By Chaos, Freelance WriterTHE BEAUTIFUL thing about 'Open Microphone' night at the Village Café in Liguanea, St. Andrew, is really the music. Sure, there is always the potential of a surprise stunning performance from some passer-by, but the one constant - well, usually at least is the house band Ting Deh.
Ting Deh is apparently not static where its line-up is concerned, but seems to revolve around guitar virtuoso Rupert Bent III. Last Tuesday was no exception. When The Gleaner arrived at the venue at around 12 midnight, a rejuvenated Soul Case was finishing off their set. Omar Francis on guitar, Gordon Scott on vocals and Gerd Beyens on guitar all members of Soul Case were helped out by Rupert Bent III, Bird Baillie on drums and Dale Brown and Richard 'Sven' Patterson on bass at different times. The ensemble was well into So Alive, which is taken from Soul Case's 2000 release No Boundaries. This followed Paradise Lost and Serendipity. "Do you guys know Peter Tosh?" Scott asked the packed café twice, before closing the set with a decent rendition of the late reggae great's Steppin' Razor.
The Village Café has expanded somewhat. However, the added enclosure is directly behind the performance area, which means that although one can get free of the crush of people that typifies a Tuesday night at the venue, you do so at the expense of not being able to see whoever is performing.
Last Tuesday was no exception when it comes to a crowd. People thronged the railing at the upper level and packed the floor of the lower level, most if not all eyes fixed on the stage. It was a cool night and people laughed, chatted, drank or just watched and listened.
Malynne Walton of Ammar's advertisements and Royal Palm Estate put in a decent cameo performance with a cover of Jane's Addiction's Jane Says, which saw Gordon Scott take a place behind the drums and Wayne McGregor pick up a guitar and jam on-stage.
Wayne McGregor took over lead vocals responsibility after Walton's brief stint by covering Puddle Of Mudd's She Fing Hates Me, profanity firmly in place. As is his wont, he often sang with his eyes closed and a finger pointed in the air, simultaneously playing his instrument. Bird Baillie took back over the drums for a rendition of Creed's With Eyes Wide Open which for the first half was marred by... shall we say, technical glitches. To quote McGregor, "the band's on (expletive deleted) crack." Frankly enough, McGregor did not really need anything more than the accompaniment of David Lazarus on guitar, which he had. Towards the second half of the song, however, the band did get their act together and they rocked.
Bob Dylan's Knocking On Heaven's Door followed, with McGregor constantly smiling despite a crowd which, though appreciative, was not exactly eager to applaud, with the exception of a small section directly in front of the stage. Here Bent III again went off on an amazing guitar solo before Bird, eyes closed, did the same on the drums.
A patois-infused, zany version of Wild Thing followed, with McGregor throwing in the line c'mon, bring me another drink from the bar baby! to no one in particular, before taking a sip from his Smirnoff Ice. Throughout the song, Dale Brown bounded from side to side with his bass guitar as Bird grinned, while the band delivered a rousing finale.
Out of nowhere came the sounds of the Diwali rhythm over the loudspeakers at the venue. Unfazed, the band took it up and gave it something of a rock feel on what sounded suspiciously like Sean Paul's song on the popular rhythm, Get Busy.
Bent III then said "We have come to the portiont of the show where we ask if anyone know how fi ride di riddim and yes, I do know how to speak English," effectively opening the stage to anyone brave enough to take a chance. First up was Wild Life, who delivered a largely forgettable set with Fraudy and What's Wrong. The rapper/deejay duo Black Ice followed with Anywhere Di Gal Dem De, Fat Sexy Gal and Told Me That You Loved Me. Next up was a Boysie (Michael Landon in his pre-Courts days) look-alike Big Boy, dressed in a khaki shorts suit, diamond socks and a pair of brogues, who delivered a humorous set.
The obviously inexperienced but not bad duo of rappers GQ and Stone Cold was followed by a brave Tanisha Brown. She was introduced by Village Café proprietor Robert Colin as "...a beautiful young lady she's gonna cool it down a little for you. You guys have to really take it easy with Tanisha, you really are a tough crowd," which led to ripples of 'shhh' running through the crowd.
Whitney Houston's version of Dolly Parton's I Will Always Love You was her song of choice and there was silence until just before she got to the famous chorus, when practically everyone broke out in hoots and yells. Undisturbed, the young woman carried on with aplomb, even if she did not quite hit the notes Houston made the song famous with, as she darted looks all over the venue.
Jason Raphael had a go at Bon Jovi's Living On A Prayer, although his voice was not exactly up to the task in parts, before Wayne McGregor took back over on Born To Be Wild. As usual, Rupert Bent III, Bird Baillie, Wayne McGregor who played his instrument with a drumstick for a few seconds Dale Brown and this time around David Lazarus closed the segment with a rocking, rousing version of The Beatles' Let's Come Together. After a few minutes of wailing guitars, frenetic drumming and steady bass riffs, Bent III said "If we all don't come together, all we a go get a... what's the word?" he asked McGregor.
"Fornicated," he answered, solemnly and with an accent.
