New Wave Ja to host ‘Send Off Party’ for Protoje, Jesse Royal and Lila Iké
Published:Saturday | September 3, 2022 | 12:11 AMStephanie Lyew/Gleaner Writer
Reggae trailblazers Jesse Royal and Lila Iké are expected to join In.Digg.Nation principal Protoje on his upcoming US tour. In true Jamaican flavour, the New Wave collective will be sending them off in fine style on Monday.
According to Lindsey Lodenquai, director of New Wave, the event curates a space where artistes and their fans can interact.
“We want this to be an engaging event where patrons can come out and not only meet and greet but wish the artistes well before they head on tour,” she told The Gleaner.
Lodenquai added, “These acts are about to embark on the ‘Lost In Time’ North American Tour and between New Wave and In.Digg.Nation, we thought it would be a fun idea to host a party for them.”
She shared that since the reopening of the entertainment sector, the party scene has come to a turning point.
“I think during the high time of the pandemic there was a lot of bottled up creativity and energy that, apart from online, had no avenue to be disseminated – now, there is once again this sense of connection and the ability to share work in spaces that the community can enjoy. That being said, I’m very confident that the months to come will reveal so much creative innovation and cultural expression,” said Lodenquai.
The send-off will be held at one of Kingston’s newest playgrounds, Di Lot, at 33 Constant Spring Road, which is a significant contrast to its most recent pop-up event, which was held in an art gallery, but Lodenquai said that there are several hotspots in and around Kingston that New Wave has plans to experiment with.
“There are so many interesting spots to have an event in Kingston once you really zone in, and for the brand, I think it’s good to keep our patrons excited about where, guessing where the next event might be held,” she said.
“I want our patrons to have an experience every time they come to one of our events, and I think picking the right venue to execute the right feel is very important. Di Lot is one of Kingston’s newest self-sufficient entertainment spots, and it lends itself very nicely to a New Wave party of this nature,” Lodenquai continued.
Protoje said that the tour with “three artistes, all making great music on tour together representing reggae and Jamaica”, was conceptualised in 2019 but halted by the pandemic.
“I think [it] is an amazing move for the culture,” he said.
Monday’s party will be a move towards connecting with his local fanbase.
“I’ve really wanted to do a show in Jamaica and haven’t been able to, and this, while not a ‘show show’ in the typical sense, it acts as a great avenue to meet our supporters, see some faces and share some sounds,” Protoje disclosed.