Chris Brown ‘super excited’ to perform in Jamaica at Bizarre Weekend
Under the Influence tour stops at National Stadium on August 27
Published:Sunday | July 16, 2023 | 12:09 AMYasmine Peru - Senior Gleaner Writer
Eight months after playing host to a mammoth event — Burna Boy in concert — the National Stadium in St Andrew is again set to welcome another huge international act. R&B superstar, Chris Brown’s Under the Influence tour will make a stop in St Andrew, Jamaica on Sunday, August 27 for what will be the curtain closer for “a Bizarre Weekend of epic events”.
Billed Chris Brown and Friends, among those on Brown’s advertised friends list are Sean Kingston, Teejay, Ding Dong, Byron Messia, Davo and special surprise guests. And, as Ryan Burke, record executive, producer, talent manager and promoter told the media last Friday morning, Brown is looking forward to this island party.
“First off, Chris Brown is super excited about the show. Chris Brown just doesn’t do any show, but one of the shows that he was really excited about is this show which is why he said he would love to be a part of the project. We are working very closely with our own production team and with Chris Brown’s production team to make sure that you guys have the best experience ever,” Burke told The Sunday Gleaner.
Explaining why Chris Brown was tagged for Jamaica, Burke said, “After speaking with different promoters and consumers they said that the person that they wanted to see most is Chris Brown. We are very excited to be a part of the event and that’s how we got here.”
Unfortunately, however, Burke could not say definitively whether or not the Grammy-winning singer who is dubbed the King of R&B will be doing interviews with the press.
Chris Brown, whose alias is ‘Breezy’, kicked off the European leg of his Under the Influence Tour on February 12. In the lead-up, it was revealed that Crocodile Teeth deejay, Skillibeng, would be accompanying him on tour. However, by early February, Skillibeng’s team put out a statement apologising for the artiste’s absence.
“It is with a heavy heart that Skillibeng/Eastsyde Records would like to announce to fan, his withdrawal from the Under the Influence Tour: Europe. We were looking forward to being on the road with our brother Chris Brown and doing what we both do best, which is entertaining our fans. Due to unforeseen circumstances beyond our control, we could not make the Europe leg of the tour happen. We look forward to being on the road again,” the statement said.
It would appear that even with Breezy cooling out in Skillibeng’s own backyard, the possibility of the two meeting onstage is still up in the air.
“Well, there are no plans to add Skillibeng to the concert ... not that I know of,” Burke said, but he did mention that there were some surprise guests whose names he couldn’t mention.
Skillibeng’s management, when contacted about the artiste making a special appearance, said, “Not sure yet”.
In response to a question from a member of the press corps about the reason for Skillibeng withdrawing from the Under the Influence tour, Burke admitted ignorance.
“I don’t know. When you find out, you tell me,” he said to many chuckles from the gathering.
This will be Chris Brown’s first time performing in the Caribbean in more than a decade. In 2010 he performed at Reggae Sumfest. “The blending of American R&B, pop, and hip-hop with Jamaican dancehall will be the magical formula for creating a high-energy powerhouse of a weekend that will build with intensity with each event, climaxing with a live concert featuring these artistes,” a Burke/Bodley release stated.
BZR WKND will showcase five events over three days featuring live performances from both international and local artistes and DJs. The events are: Haute Monde Jamaica on Friday, August 25 at the AC Hotel; Memba Dis Ultimate Ol’ Skool Party at Hope Gardens on Friday from 11 p.m. - 3 a.m.; Paradise Brunch Party on Saturday August 26 from 12 noon - 4 p.m. at Morgan’s Harbour, Port Royal; Indigo on August 26 at Hope Gardens from 8 p.m. - 2 a.m. and Chris Brown and Friends (UTI Concert) at the National Stadium from 4 p.m. t0 12 midnight.
One of the burning questions from the media was ticket price and Burke revealled that tickets range from “US$45, $75, $175, $275, $400 all the way up” and promised that with the proposed design of the event, “there is no bad seat in the house”.
Burke is part of a conglomerate bringing Miami’s very own BZR WKND (Bizarre Weekend) to life in Jamaica for the first time. His partners include VEW Live!, a leading provider of live entertainment, Solid Agency, Burke Bodley, and UCA (Universal Creative Agency), as well as the organisers of Burna Boy’s Love, Damini Tour, and Buju Banton’s Long Walk to Freedom Tour.
“Together, the collective team aims to produce a weekend full of epic performances, energy-filled parties, and transcendent levels of fun,” a press release sated.
The organisers are predicting that the series is “destined to be one of the largest music festivals [and party weekends] in the Caribbean. BZR WKND sets out to entertain over 47,000 patrons over 48 hours, attracting a diverse, multi-generational audience”.