Production withdrawal halts Sting 2024

Sting 2024 has been postponed. Isaiah Laing, head of Supreme Promotions Ltd, confirmed that the annual Boxing Day dancehall stage show set for tonight at the Jamworld Entertainment Centre in Portmore, St Catherine, will not take place as planned due to the withdrawal of the production company for the event.

Clearsound Production Services Group Ltd. was contracted to provide stage and sound for Sting 2024.

“I am saddened because this will cause a major ripple effect throughout the economy and the music industry,” Laing said in a release.

“Hundreds of vendors and concessionaires have invested their money and wanted to recoup during the show, dozens of artistes have rehearsed and are waiting for their chance to shine, and thousands of patrons will be disappointed by the cancellation of the show but it is beyond my control.”

More than 30 artistes were slated to perform at the event, this year dubbed Sting Live, including Tommy Lee, Gyptian, Laden, and Quada. TikToker Pops YG was expected to make an appearance and Rosalee and Blinga host Sting’s TikTok live.

The postponement is allegedly due to a payment issue.

In the release, Laing said that a deposit of $1 million was remitted to Clearsound and on Tuesday, the remaining sum of $6.5 million was deposited via bank transfer this week. However, the public holidays meant that the sum has not been reflected in the company account. This reportedly resulted in a breach of payment policies and the production company’s subsequent withdrawal.

With the show set for tonight, Laing said it would be impossible to secure a new production company.

“Due to the complexity of the setup, it is impossible to get a replacement at this time, because to meet the high technical standards of Sting, the personnel will need at least three days to set up, not a few hours. We have no option but to postpone the event for a date to be announced,” Laing said.

Dubbed ‘The Greatest One Night Reggae and Dancehall Show On Earth’, Sting was first staged in 1984. This is the first postponement in the event’s 40-year history.

“In the year 2000, when Merciless defeated Beenie, Ninjaman and Bounty, there was a lot of rain, [and] we removed seven truckloads of water from the venue. That did not stop us and we still sold 10,000 tickets, people put their shoes in plastic bags and walk go over there, so for this to happen now, it is hard to stomach,” Laing said.

Sting was on a hiatus from 2015 to 2019. It was slated to return with a virtual concert in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic but was later cancelled due to financial difficulties. The event was next staged in 2022 at Plantation Cove in St Ann. It was the first staging of the event in seven years.

Laing said that patrons who purchased tickets online will be entitled to a full refund.

A new date has not yet been announced.