Barrington Levy, John Holt and Half Pint WESTERN BUREAU:
MONTEGO BAY, which got its first taste of the Heineken Startime action last year, will once again be in the spotlight this Saturday night when the popular musical series move into its 14th year with what promises to be a fabulous musical showdown at the Caribbean Beach Park.
"We told you last year that we would be back this year and here we are again, ready to give patrons some more good music," said promoter Fendly Foster, who has once again joined forces with MKB Promotions to bring the show back to Montego Bay. "We have a fantastic line-up so it's definitely going to be something special."
While Ken Boothe and Alton Ellis, who drove the fans in musical ecstasy last year, are not in this year's line-up, the same level of excitement is anticipated with the impressive cast, which features the likes of Barrington Levy, John Holt, Half Pint, Derrick Morgan, Ernie Smith, A.J. Brown and perennial backing band, the dazzling Lloyd Parkes & We The People.
"If we can borrow a phrase from Kevin Chang and Wayne Chen in their book Reggae Roots, Heineken Startime is indeed the on-stage authentic story of Jamaican popular music," said Keith Brown, of MKB promotions. "The line-ups have been tailor-made to meet the demands of the fans."
While all the acts are quite capable of stealing the spotlight, the classy Barrington Levy, dubbed 'reggae's canary' by his adoring fans; the silky smooth Half Pint; and John Holt, who is widely acclaimed as the best voice that has blended ska, rocksteady and reggae, should dominate.
It should indeed be a battle for the attention of the ladies between Barrington Levy, who should be red hot with, 21 girls salute, and Dangerously, the diminutive Half Pint whose list of classic hits includes, Winsome, Pouchelou and Greetings; and the versatile John Holt, who should sizzle with, Stick by me, Tonight and Sweetie come brush me.
For the lovers of classical Jamaican ballads, they too should have their fill with the veteran Ernie Smith and the youthful and perhaps equally gifted AJ 'Boots' Brown. While there is beauty and simplicity in Smith's trademark hits such as, Duppy Gunman and Pitta Patta, the cabaret-harden Brown, is known to loom large on songs such as, Love People and When you Love.
"It is not the solo artistes alone I am going there to hear, I just love to hear Lloyd Parkes & We the People," said oldies fan Michelle Smith, who said last year's show is the best oldies show she has ever attended. "I can still hear Lloyd Parkes singing 'Officially' in my head... what a man can sing and play bass guitar."
- AF
