A ‘Magnum’ Moment: A Night of Nostalgia and New Beginnings at Reggae Sumfest

St. James, Jamaica:- Magnum Tonic Wine delivered an exhilarating showcase at Reggae Sumfest to launch its 25th  anniversary celebration. Patrons on night one of the festival, aptly dubbed ‘Dancehall Night’, were treated to high-powered main stage performances that beautifully blended nostalgia with the vibrant new beginnings of the genre.

Selectors DJ Scrappy and DJ Dell guided the rapt audience with a curated catalogue of music and artistes who are the essence of the dancehall, perfectly aligning with the anniversary campaign’s theme, ‘The Champion of Dancehall’.

Energetic dancehall group Voicemail was among the artistes to take charge of the anniversary kick-off display. Members Craig Jackson and Kevin Blair shared backstage that the moment was even more fitting as they too, are celebrating 25 years in the dancehall industry.

“It is very appropriate that we are here. We started on the same journey basically… on July 5, 1999… they [Magnum] came into dancehall to try and represent themselves and we are doing the same thing, still with the people. The crowd loved us and wanted to see more. Big up  all the dancers  who also brought the energy for the patrons,” said Blair.

The success of the Magnum brand, they believe, is the support of the grassroots of the culture.

“Magnum Tonic Wine is the drink of dancehall. It matches the vibrancy, the feeling, the energy, it’s all Magnum. They recognised that once you support dancehall, dancehall will support you. The brand supports the small people and businesses that make up the industry and  they, in turn, show for the brand,” Jackson declared.

Voicemail was on the stage with a 30-plus strong cadre of dancers showcasing all the legendary moves such as Out N’ Bad, Wacky Dip, Weddi Weddi among others, which challenged the crowd of dancehall lovers to go back in time and revel in the classic dancing dancehall era.

The ladies showed their coordinated dance moves, even on bikes, and did Unch It when Roze Don touched the stage.

The dancing took on another level of intensity as Ding Dong, the dancing king, ignited the Catherine Hall Entertainment Complex venue. His catalogue of songs had the crowd and dancers on stage doing the Genna Bounce, Stir Fry, Bounce, Zip It Up, and Rejoice.

He took the act into the audience to ensure the vibes reached the patrons in the general section and ended the set with mega-hits Holiday and Watch Dem.

The Magnum segment also included spectacles that are commonplace in the entertainment space — flagmen, torches, smoke, pyrotechnics and stunts.

More Magnum for Jamaica

 “Our team knew that we wanted to create an unforgettable night of celebration and dancehall culture as we launch our 25th Anniversary,” said Pavel Smith, Marketing Manager, Magnum Tonic Wine. “Magnum has become a beloved brand, celebrated for championing dancehall and its ability to resonate with a diverse and dynamic audience, and at the 31st staging of Reggae Sumfest, we knew ‘Dancehall Night’ was the right place to launch our celebration in Jamaica.”

Magnum Tonic Wines has also created unique and dedicated spaces to support dancehall over the years.

“We are proud to have curated the space for events such as Magnum Kings and Queens; Magnum Xplosion; Magnum Top Performa and creating a platform – Magnum Hub TV – specifically to push and champion dancehall culture,” Smith elaborated. “This is just the start, Jamaica. Here’s to many more years of dancehall greatness.”