Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer

Buju Banton performing during Sting 2006 at Jamworld Entertainment Centre in Portmore, St. Catherine, on December 26. - Nathaniel Stewart/Freelance Photographer

With Buju Banton slated for 11:45 p.m., a very substantial section of the massive audience that attended Sting 2006 at Jamworld, Portmore, St. Catherine, turned out early on Boxing Day.

People kept coming in MC Shaka Fame at points indicated that there was room on the far side of the entrance and asked people to move over so that the many trying to get in could be accommodated.

Buju came on closer to 1:00 a.m. and was in the driver's seat for an hour, steering the audience which cheered through two 'forwards' for the current hit Driver, sang along to Destiny and jigged to earlier dancehall hits such as Operation Ardent and Man Fi Dead, jogged to It's Not An Easy Road and went spiritual with the closing croon of part of Psalm 23 through a part of his huge catalogue. 'Me coulda sing till a morning, but me a keep it short," Buju said.

Time flew as the audience had fun and Buju's showing was by far the longest on a night when flat responses for top deejays Elephant Man and Capleton in the early hours of yesterday morning indicated impatience with but still tolerance for anything that did not immediately strike the hardcore Sting fancy. And huge support for the Full Clip of Mavado and Sen On of Vybz Kartel indicated that the hardcore nature of the audience was very much intact, though under control, the eruption for Erupt's charge that 'sey dem a gangster an gal a run dem head' indicating an embrace of the new.

"Jamworld, de STAR a go write oonu up sey yu a de bes' people inna de worl'," MC Nuffy congratulated the hordes, as patience was tested by several band changes going down the home stretch.

Peacemaker Stitchie

Still, although Stitchie, who came on after Buju Banton, said 'in de name of Jesus me a speak peace, if yu want peace mek me hear yu' and there was applause, it was clear that there was thirst for deejay blood when Wayne Marshall, who had the cheers and lighters up and sustained, said 'all who pay dem money fi see artiste dead in ya tonight, gun finger in the air', the audience erupted in a frenzy of cheering.

In the end, though, they did not get what they paid for, as Beenie Man did not respond to arch-rival Bounty Killer's constant demands to 'call out de fish'. And after he delivered lyrics teasing Bounty about not being able to get ex-girlfriend and now Beenie Man's wife D'Angel pregnant to tumultuous response, Beenie Man backed down as Bounty Killer attempted to come on stage for a definitive confrontation.