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ST. THOMAS — Less than three years after Hurricanes Irma and Maria slammed into the U.S. Virgin Islands, Intellectual Global Concepts, LLC (IGC), a local technology, media and entertainment company, will host the 2020 "Music is Life Festival" on February 28—an event focused on supporting music students at the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) who were directly impacted by the disaster.
According to a release issued by the VI Research and Technology Park (RTPark) IGC has teamed up with the Reichhold Center, the RTPark, UVI, and Grammy-Award winning Jazz drummer Dion Parson to present this festival, which will be a ticketed event that is scheduled to go on sale Monday with online general admission tickets starting at $40 and increasing to $65 as the date gets closer.
The event is scheduled to get underway at 6:00 p.m. and run through 12:00 midnight that same night at two stages—one in the Reichhold Center Parking Lot and the other at Brewers Bay Beach.
The event’s two stages will be a main stage and a beach stage. Headlining the main stage will be Caribbean Soca band, KES the Band, whose music continues to top the mainstream charts with tracks like “Hello”, “Savannah Grass”, and “Nah Let Go,” just to name a few. Additionally, the event will showcase USVI’s own Cool Session Brass, Dub Lab Reggae featuring JParris, and Full Circle on the main stage along with an electric lineup of DJ’s (including DJ Mike Swells of NYC) on the beach stage with fire dancers and local moko jumbie dancers.
VIP tickets will be offered online starting at $100 (VIP includes stage front access, a dedicated bar, and a private restroom area). Table reservations will be accepted with a very limited supply on a first-come first-serve basis (please inquire at [email protected] for further details).
Before tickets go on sale January 27, attendees are encouraged to preregister for the event here for an opportunity to win a pair of general admission tickets to the event. Attendees who are interested in earning free tickets and commission by promoting and selling tickets to the event are encouraged to join the street team program by joining the event's Facebook group (further details are posted inside of the group).
All event proceeds in excess of the costs for the event and sponsor donations will go to UVI for hurricane relief, music education and recruiting students for performance ensembles through the music program at the UVI campuses, the release said. Since 2017 the UVI’s music program has been led by Grammy Award-winning NYC renowned drummer and USVI native, Dion Parson.
“The UVI Music Program offers an amazing opportunity for students attending the University of the Virgin Islands to earn the honor to teach within the K-12 arena, providing local jobs, furthering the music culture in the USVI and continuing to bolster the local communities,” said IGC executives. “We are proud to be able to support this program through scholarship funding for additional university expenses such as fees, housing and books and supplies. Along with being able to help provide our future musical leaders the most up to date technology to expand their musical talents”
Event attendees will also be able to experience the local culture with several amazing food vendors and various local merchants placed throughout the venue and the online silent auction at 32auctions.com/musicislife, that features a fantastic selection of prizes, and will be available for bidding starting on or about February 15. Additionally, there will be multiple bars available for a variety of different beverage purchases.
