Tanya Batson, Staff Reporter
THE verdict is in. Kingston does not have the most varied night life - or day life, for that matter. Thus, many people wander to Kingston's hip-strip (which could also be described as cholesterol central). One of the major draws of said hip-strip is the Asylum nightclub, as is obvious from the long lines outside the establishment, especially on Friday and Saturday nights. However, if you are not interested in the hip-hype, what do you do? other than stay home and watch television, that is.
Those who have been seeking alternate entertainment have steadily been flocking, and sometimes trickling, towards alternate entertainment. Actually, in many of these instances the persons are actually entertaining themselves, as they simply gather and 'lyme', or hang out that is. While these places do not always have large crowds, especially during the week, they generally get quite a following on weekends. The places that seem to be drawing the largest attention are Carlos' Café, Red Bones the Blues Cafe and Harry's Bar. In fact, you often find the same people in these venues. And they are all looking for the same thing. They are out to simply relax without too much of a crowd.
One young woman in her late 20s remarked that she goes to Red Bones Cafe almost every other Friday, depending on her work schedule. She said that she is attracted to the place because "it is nice and relaxing if you want to relax and not have to be close-up with a lot of people". She also remarked that the cafe's layout is also inviting. "It's almost as if you're in the country," she said.
In fact, the setting appears to be rather important for many people who venture to these places, most of which are outdoors, or at least have an outdoor segment.
Another major reason people seem to be headed to these venues is the opportunity it brings to meet new people. Two gentlemen at Carlos' Café, one not yet nearing 30 and the other well past 40, said that they liked the ambience of the place. The younger gentleman further stated that when he first visited Carlos' Café, he had no friends there and he has since met several people. While there were actually no women present, the men stated that it was not a boy's club. However, fewer women tended to come by themselves. The men present were generally engaged in playing pool, for some of whom it is a source of friendly, yet stiff, competition.
Carlos' Max Brown, owner of Carlos Café, said that the establishment was opened 11 years ago because he saw that Kingston needed more of a nightlife - which is the reason he is constantly interested in bringing new and innovative concepts to the cafe. Mr. Max Brown remarked that some of his repeat business have been customers since Carlos opened.
The cafe, he said, "is open to anybody who wants to feel that this is their home". This kind of camaraderie is reflected in the use of monkeys, which hang from the roof, bearing either the names of workers or longstanding customers. The monkeys are also used to show when someone is doing very badly at the pool tables, as they turn their backs 'in shame'.
But persons aren't being drawn to only cafes and bars. For two years David Morrison has been having 'movie nights', which now take place on the lawn of Red Bones. Here he shows art or foreign films, the kinds that are not the standard fare at the island's major theatres. Mr. Morrison points out that his decision to show these movies is a reflection of his personal taste, as he developed an interest in foreign language and art films several years ago. However, he was not able to satisfy this interest locally.
As such, he began putting on these films for those who share his interest. "It hasn't gotten an enthusiastic response," he remarks, "but there is a core group of persons who have been supportive."
He points out that on average, he has approximately 15 people at each showing. This doesn't seem to bother Mr. Morrison, however. "I don't need a lot of people to make me feel that it's worthwhile," he said. All he's looking for is people, however few, who share his interests.
Other art-related events that are also gathering momentum are the poetry nights co-ordinated by Constance Bell. The venue changes from time to time, but the last few have taken place at Grosvenor Terrace. The events, titled 'Voice: the Spoken Word in Action' are generally scheduled for a full moon, which works wonderfully as the 'speakings' take place outdoors. At these poetry nights, persons generally either sit on the few chairs provided or travel with towels or blanket. Either amateurs or established artistes are asked to perform. Most of the persons there are either would-be poets or just people who like poetry.
The mood generally fits the setting; it's simply relaxing. Constance Bell remarked that the events began in her living room and gradually grew. At each sitting the event is planned around a theme, which she say is "usually dependent on what's going on in society or what we need to focus away from or focus on". She remarked that was the reason she went with a Jonkunnu theme recently, in response to the prevalence of Halloween parties in Jamaica. The major reason behind these events she says, however, is her belief that Jamaican artists need a place to showcase their work.
