WHEN THE Foundation Music Showcase resumed at 1:40 a.m. after a Merritone Music filled break on Sunday, youth was called up on among generally older artistes.
It was a Rising Stars double, Noddy Virtue preceding Christopher Martin.
There were screams as Virtue, wrap-around shades on and water bottle in hand, stepped out. On the first line of Jimmy Cliff's Rebel In Me there was thunderous applause. Bending at the knees, Virtue let his voice soar, dropping in some rapid, nifty footwork before hitting "my love, is deeper than the ocean". Moving to different points on the stage, Virtue kept his footwork going, ending with a strong 'bring it out' at the front of the stage to cheers.
A reggae Broken Arrow followed, before Virtue took off his glasses, smiled and said, "this song is dedicated to all who put me here tonight. This is my way of saying thanks."
THANK YOUS
To a slow rhythm, he sang "when I think of where I'm coming from/And where I'm standing today." "I want to thank you all for putting me here/If it wasn't for you I wouldn't have a career," Virtue sang, before ending with a song "I love you" to applause.
There were screams as the music of Bring It On Home started and even more as Christopher Martin began to sing, at times standing side-on to the audience, leaning forward with his left hand extended as he sang. He ended with a long, held 'baby' over a crescendo of applause. "Being at home, I would watch TV and see the greats, Alton Ellis, Josey Wales. I would say "Mommy, I will make you proud," Martin said. He said his mother was not present, but his father was.
He sang Unchained Melody with an accompanying choir of hundreds, cheers going up as he hit the high 'need' in the second go-round of the song's only verse.
Calling for a reduction in crime, Martin started Change Gon Come to a 'forward' from the crowd, leaving the stage as he sang "I've been running ever since." They demanded he finish it and he did, with good body movement, soaring into the final 'come' as the audience exploded into cheers.
