Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer
'The Cool Ruler', Gregory Isaacs, in performance recently. - WINSTON SILL/FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
IT WAS a near perfect setting for a concert. The smooth, expansive lawns of the Cable and Wireless Golf Academy, New Kingston, undulated towards the large stage set up at the far end across from the entrance on a cool but not chilly night. A large, attractive backdrop announced 'One Nation. One Rhythm. One Beat.', large screens amplifying the action. A crack band in Gumption was on the stand. Booths with everything from food and drink to art, craft and newspapers were on the perimeter and even the runway projecting for the stage brought models and performers closer to the audience.
What little of it there was.
One of the few things missing from the International Reggae Day concert on Saturday night was a substantial number of persons to enjoy the event. And those who turned out had to wait for some time before getting into the big names of Gregory Isaacs (whose voice was in poor form), Leroy Sibbles and the closing run of Turbulence, Natural Black, I-Wayne, Chuck Fender and Anthony B.
Still, they found enough energy to be fertile ground for I-Wayne's Life Seeds and help Anthony B criticise those who only want to "raid the barn".
THE LADIES PERFORM
Performing on tracks after the models hit the stage, Christopher Martin sang the same Drop Leaf medley of songs in much the same order that the clothes had just been displayed to, before lamenting "Spain, Spain is not the same" in one of two originals. Stacius and Shantia were first up with the band, made it two women in a row, but in contrasting fashions, the first deejaying Me No Ordinary Girl as the end of her short skirt promised no ordinary view, while Shantia crooned that "in exchange for my vote/just like how you love your security I would like to live in peace and safety", her mid-shin, loose white dress giving her room to move.
China Black from St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Naki from Japan brought an overseas touch, accents and all. But while Black, in tandem with Flava Unit, went on at length about the desire to "smoke all night long" and "drink all day long", Naki was a smiling spitfire of versatility, deejaying about "bad, bad, bad Naki" and crooning "Amy my love" before deejaying "gal yu deh pon mi min'."
SOCIAL ISSUES
Lymie Murray went lover's rock with Only Conversation before Cherine Anderson requested in her strong, distinctive voice of a male deejay partner to Show Me What You Got. It turned out to be "good love" on the following song, before she went back into personal experience of a shoot-out and the current wave of child killings to soulfully ask "how many more?".
High Octane, Stevie Face with I'm In Love and Voice Mail whose dancing instructions were mostly for themselves preceded the Cool Ruler. Despite Isaacs' voice falling way short of average at several points, the small audience still rocked to Number One, Love Overdue and Rumours, Night Nurse bringing out loud, spontaneous cheers before he returned to the stage with I Don't want To Be Lonely Tonight.
And the International Reggae Day concert pushed towards its end with Leroy Sibbles siging optimistically "we're having a party tonight", Turbulence and the Higher Trod Family doing the 'Notorious' dance, Natural Black singing against Bad Min', Chuck Fender swearing to never switch and I-Wayne resting on Lava Ground before Anthony B wrapped up.
