Krista Henry, Staff Reporter

St. Jago alumni Chris Martin serenades a student during his performance.

THE STAR Charity Concert held at St. Jago High was, without a doubt, a smashing success with hot performances from Mr. Lex, Pressure, Christopher Martin, Busy Signal, DeMarco, Bugle and Serani, as well as music from Coppershot Disco and the latest dance moves with Sample Six, Timeless, Shelly Belly, Black Blingaz and Ravers Clavers .

St. Jago High reverberated with excitement as Coppershot's DJ Kenny and DJ Cutty got the concert off to a good start. Performances from St. Jago students, including the Key Club, dance group EDC and Andante, went well with the students. It was the star section that really brought the students to their feet. Mr. Lex was up first with a slew of hit songs such as Cook and Taxi Fare. Christopher Martin followed in his St. Jago High school shirt as he made a huge impression with the ladies singing My Jamaican Girl, Take My Wings and Fly Away, and others.

Various artistes

To the surprise of the crowd, Christopher called on dancehall artiste Busy Signal to a riotous response as Busy went smoothly into a hit list of songs such as Bad Man Place, Rise and Beat and many others. Surprising the crowd further, Busy then called on DeMarco to perform his hit song Fallen Soldiers. After ending on These Are The Days, Busy paused to make an important presentation to the two St. Jago students, Onieka Taylor and Ransford Roper, whom the concert was in aid of. Busy donated a generous $75,000 to each student. Mack D's also made a presentation of $12,000 to Onieka Taylor. Proceeds collected at the gate were approximately $95,000, which will be divided between the two students.

After the donations, Pressure made his presence felt with Love and Affection and Don't Stress Yourself as some students attempted to drag the artiste into the crowd. Another surprise artiste, Bugle, also caused an explosion as he performed his hit song What You Gonna Do and ushered on stage Serani to perform Doh to the delight of many. Last, but not least, were the dancers, with Timeless going on stage first to a noisy crowd as they danced to RDX's Dance and to Kartel's Sen Fi Di Army. Taz then invited Soltex 3000 on stage to perform their song To The World with the accompanying dance move.

Sample Six followed to Swing It Weh and Cut Dem Off, Garth and Scotty Sample then climbed on top of the speaker boxes to the astonishment of the crowd as Scotty 'dropped dead' from that perilou Shelly Belly was spinning away on stage as he performed to the many songs that mentioned his name.

Black Blingaz came on in style, decked in black commando suit, to countless forwards from the crowd as they went aerial on the speaker boxes. They introduced some dancers from Spanish Town and they all performed together. Ravers Clavers was in full force with an army of dancers as they dived into the crowd, dancing the night away. As the concert closed many students were reluctant to go home, waiting to see more from the many talented performers.

Mr. Lex in his show-stopping performance at the STAR- sponsored St. Jago High School charity concert on Wednesday, October 31.

The students of St. Jago High School made a lively audience. - photos by Shamette Hepburn

Members of Sample Six.

Artiste Busy Signal opened his heart and his wallet and donated a cheque for $75,000 to Ransford Roper, a student of the St Jago High School, at a charity concert put on by The STAR. The concert was staged in aid of Roper, who suffers from a severe case of bow legs, and Qnieka Taylor, an accident victim. Taylor also received $75,000 from Busy. - Peta-Gaye Clachar/Staff Photographer