Sumfest supercouple!
Published:Monday | July 26, 2010 | 12:00 AM
Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
At 5:40 Sunday morning, the mud-lake-turned-entertainment-complex at Catherine Hall in Montego Bay was solid as a rock, as the massive crowd waited loyally for the renowned cure that the 'doctor' Moses 'Beenie Man' Davis would administer.
With a lyrical bag filled with prescription items, the crowned 'King of the Dancehall' dispensed Buju Banton's The Lord's Prayer before pumping incredible elec-tricity into the psyche of a sleepy crowd that had gone through a night of moving and thrilling performances from the likes of rhythm-and-blues star Usher, Shaggy the philanthropist, Tarrus 'She's Royal' Riley and the immensely talented Christopher Martin.
As the curtains closed on Reggae Sumfest 2010, Beenie Man, looking like a Project Runway fashion model, glistened in a black-and-silver suit, his dapper outfit caressing the eyes even as his song selection, Girls Dem Sugar, had the Catherine Hall crowd completely transfixed.
Twenty minutes into his set, the doctor had the crowd going wild, proving again that he was one of the few artistes capable of touching their being, even while they hankered for sleep. The Sumfest crowd stood still, not prepared to walk out on their star performer, whose extraordinary stage appearance and incredible dance routine gave added light to the sun that peeped from behind the clouds.
The energiser bunny got even more attention when he asked, "How are you, darling?", then corrected a lady who had responded, informing her that he was speaking to his wife, D'Angel, minutes before singing, "Got appeal what a feeling."
No apologies
Without any apology, he confirmed rumours that he and his wife were again a couple, and showcased why this angel was able to clasp her wings around 'Di Girls Dem Sugar'.
Inviting D'Angel to share the limelight with him, the two made humour of those who felt they were capable of breaking them up. "No gal caan step inna di first lady house," sang D'Angel, adding, "You stuck inna mi life and dem caan get you out."
Before long, she was humouring her husband, asking: "What were you doing with Barbee?" His response: "It was a music thing."
Beenie Man's performance was preceded by the man whose image and philanthropic efforts are now bigger than his music, Orville 'Shaggy' Burrell.
Notwithstanding, it was Shaggy's music for which the females screamed and clamoured last Saturday night, even before he appeared on stage with his signature enamel cup in hand.
Militantly attired in black fatigues, with sidekicks 'Bonafide' and 'Rayvon' in the wings, Shaggy showed why there was hardly any man with the 'winery' that he was blessed with.
With Rayvon he did Pretty Little Woman and the song that climaxed his stardom, It Wasn't Me, while making fun of 'cheaters' Bill Clinton and Tiger Woods.
Tarrus takes over
Shaggy was not the only girl's man closing another successful year of Reggae Sumfest. Amazing ace performer, Tarrus Riley, had the women eating out of his hands, too. With Nothing Can Divide Us and More Than A Million Reasons, he encouraged the audience to believe in Jamaica, no matter how hard the times are.
Drawing for the rub-a-dub song Beware, Riley, with sweat dripping from his beard, connected and commanded the stage with Stay With You, the wedding song that heavyweight boxing champion, Lennox Lewis and wife, Violet, played when they exchanged nuptials. The two stood in the audience and danced to every word from Riley's mouth.
By the time he reached She's Royal and Good Girl Gone Bad, the crowd was equipped to take on his father, Jimmy Riley, Buru Minott, Bongo Herman, Tristan Palmer and Little John, who paid tribute to the late icon, Sugar Minott.
Christopher Martin, whose distinct melodious voice had the females in awe, was the other act that created waves on Saturday night.
Gramps Morgan, Lymie Murray, QQ and Richie Loops completed the acts that made centrestage at Reggae Sumfest International Night 2.