Teino Evans, Staff Reporter
Deejay Turbulence (back row, centre) and his Higher Trod Family. - CARLINGTON WILMOT/FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
STAGE SHOWS can be quite frustrating for patrons and promoters alike, as many artistes use their already limited time on stage to give upcoming performers a break on the big stage.
Many a person has paid up to $800 - or more - to see the likes of Beenie Man, Bounty Killer, Sizzla, Elephant Man, Vybz Kartel and Turbulence on stage, only to have the major artistes' performances sprinkled with unknown deejays.
Promoters are often blamed for this recurrent situation, but according to Richard Roache of Solid Agency, which is responsible for the annual concert Fully Loaded, promoters are not the ones to be blamed.
"What patrons need to know is that 90 per cent of the time it's not the promoter's fault," he said.
Promoters are responsible for booking artistes for a show. Who the artiste chooses to give a break during their time slot is up to them.
BREAK YOUNG TALENT
"From a promoter's standpoint, if an artiste get 10 minutes or 15 minutes, all dem artiste weh dem bring an a try buss haffi perform within fi dem time. But dem haffi ensure dat the audience get dem money worth, cause wi can't book Kartel, for example, an him carry some artiste fi buss an di people dem nuh si him perform much," Roache said.
"Honestly, we don't normally have that problem on Fully Loaded, as we have top of the line artistes locally and internationally. We have a segment where we break young talent, so there is a segment for all," Roache added.
Ian Coke of Hard Rock Entertainment, which is responsible for shows such as Camouflage and Eclipse, says he sees no problem with artistes using a part of their stage time to expose other artistes. However, they would have had to confirm this beforehand with the promoters.
"Once the confirmation is made with the promoter and approval is given, then everything is okay. If patrons are not willing to accept the young artistes it is the artiste's responsibility to remove them from the stage," Coke said.
PATRONS DISSATISFIED
The patrons, however, do not seem to be pleased with this arrangement.
"Dem nuh fi come pon' stage man. People nuh really waan nuh interruption fi people a try bus new artiste. A nuh dat wi pay wi money fa; wi pay fi guh si half an hour of Kartel or Bounty or Beenie," one male stage show regular said.
"No, dat can't work. A who yuh pay fa a dat yuh waan si an more time yuh not even get fi hear di tune weh you waan hear," said Worm from Portmore.
Patrick 'Roache' Samuels, Kartel's manager, says if artistes try to give youngsters a break, they should use discretion.
"Kartel wouldn't do dat unless him in concert an him have all couple hours fi work. When him a work him concert him wi do dat, cause di people dem nuh waan lef yet, suh him wi call up two artiste an' mek dem do a one tune, tek dem forward an gwaan, no long ting," Roache said.
Bobo Sonny, an artiste in the Higher Trod Family which often shares microphone time with Turbulence, says when he is called on stage by Turbulence it is just to get some exposure and experience and it is often planned for.
"Most a di time wi talk 'bout it from yard an Turbulence wi seh "Bobo yuh a guh touch it one time, every man jus get a one touch an gwaan, wi nuh waan do all two tune an show him up an mek it look a way," Bobo Sonny said.
Neither promoters nor artistes mean to disrespect or inconvenience patrons and aspiring artistes are enormously grateful for their opportunities. However, as one stage show patron said, "there is a time and place for everything".
And a major stage show may not be appropriate to get that first break.
