Tommy Lee Sparta To Perform With Orchestra

It’s standard to see dancehall acts perform with a band or DJ, but Tommy Lee Sparta is switching things up with a full-on orchestra this Labour Day weekend. 

The event will unfold at Club MECA in Kingston on May 22 from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. with Sparta’s symphonic set expected at 1 a.m.

Early bird tickets are now on sale for $2,000 (general) and $3,000 (VIP).

“Mek sure unno pull up,” the Under Vibes artist said in a promotional video. “Me, Tommy Lee, will be performing live with violin and all type ah things.”

The live series, advertised as MECAestra, is promising to be one for the books. 

“Tommy Lee Sparta will dominate MECA Live Series with a live band and choir to give a world-class performance that has never been done before! Talk about Culture Shock!! Don’t miss this Unique MECA Experience – be there to witness history in the making!”

Jamaican artist Sizzla Kalonji was the first dancehall artist to perform with a full-fledged orchestra in February 2022 for reggae month. The unprecedented occasion, streamed live on VP Records’ YouTube channel, saw the Rise to the Occasion act in symphony with a 35-piece orchestra for 77 minutes.

His set was curated by Jamaica’s finest, notably the skillful musical arrangement of Jon Williams, late Ibo Cooper serving as orchestra conductor, and Dean Fraser as band leader and musical director.

Regally adorned in a suit with badges of His Imperial Majesty Emperor Hailie Selassie I, Kalonji unleashed hits like Thank You Mama and Get to the Point, injected with messages for Black History Month, women and children. 

The performance has been viewed more than 370,000 times on VP’s platform. 

Club MECA’s foray into merging dancehall and orchestra coincides with its operator’s (Whirlwind Entertainment) innovative approach to ideating new products. The brand, headed by Michael Dawson, is behind products like MECA’s Yaad TV Network which has podcasts like Dancehall is my DNA, hosted by Crystal Davis, daughter of Beenie Man and Dancehall Queen Carlene.

The TV network is a localised accumulation of prominent media platforms, evidenced by its Yaad Flix (a Jamaican version of Netflix), Yaad Fans (an alternative to Only Fans) and Yaad Talk (a local spin on TED Talk). 

Whirlwind Entertainment is also behind the inventive Dancehall Road March which had its inaugural staging in 2023.