One Love Music Festival; a long-weekend getaway at Downsview Park

BY MICHAEL THOMAS

One Love Music Festival promised to be North America’s biggest four-day Caribbean music festival of its kind ever. This festival boasts the cream of the crop in Reggae, Dancehall, and Soca musical artists.  Names like: Exco Levi, Blessed, Jay Harmony, Shabba Ranks, Sizzla, Kes The Band (with full band), Bunji Garlin, Cocoa  Tea, Nessa Preppy, Spragga Benz, Baby Cham, Agent Sasco, Mr. Killa, Patrice Roberts and Fyan Lions took the stage and gave Toronto a concert they are sure to remember. The festival ran from Friday August 30^th – September 2^nd, 2019 at  Downsview Park in Toronto and not only was it a great time, but it also did a great job in promoting and contributing to the economic growth of the city and local businesses.

Toronto Caribbean Newspaper was in the mix of it all, and from day one this event moved into high gear with the soulful Miss J Harmony rocking the crowd with a few of her ballads. Harmony told Toronto Caribbean Newspaper before the show, “I am so glad that I was chosen to be part of this show because I know it is going to be well attended and folks are going to stream it all over social media as well.” Wouldn’t you know it, Harmony was absolutely correct; almost everyone in the crowd had their cell phones out and were capturing the event from corner to corner, artist to artist, just like the paparazzi.

Reggae artist Miss Nana McLean delivered a spirited performance on day one moving from genre to genre effortlessly and demonstrating what a true professional she really is. McLean spoke with Toronto Caribbean Newspaper after the show about how it felt to be on the first day of this huge historic event. “It means a lot,” she said, “They say that music is gonna teach a lesson and we need the music all the time , so when I heard the festival was Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, I said its amazing! Folks can bring out their families; I love this! Lets get this thing going, we need more of this.”

More was certainly delivered by artists like Steele who like McLean, touched  many different styles of music. To wrap up the first day, five-time Juno-Award Winner Exco Levi took the crowd out in style switching from song to song, “Like ah boss,” and he too expressed  how happy he was to be there. When asked how he felt, Levi said, “It’s the first day; I love the arrangement, and I am looking forward to performing for the audience.”

Day two was no exception; its was Soca night with the Kings and Queens of Soca from Trinidad to Grenada. Nessa Preppy one of the Soca Divas from TNT (Trinidad) kept the audiences going to her Soca renditions, and had the whole audience wocking their waists. Preppy told Toronto Caribbean Newspaper “performing means everything to me, I get to connect with my fans, and they connect with me; one love means unity to me.”

Day two was rounded up by artists like: Miss Patrice Roberts another Queen of the TNT Soca kingdom, Kes The Band, Soca Power Couple Fayan Lions, and Mr. Bunji Garlin plus the International Soca Monarch  king himself Grenada’s Mr. Killa who was all over his audience like syrup on a pancake, and the crowd couldn’t get enough of it.  Fayan, Bunji and Mr.Killa all expressed their excitement of being on the One Love bill in a positive way.

Day three was dancehall day, and boasted acts like: Spragga Benz, Baby Cham, Sizzla, and Movado. Toronto Caribbean Newspaper spoke with both Agent Sasco and  Baby Cham backstage. Baby Cham who drove the ladies wild  told Toronto Caribbean Newspaper “It’s a great concert and as long as the fans want us to be here we will be here.” Agent Sasco told us, “It’s always a joy to share the music with the people and to be back in Toronto; it is a good vibe.”

Monday is vintage night featuring Shabba Ranks, Marcia Griffiths, Cocoa Tea and more. The first ever One Love Festival was a tremendous success, and we can’t wait to see what they have in store for us next year.