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Some of the world's top acts will be coming to Bahrain as the 'Bud Music ... Live 2008!' event repositions itself from a band competition into a series of concerts attracting internationally-acclaimed musicians.
Last year the organisers staged a series of monthly shows featuring visiting headline acts supported by novice Bahrani bands which culminated in an outdoor extravaganza starring Fun Lovin' Criminals and Arrested Development.
It followed previous 'Battle of the Bands' contests which although popular simply pitted many resident restaurant and hotel cover bands in competition with each other.
"The whole concept is evolving," said Richard Thayne, marketing manager at BMMI, which promotes the Budweiser brand. "We're breaking new ground this year by bringing new music and international acts to Bahrain.
"There will definitely be two shows this year, maybe three."
The first will be staged at the 600-capacity Rock Bottom venue at the Ramee Hotel, on Friday, June 6, and feature kings of hip hop, De La Soul with support from one of the greatest ska bands of all time - The Beat - as well as funky Mama's Gun and the new 'trip-hop-pop' sounds of Bahrain's Skank Sinatra, the 'other' outfit fronted by Shaikh Hassan bin Rashed Al Khalifa, otherwise known as Shake, the lead singer of Manakin.
De La Soul formed while the trio - Posdnuos (Kelvin Mercer), Trugoy the Dove (David Jude Jolicoeur) and Pasemaster Mase (Vincent Mason) - were attending high school.
After the band's formation in the late 80s and subsequent rise to fame, De La Soul quickly established themselves as leaders of a contingent of New York-based 'alternative' rappers called the Native Tongues Posse; this included A Tribe Called Quest, Queen Latifah, The Jungle Brothers and Monie Love. Their debut album 3 Feet High and Rising topped many best-of-the-year lists.
Fast forward 16 years and De La's collaboration with the Gorillaz on Feel Good Inc saw them once again re-emerge and define their sound across two decades.
De La Soul has just completed a sell-out tour of the UK and will be flying directly from a three-date appearance in Barcelona to Bahrain.
The Beat was formed in Birmingham, England in 1978, during a period of high unemployment and social upheaval in the UK.
Ranking Roger, one of the band's vocalists, added a Jamaican vocal flavour to the band's mix with his toasting style. Jamaican saxophonist Saxa added a Jamaican ska instrumental sound. Saxa had played saxophone with Prince Buster, Laurel Aitken and Desmond Dekker in the first wave of ska (as well as with The Beatles in their Liverpool days). He joined The Beat to record Tears of a Clown.
The Beat's notable singles include Can't Get Used to Losing You, Mirror in the Bathroom and Hands Off ... She's Mine. A ska revival is taking place in the UK and the band has just completed a six-week sell-out tour.
Mamas Gun is the brainchild of extraordinarily talented new singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, designer and Andy Platts.
Debut album Routes to Riches, chalked for release in September 2008 will be the first release by new label Lockout Music. Andy's song-writing skills are already receiving recognition on both sides of the Atlantic and have led to a world-wide publishing deal with Zomba Music.
Bahrain's Skank Sinatra frontman Shake looks to be spearheading a double quest for international acclaim. As lead singer of Manakin he is riding high which a sure-fire new album hit on his hands and the electronica sound of Skank Sinatra covers a wide base from up tempo housey beats to ambient chill out and another likely recording success.
The first single is out in May with Tom Middleton remixes and an album is set for release in July which contains remixes by Tom Middleton, Future Funk Squad, Nu Tone, Shur i Kan and Kay Nakayama.
Last year's Bud Music Live event provided local act Synergy the opportunity to record an album and a launch event will be staged later this year.
Mr Thayne said there were plans to work with up-and-coming original bands through local universities rather than place them as support for established acts visiting the island.
A second Bud Music ... Live 2008 show is set to be staged in November and Mr Thayne added that music lovers would be "pleasantly surprised" by the calibre of some of the bands the brand hopes to bring to Bahrain in association with leading agents and show organisers Jump Media.
