Get ready for Lovers Rock: A Night of British Reggae 

The second edition of Lovers Rock: A Night of British Reggae takes place on May 17 at Pon Top Seafood Grill & Bar in Kingston. This event salutes the genre that originated in the United Kingdom during the late 1970s.

A successful first show in February at the same venue prompted a follow-up, according to  Steve James, main promoter of ‘Lovers Rock’ and Martin Mitchell. James is an authority on lovers rock, a mellow reggae sound which ignited the careers of singers like Janet Kay, Peter Hunnigale, Carroll Thompson, Sugar Minott and Maxi Priest.

He said there will be a different approach for the upcoming show.

“We have extended the timeframe to give patrons more music to listen to. We will also be doing a mini feature on Bitty McLean who performed in Jamaica recently for the first time and a tribute to the late Vivian ‘Sugarlove’ Jones,” James disclosed. 

McLean, born in the UK to Jamaican parents, is a leader of lovers rock’s new wave. His songs, such as Walk Away From Love and The Real Thing, were massive hits there and in Jamaica.

Jones, who was born in Jamaica, settled in the UK during the late 1960s. Best known for songs like Black Gold And Green and Who’s Going to Get Caught (In Babylon Trap), he died in October 2025.

The first ‘Lovers Rock’: A Night of British Reggae’ attracted Jamaicans who lived in the UK for many years. Some of them, including producers Bertie Grant and Blacka Dread, were responsible for developing the British reggae sound.