Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer
Buju Banton performing at Reggae Sunsplash 2006, International Night. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer
At 11:40 p.m. on Saturday when Steel Pulse was called on to lead the billed British Invasion of bmobile Reggae Sunsplash's International Night, the very sparse audience in front of the stage had a remarkable growth spurt.
After paying attention to Etana and Kamau from the main stage then moving across, persons returned from watching Inner Voice's strong showing on the seaside amphitheatre stage, as well as the booths on the perimeter and various points around the massive ground, to form a critical cheering mass for the band from Handsworth's 60-minute set. It was the first of a series of extended performances on the main Sunsplash stage in a marathon of music that ended coming up to 10:00 a.m. yesterday.
Howls of approval
It was valuable real estate to witness MC Tommy Cowan drop 'yes indeeds' to have Damian 'Jr. Gong' Marley emphasise the lyrical content of In Too Deep, Khaki Suit and It Was Written to howls of approval, raised arms, flags and lighters. He trod the road to Zion before fulfilling a recall to stage with Welcome To Jamrock to complete his hour. To-Isis' take on Air Supply's All Out Of Love on the ampitheatre stage was interrupted for UB40 to make their Jamaican debut in a 75-minute set that honoured Lord Creator with 'Kingston Town' and Eric Donaldson with Cheerio Baby, Red Red Wine and the closing I Can't Help Falling In Love With You hitting especially hard. Yvad wished for love and Kip Rich chortled "it a full up!" as the audience built at the ampitheatre, urging all the ladies to Leggo Yu Belly, Telephone Love making an impact in main stage position courtesy of the large screens.
Maxi Priest announced himself as the Man With The Fun as the sky got lighter at a few minutes after 5 a.m., opening his arms wide to receive the chorus of voices on Wild World, Red Foxx standing in for Shabba on the enthusiastically received House Call near the end of his 40 minutes.
Luciano, the messenger, hit hard with Chapter A Day, prowling the stage to Ulterior Motive and moving the audience mightily with Sweep Over My Soul before pleading It's Me Again Jah, demanding and getting energy to a thumping mix on the closing We're All In This Thing Together. The howls for more of Luciano after his 50-minute set were not rewarded, MC Elva saying time was tight.
Onslaught of early '90s hits
Buju Banton delivered an onslaught of early '90s dancehall hits, starting with Gold Spoon, to have the audience howling and dancing just after 8:00 a.m. After Mr. Nine Buju said "look how ... late yu have Buju a work. Mi inna my ranch a hear some man a play all night an' me know de people want to hear real music." The wild abandon cooled considerably, Buju singing "I don't care who vex ..." and later saying "is only Shaggy and Sean Paul they talk about. I am not sitting on a million dollars. Me is a revolutionary," legs and locks lifting into Magic City. Huge cheers for Untold Stories preceded Zoom Zoom and Talk To Me, the howls for more after his dismissal of "nutten to wide, nutten too deep" not being heeded.
It was left to Beenie Man to close the main stage and it was largely a matter of improvising to deliver popular lyrics on a steady beat from Buju's regular backing band for nearly an hour to a flag-hand-and-umbrella-waving reception under the steaming morning sun. As some started to drift away Beenie Man said all who were working obeah should "go a yu yaad," whipping the dedicated many who remained to a frenzy with snatches of Ol Dawg, Slam, Dude and Dick, before closing his 45 minutes with King of the Dancehall at 9:40 a.m.
