Stone Love, The Special anniversary

The Immortal Stone Love celebrates an impressive 40 years on the entertainment scene locally and internationally at its anniversary bash at D'Entrance in Kingston, dubbed The Special, on Saturday December 29. Stone Love is set to fête fans with special reduced admission fees of $600 presold and $800 at the gate

This year's anniversary party, under the theme The Special is set to be a remarkable affair with lots of giveaways and surprises for its patrons. Stone Love anniversary party is an annual celebration and popular event on the Jamaican entertainment calendar. There was no celebration in 2011 but Stone Love is making this year an extraordinary celebration not only for the sound system, but for its patrons who have been instrumental in making the sound popular and helping it to reach this 40-year landmark.

Only the Stone Love anniversary could guarantee the attendance of all the Stone Love selectors at one signature event. Foundation Stone Love selectors Rory, Geefus, Billy Slaughter and Billy Cosby and joined in later years by Diamond, Fire Ras, Ice Burg , Black Fox and Scary Gary on the "ones and twos". To become successful in entertainment, Stone Love has kept abreast of the happenings on the entertainment scenes, upgrading equipment and recruiting young selectors like Dwayne Pow, Jazzy and Genius to cater to the eclectic taste of Stone Love fans.

As popular as the selectors are, the landmark Stone Love dub plates define dancehall. Dubs like Buju Banton and Wayne Wonder's Forever Young, Johnny Osbourne and Shabba's Ice Cream Sound and Ronnie Thwaites The Wickedest Time resonate to reggae lovers worldwide.

Stone Love sound was started 40 years ago by Winston 'Wee Pow' Powell who has a passion for music. "I started Stone Love because of my love for music, it is like an inborn conceptm," Wee Pow said. When asked why he keeps Stone Love going, he said: "This is what I love, so I have to keep doing it and asked, why do something that I don't like?

The sound system started as a small system with locally built amplifiers until they were able to acquire more up-to-date equipment. It is the dedication, drive and expertise of Wee Pow and his team that have placed Stone Love in the prominent position that it holds on the entertainment scene and enables it to be celebrating a special milestone of 40 years.

For younger dancehall fans, that may have missed the previous Stone Love party experiences, a cadre of special guest artistes and selectors will perform in tribute to Stone Love. Past anniversary events have featured Renaissance, Metro Media, Coppershot, Tony Matterhorn, Bounty Killer, Beenie Man, Cham and countless other dancehall luminaries.

For this staging, Stone Love takes patrons to D'Entrance in Kingston and has a special reduced entrance fee of $600 presold and $800 at the gate for the Saturday, December 29 event.

(from Jamaica Star)