plus side, we will now be able to interview the artists for 10 minutes after each show, though in the case of Country & Western musician Kenny Rogers, this will be one hour before he goes on stage on Saturday the 14th of June.

So be cool you will certainly get the scoop on the artists from Antigua & Barbuda's Romantic Rhythms music festival.

Romance is in the Air!!!

Yes Halleluia!!

Antigua & Barbuda's first International music festival dubbed "Romatic Rhythms" seems to be getting off to a fantastic start as local, regional and international media converged on the venue, Sir Vivian Cricket stadium. The journalists will be bringing you the highlights of the festival which runs from the 13th of June to the 15th.

Briefing the media today, the country's Tourism Minister Harold Lovell says while several international artists who include Lionel Richie and Keyshia Cole will perform during the three days, local musicians are also part of the mix. He says the music festival is being used as an avenue to promote economic growth, and it's also a way to showcase local talent and improve production skills in sound, stage and artist management.

Apart from the famous Burning Flames, Claudette C. P. Peters and the Taxic Band, Tizzy Sebastain and the El A Kru band, other local notables taking part are Calypso icons King Short Shirt, and the Mighty Swallow. Several steel pan performances by the Gemonites, Hellsgate and Harmonites steel bands will be part of the festival's mixing pot.

See u where there's Romance in the Air!!

Music Festivals Stipulations

With just a day to go before the start of the first International Music festival in Antigua and Barbuda, the local media is in an uproar about the tight coverage restrictions.

According to the Romantic Rhythms Festival media committee it will not be business as usual for still photographers, radio stations and local TV stations.

Taking of photos is restricted to a particular time, which will be clarified I hope by Thursday before the event takes off on Friday at 7 p.m at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium. Video and audio recording is totally banned for the international artists who include Lionel Richie, Kenny Rodgers, Keisha Cole, Damian Marley, Musique Soulchild, Heather Headley, Shaggy and Maxi Priest.

So far we don't expect to have so much tying of the hands from the local artists who include the famous Burning flames, Tizzy Tanzania Sebastian, and Claudette C. P. Peters.

Hope the issues are clarified soon as spectators entering the venue are expected to leave their cell phones at home, in case the performances are posted on Google videos or God forbid YouTube.