The Vineyard will experience a little piece of Kingston, Jamaica, on Thursday, August 7, when Barrington Levy takes the stage at Dreamland in Oak Bluffs.

When it comes to dancehall reggae, few artists have earned as high a reputation as Mr. Levy. As a 14 year old, Mr. Levy and his cousin, Everton Dacres, formed a group called Might Multitude. Since then, Mr. Levy has gone solo and grown into one of the biggest names in his genre. He has shared stages with the likes of U2 and Stevie Wonder, and influenced countless other artists with hit songs like Bounty Hunter, Money Move, Under Mi Sensi and Mary Long Tongue.

While Mr. Levy has been dominating the reggae scene since the 1970’s, he is still a force to be reckoned with. Just last year, Mr. Levy played a set at Dreamland, after which the Gazette wrote, “Mr. Levy controlled the mic with an effortless swagger as if he were still just bursting on the scene as a young man in the dance halls of Jamaica.”

Concertgoers can expect similar swagger from Mr. Levy this year, but most of all, they should expect a night of dancing and madness.

The doors will open at 9 p.m. on Thursday, and Mike Martin y Los Rootsticks will play an early set to start the show off. Mike Martin got his start as a singer/songwriter in Puerto Rico and has since performed across the globe.

-Derek Schwartz