Laing promises ‘upgraded’ Sting for 2025

With two dancehall hotshots - Jamal and Tommy Lee Sparta - already confirmed for what promises to be an "epic"edition, Sting promoter and Supreme Promotions director Tahheer 'Fatman' Laing said the event "has upgraded this year".

"Sting is planning an upgrade - brand new me, two shows in one day [and] less artistes. Suh instead of booking di bag a artistes, I'll be doing 15 artistes of the best calibre. This gives both the patrons and artistes more time to enjoy the performances, and we have more time to do nuff likkle intermission niceness and giveaways. Wi a try mix it up and give di people dem a different scene this year," Laing told THE STAR.

Sting is set for Jamworld in Portmore, St Catherine, on December 26. He said the show will have an early party segment, starting at 4 p.m., dubbed 'Sting Early Vybz'.

"Mi realise seh dis is what Sting is missing, [because] di party industry hot and everybody likes to party. Suh I'm trying to appeal to both partygoers and stage show lovers. Wi a bring dem together inna one place wid bare niceness," Laing said.

"It was the most ideal thing to do because Sting has been built as the 'Greatest one-night show' - it's hard to run away from dat and still call it Sting. Plus, these nowadays patrons have less patience. Dem just know dem waah come addi show at dis particular time to see dem artiste. Dem more adventurous, so their attention span is very short. Suh I'm jus giving dem what they want. Suh it's a party-staged show," he said.

The early segment is set to culminate at 7 p.m. with a major sound clash, featuring "two big-named sounds going head to head, tune fi tune, as the main event for that session to rile up di crowd before we get into the real show".

The upbeat promoter said though the bonus segment of the show is also to make up to patrons for the "disappointments" of last year's cancellation, it's also a "celebration" for the brand itself.

"There have been nuff disappointments from last year, suh mi waah gi di people dem an early start, like a head start to take them into the main event, which is the stage show. Suh it's a two-for-one treatment," Laing said.

"Wi also a keep dah show yah fi celebrate wiself. Wi always keep Sting fi di people, but dah one yah a fi we and di patrons dem. Wi always a get the beating and fight, and still always a try look out fi everybody and try get in everybody pon di show. Suh dis year wi a look out fi wiself as well," he added.

With questions still swirling about the reimbursement of fees from last year's cancellation, Laing clarified that "all patrons were refunded".

In ensuring that this year's production gets off to a smooth start, he said most of the groundwork is already complete, and some artistes were already confirmed for the show from last year. When pressed to share some of the featured acts, he revealed that Tommy Lee Sparta and Jamal are secured and "ready" to add to Sting's upgraded energy.

"Dem two artistes deh keep di flame burning right through - yuh can book dem all inna yuh sleep," Laing laughed. "Suh Sting will be stinging this year, and dem artiste yah fit right in wid di energy and di programme, and dem man yah ready all di time," he said. Laing added that patrons should still brace for a performance from an international Afrobeat/R&B surprise guest act, which will add to the "more quality and less quantity" approach for the artistes' line-up for Sting 2025. Laing also said that he's still "open and ready for a Sting clash if the artistes are willing to cooperate and enjoy a clean, fun, musical showdown".