Mel Cooke, Gleaner Writer
John Holt delivers his hit songs at 'September to Remember Show' held at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel, New Kingston on Friday night. - Winston Sill / Freelance Photographer
Four legs (not two) pointed to the sky (not the ground) and danced merrily (if stiffly) away in the Gardens at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel, New Kingston, on Friday night, as John Holt delivered an outstanding performance to the music of Fab Five Band.
They did not dance without some help; the legs belonged to plastic chairs held over the heads of the many who took cover from the rain, the first drops coming as MC Junior Sinclair cut Holt's introduction short.
Holt was the penultimate performer at the Jamaica Association of Vintage Artistes and Affiliates' (JAVAA) 'September to Remember' concert, which started bang on time at 8:00 p.m. This was despite an initially relatively low turnout, perhaps attributable to persons battling the traffic to get home and back. And long before the end, when the rain eased and a smiling closing performer AJ Brown did All Fall Down for a very appreciative audience, nearly all the white chairs were occupied, that is, when they were still being used for seating.
Paid homage
In the beginning, Fab Five paid homage to the late Skatalites trumpeter Johnny 'Dizzy' Moore, following with Mentotones performing Kisilo. However, although Angella Stewart observed Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue well enough and Michael Pinnock danced around and tapped away at his steelpans for very entertaining versions of She's Royal and Just As I Am, the encores were not well appreciated by the audience.
Deon Andrea sent out If I Could to all the mothers, and the first signs of lightning over the hills well behind the stage came as Clancy Eccles Jr and his harmonising partner were informing the women You Know You Want To Be Loved in a good slow moment.
First real peak
The night's first real peak came, though, when Otis Gayle put drama and humour behind a good delivery of Ben E. King's self-declaration I, Who Have Nothing. The cheering started on the first I Love You, but the screams went up when he dropped dramatically to a knee, then shivered and shook with passion.
Keisha Patterson brought up intermission with the standards on reggae rhythms which mark her debut album, Sunday Kind of Love. The hemline of her black dress swung as she danced to Fever, her strong, clear voice carrying well, Patterson closing with the title track.
After the break Baggadito (Bagga Case and Ras Mandito) went Blues Busters with Soon You'll Be Gone and Wide Awake in a Dream, the pair very lively on stage as they competed by gesticulation for a woman's attention on Behold, which moved the audience soulfully.
From Doctor Love through Love I Can Feel and Stick By Me, Holt maintained a steady, rocking pace, even as the lights were lowered, partially obscuring him, and a ladder was moved across the front of the stage numerous times. He said goodbye on Tribal War after 25 torrid minutes, but was recalled twice, closing with Tide Is High the first time.
Brown thanked the audience for waiting on him and, with an umbrella held over his head Captured the reduced but still significant audience, which screamed as was required on All Fall Down. They squealed, too, for Time to Say Goodbye, although it was not, Brown closing close to 12:30 a.m. with My Father, My Friend.
