Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer

These patrons make a pretty picture at Curefest, held at the Trelawny Multi-purpose Stadium on Monday. - Photo by Nathaniel Stewart

When Lymie Murray adapted 'Soul Rebel' to sing "I see the morning sun rising over this Curefest" at close to 1:00 a.m. on National Heroes Day 2007, it was a surer prediction than the sevens of Phinn that dawn would break on the concert at the Trelawny Multi-purpose Stadium.

And most of a crowd that fell short of massive but was respectable for the closing event of the first three-day 'Curefest', in celebration of the release of singer Jah Cure after eight years incarceration on firearm and rape charges, stayed to see him close a long night of many performers and mostly very brief showings.

At least they stayed to see him begin the closure, running out on stage in full white, left hand in the air and forefinger extended as three white birds went up at 7:11 a.m., singing the chorus of the concert's title 'Longing For'. It was the start of a very creditable near hour on stage from Jah Cure, performing for the first time in Jamaica since his release, more and more confidence showing in his voice and his rapport with the enthusiastic audience increasing as time went on.

"Watch dis"

And the women screamed on cue at his request as well as when he instructed "watch dis" and gave them some gentle hip rocks.

The minimal stage movement had changed to a backward jog on stage by the time he hit his third song, 'I Know Jah Jah Bless Me', the white shirt off to show a white merino, the cap following later for his locks to come down.

With the crowd slipping away as he performed, Jah Cure slipping in the deejay section on 'Divide and Rule' for Sizzla, who had performed earlier, by the time he left the stage on "vibes man a vibes up a ting" to return with 'True Reflections' heading up to 8:00 a.m. most had gone, but the substantial amount who remained heard him hit an especially plaintive "cries" in the song.

He closed with Sunny Day, leaving the Live Wyya Band and Dean Fraser on saxophone to carry the uptempo music of Stevie Wonder's 'Living For the City' at a few minutes past 8:00 a.m.

End of a night

It was the end of a night on which the music had begun early but quality was late in coming and sustained energy from the audience reserved for the early hours of Monday morning. Going past midnight a controlled Geoffrey Star ran his own I'm Sorry into Maxi Priest's Strength of Your Love and Mr. Easy had the women especially dancing to "the touch I love so much".

But when the MC asked at 3:50 a.m., after Morgan Heritage had closed a consistent half-hour showing with 'Don't Haffi Dread', some recorded music had been played and the MC asked the audience "yu feel the vibes?" there was a cry of "no".

There were screams when Fantan Mojah handed over to Capleton to have the crowd in a frenzy "or wha". The pace cooled for Jah Mason and his departed princess, then it was the morning surge with Richie Spice, Tarrus Riley, I Wayne, a highly appreciated Ninja Man, Mavado, Bounty Killer, Busy Signal, Sizzla and Wayne Marshall in combination and Beenie Man in a somewhat extended performance before Jah Cure.