Tanya Batson-Savage, Freelance Writer
TOOTS HIBBERT
THE LAUNCH of Festival 2005 ended with a 'sweet and dandy bam bam' as Toots Hibbert brought the night to a rousing close at the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre, Hope Road, St. Andrew, on Thursday night. Hibbert was given a special presentation for his contribution to Jamaican music.
Hibbert delivered his two winning entries into the Festival Song Competition, Bam Bam and Sweet And Dandy from the time that many believe was the heyday of the competition. The first notes of Sweet And Dandy brought much of the audience to its feet and his departure was greeted by a resounding 'no' from the audience. As a result, he encored with another hit from the competition, Pomps And Pride.
While Toots Hibbert had appealed to either end of the age spectrum, the younger members of the audience, especially the under-13-year-old girls, had their moment earlier with the performance of Voisemail, who delivered a rendition of the festival jingle, as well as two of the songs from their own arsenal. Their performance seemed to tax the limits of the young girls' lungs, as they sang and dance along to Weddy Time.
The presence of Voisemail and Toots Hibbert at the launch seemed to have indicted the festival organisers', the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC), wish to take the festival back to its more impressive days while connecting with the young.
With an impressive $24.1 million in sponsorship to help grease the process, the JCDC appears to have finally won over corporate Jamaica in their bid to unearth and showcase talent. The launch was a week later than originally scheduled, as it had been delayed due to rains.
The 2005 staging of the festival is slated to take place under the theme 'Positive Vibrations', in an attempt to resonate with Bob Marley and his Rastaman Vibrations in this the 60th year since his birth. This year's slogan is 'Ketch di vibes 2k5'.
HERITAGE MOVEMENT
The launch suggested that the commission is indeed primed to 'ketch di vibes', with a return to some of the elements which allowed the festival competition to live on the public's consciousness, such as festival fashions and the float parade.
"This movement, ladies and gentlemen, is about our heritage," said Vivian Crawford, chairman of JCDC. "It is what makes our country grand." Despite whatever grandeur the festival may bring, for years, it has been labouring under the dual weight of public and corporate disinterest.
Michelle Wilson-Reynolds of Capital and Credit Merchant Bank spoke on behalf of the sponsors. "Very often, it is easy for us to align ourselves with trendier things or people," she said, "And that is okay, just as long as we are able to keep our eye on the bigger picture."
Capital and Credit donated $3 million to the events, along with GraceKennedy, bMobile and Lasco. Jamaica Biscuit Company (Excelsior), HEART Trust/NTA and Shell Gas also donated between $2 and $1 million each.
The commission revealed that they have received 6,000 entries in the various performing and visual arts competitions. The festival season will feature over 50 events culminating in the 15 national events which will take place between July 15 and Independence Day, August 6.
