Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer

Voicemail displays the 'Gospel Rock' at the National Stadium on Wednesday evening. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

With the stage set up inside where a 400-metre runner would be just out of the blocks and hustling and, in the beginning, a significant portion of the minuscule audience in the bleachers, at the outset the first night of 'Transformation Jamaica' was a distant, lukewarm affair.

When Stitchie invited all into the grandstand of the National Stadium on Wednesday night, closer to the very powerful sound system and, of course, the artistes, there were still fewer persons present than a bad day of the National Track and Field Trials.

The purpose of the concert series, which mixes Christian artistes with those who do not do Christian music, was outlined by organiser, Bishop Joseph Adigo, in his 'transformation message'. "The voices that we want to hear today is not the voice of the Church. It is the voice of the artistes ... gospel artistes, reggae artistes, dancehall artistes. I believe that Transformation Jamaica is a success as long as the artistes speak against crime and violence," he said.

And from Carlene Davis to Luciano, Radikal Prodigal to Luciano, Jermaine Edwards to Shaggy, there was a mixture of song, speech and evangelism. Davis stirred the then still largely distant audience with her closing medley of choruses, including What a Mighty God We Serve, Stitchie stepping up onstage with Me Call Pon Him. He went into show- hosting mode, saying he was going to call up artistes who were in the body of Christ and those on their way to the body of Christ. Those 'in' were first, Ray Anderson and daughter followed by Dianne Hylton and Cleveland Cathnot. Shepherd's take-off of Day O, beginning "what a day when Jesus come an some a yu cyaan go home" hit home, many standing to dance to the uptempo rhythm.

Those 'on their way' on Wednesday night were the members of the Big Yard Crew, Voicemail adapting their Gangster Rock to 'gospel rock', still encouraging all to 'get crazy, which some did in the dancing sense.

Heavenly mood

The members of the audience stood and clapped along to Never Give Up and howled for Strength of a Woman, especially when Shaggy deejayed "I wonder if God is a woman".

There was a collection to help with the ministry. Fab Five delivered "read a Psalm". Luciano sang to the leaders and asked "give me strength".

With the hour getting late there was collective prayer, then Jermaine Edwards and Kevin Downswell sent day one of Transformation Jamaica further along to closure.