Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer
Left: Bob Andy gets in the groove at Reggae Sunsplash 2006. Right: John Holt in performance - Photos by Ian Allen/Staff Photographer
It was four consecutive daylight endings for the revived bMobile Reggae Sunsplash when the festival's official ambassador Freddie McGreggor and George Nooks lifted clasped hands high to finish One Love on Monday morning.
However, the closing Singer's Night, which attracted a respectful, if not quite respectable, audience to Richmond Estate, Priory, St. Ann, could have had a different ending.
Coming up to 5:30 a.m., after Culture closed a very strong set on a high with I'm Not Ashamed and was demanded to return for an encore, a recorded instrumental version of Stop The Fighting reflected the situation offshore.
Getting splashed
The glow of dawn in one direction contrasted with the gloom of rain in the other, thunder rumbling a warning that the 'splashers' might soon be splashed.
At first, it seemed that the rain would win, umbrellas popping out and some of the many remaining faithful folding chairs or simply walking away as the drops fell.
Then the Gumption band played a very familiar, throbbing rhythm and Half Pint stepped on stage with Greetings.
Opened umbrellas danced a colourful reply and by the time he demanded "Ease up, Mr. Landlord" the rain was gone.
Seasoned voices
With no further band changes, Sunsplash 2006 headed towards the end with seasoned voices on fresh legs, Gregory Isaacs calling on all to tune in.
Nooks and McGreggor walked on stage as Isaacs was doing Night Nurse and, after the Cool Ruler waved goodbye, McGreggor stepped forward with Push Come To Shove and then Nooks dispelled Tribal War.
McGreggor filled in for Dennis Brown to sing Big All Around with Isaacs and Nooks singing Brown's Money In My Pocket.
"Remember there is no Sunsplash without Dennis Brown," McGreggor said, before sharing the dead singer's standard opening song, Here I Come, with Nooks.
Professor Nuts and General Trees also worked in combination style on the seaside amphitheatre stage, a large audience cramming into the smaller area and cheering as they alternated Inna De Bus and Tarzan, respectively.
For the only time over the four days, the return to the main stage was delayed as the audience chanted for more and the deejays did one more piece each.
On the downside of midnight, time was definitely a factor.
Bailey said "Me naa disrepec' it. When you hire me to work, make me work!", displaying his Samurai dance and rocking the Della Move.
John Holt opened strong with Tribal War, and ended with Love I Can Feel.
Bob Andy delivered Fire Burning and Too Experienced, but complained "only legend get cut offa show. Young superstars get three, four, five hours".
Lutan Fyah and Josiemel combined on Rasta Still Deh 'Bout in the amphitheatre before Toots let the Pressure Drop, created a Bam Bam and asked to be given it seven times on 54-46.
Junior Mervin sang of Solomon and Police and Thieves from the amphitheatre stage before Joseph 'Culture' Hill, announced himself a Conqueror from the main stage. '
Left: Admiral Bailey doing the 'Della Move'. Right: Singer's Night ... attracted a respectful, if not quite respectable,
audience to Richmond Estate.
