Ernie Smith leads explosion - Marcia Griffiths gives regal performance

By Rayon Dyer, Freelance Writer

Marcia Griffiths in perfect nick at 'St. Bess Explosion' on Saturday Night. - Michal Sloley

THE HEAVY rains which lashed most sections of St. Elizabeth did not prevent thousands of music lovers from experiencing the touchdown of Heineken Startime on St. Bess soil at Alpart Sports Club, Nain, on Saturday night.

The beginning of the show, dubbed 'St. Bess Explosion', was delayed for 90 minutes due to showers. The explosion finally went off when the emcee Richie B called newcomer V.C. on-stage. He got a huge reception, although it was his first performance in St. Elizabeth. The audience went wild and sang along with the artiste.

During his short performance V.C. had the crowd moving to the lines "what you wanna do what you wanna say" and the former number one By His Deeds. Even though the rains came twice during his performance Ernie Smith was the pick of the night. The crowd stayed and literally flowed word for word with the veteran singer/songwriter. It was as if the sun was shining when Ernie rang out One Dream, Pitta Patta, Duppy A Gunman, Jesus Come For All, The Power and the Glory and Life is Just for Living.

When he walked off the stage at 12:30 a.m. the audience cried for more. Emcee Richie B had to oblige and, along with his two back-up singers Melissa and Chereena, Ernie gave the people what they were asking for.

Ken Boothe, decked out in a multi-coloured jacket, put on a typical crowd-pleasing performance. The audience shouted, rocked and sang "you got to walk you got to free", "you say you never leave me again", "Baby I am not joking" and the hit Everything I Own, along with Boothe. George Nooks was well received, especially when he brought back memories of Dennis Brown by doing a couple of his songs.

A patron was overheard saying "a only Heineken Startime could draw this amount of people to Alpart Sports Club".

During the 30-minute intermission, Michael Barnett of MKB told The Gleaner that "given the tremendous efforts put out to organise the show, had it not been for the prolonged rain a lot more people would have turned out to the event".

After the break, it was time for queen of the night Marcia Griffiths. The crowd, virtually dead from the break, was re-energised when she sang hits such as Dreamland, Fire Burning and Stepping out of Babylon.

John Holt, given the task of putting the lid on the 'Explosion', ensured that no one left until he had finished. He achieved this with several encores.

Keith Brown of MKB thanked the people for their excellent behaviour and for supporting the show. He also announced that the next Heineken Startime will be on November 3 at the Mas Camp Village in St. Andrew.

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