Startime migration
Atlanta 2019 first of annual US stagings
THE SATURDAY, May 5, staging of the Original Startime at Mas Camp, National Stadium, is tagged as its final chapter, but as the songsheet rustles to the voices of Marcia Griffiths, Sanchez, Ernie Smith and more, it is a not the concert’s final crescendo – at least, not in Jamaica.
Barnett clarified to The Gleaner that “this is the final Startime I will be doing in Jamaica”.
He said that since announcing that the vintage music series will be ending, there have been expressions of interest from cities in the United States with a strong Caribbean, especially Jamaican, presence. These include Florida, New York and Atlanta, the last being the city where he projects that Startime will make its post-Jamaica debut in 2019.
“When I had started to promote the May 5 show, I did say final show. Since then, there have been offers coming in from overseas to stage this show ... friends of mine and promoters are interested in taking the concept overseas,” Barnett said. He added that while the persons Startime presents are seen regularly in Jamaica, it is not the same in the cities where the requests to put on Startime are coming from, clarifying, “Florida is a little more used to this kind of event.
“They love the concept of Startime and the goodwill it has built up,” he said of the people in the US market who have put out feelers. The strongest prospect so far is Atlanta, and that is where Barnett is eyeing for a Startime staging next year.
EYEING THE DIASPORA
Sponsorship support by companies connected to Jamaica is also part of the attraction, as Barnett said already there are possibilities – even as Startime has difficulty securing cash sponsorship in Jamaica. Barnett emphasised that in making the Atlanta move, he is looking at not only the Jamaican, but the wider Caribbean diaspora and, therefore, having performers from Caribbean islands other than Jamaica is a possibility.
In its US phase, Barnett is looking at staging Startime annually. “Doing a show once a year should be enough to keep Startime alive for another couple of years,” he said.