Mel Cooke, Gleaner Writer

The few patrons that attended had a good ol' time at Funky Town, held at Mas Camp, Oxford Road, New Kingston, on Saturday. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

Host Professor Nuts put the low turnout at Mas Camp on Saturday night down to "nuff people did tink rain a go fall". And he comforted the few who turned out for the Funky Town retro party, promising them company for the annual event with "no problem. Nex' year no rain nah go fall an people a go sey mek we go dung deh".

Coming after the successful Stir It Up at Peppers two weeks ago, Mello Vibes which crammed Mas Camp from crevice to corner last weekend and ahead of Good Times on November 22, also at Mas Camp, Funky Town was a miserable failure on the retro-party rounds in terms of crowd.

Free entry for ladies

Not even the enticement of free entry for ladies could pull in the ladies en masse. When The Gleaner arrived at the Oxford Road, New Kingston, venue after 11 p.m., the absence of women who had missed the 'freeness' deadline milling around the entrance was an ominous sign.

The small number of people inside confirmed a party of village proportions instead of a town and although a few persons turned up in the later hours, saving 'Funky Town from total embarrassment, it never had sufficient inhabitants to qualify for municipal status.

However, there could be absolutely no complaint about the music from Colin Hines and Mix Master Marvin (the other billed selector, Crazy Chris, was not around up to when The Gleaner left) on a cool but not cold night, perfect for a party. And those who did make it to Funky Town seemed to thoroughly enjoy the selections, as despite the flop in terms of crowd support, very few left until after the giveaways hosted by Nuts going up to 3 a.m.

For while the FAME-ous duo played many of the standard retro-party songs before the midnight hour, they took the party back to the rocksteady of John Holt and took the opportunity to later drop some tunes that are not well worn on the retro-party circuit, among them Bunny Wailer's Ballroom Floor.

Disco segment

In-between came a disco segment that included Stayin' Alive and Ain't No Stoppng Us, Hines occasionally announcing the years various songs were released. The party's theme song came in another block of the beats associated with spinning reflective balls and high Fros, the segment ending with a superb mix to the soca of Tiny Winy.

And while the '80s dancehall of Shabba Rank's Fresh and Admiral Bailey's NFAP Man got their share of airplay, the '90s mix, designed to have the women flex their waistlines, was held back until after the giveaways, beginning with Anything For You.

There was laughter too, as Nuts 'whispered' a couple lyrics, the giveaways from Durex, Red Bull and Cooyah filled with merriment themselves.