Dressed in red and white, the Red Stripe girls dance up a storm to Tony Matterhorn's 'Goodaz Fi Dem' during the launch of Red Stripe's Live Red World Party. The authorised beer for Cricket World Cup in Jamaica and Antigua, Red Stripe, will be hosting two other world parties in Mandeville and Kingston later this month. -Claudine Housen/Staff Photographer

Claudine Housen, Staff Reporter

WESTERN BUREAU:

Despite a small turnout, spirits were high at the launch of the Red Stripe Live Red world party at the Catherine Hall Entertainment Complex, in Montego Bay, last Friday.

The home venue for Red Stripe Reggae Sumfest, the Catherine Hall complex could comfortably house thousands of patrons but only saw a few hundred in attendance. But for those who attended it was quite a show.

The event kicked off at about 10:30 p.m. with Kingston-based Renaissance disco before going on to the Montego Bay-based Electro Force which had the patrons wining and grinding to tunes such as: Voicemail's Weddi Time, Matterhorn's Goodaz, Mis Ting's Yuh Nuh Regular and Baby Cham's Vitamin S until well after midnight.

At about 1:00 a.m. it was time for the show. This was done in fine 'style' with designer Biggy's 'Red Stripe-inspired fashion,' which had full and complete attention of the male patrons in attendance.

This was followed by an energetic performance by the Kingston-based Dance Theatre Xpressions troupe whichdid a lovely rendition of Shaggy's hit single Church Heathen before going into a reggae medley.

At about 1: 45 a.m. it was time to get 'busy' and entertainer Busy Signal was ushered on stage amidst a barrage of fireworks and screams. Always a crowd pleaser, the 'Signal' had the audience eating out of his hands with songs such as: Step Out, Bad Man No Play and Busy Busy.

Assassin

Almost getting into a trouble for expletives, the artiste had to apologise to the organisers before he was allowed to continue his set, which included a new single called Syreeta which declares: "I know this girl name Syreeta when you see her do not mistreat her ...."

'Lyrical mercenary', Assassin, who brought the show to a next level with his hit single Gully Sittn, followed. Entering the stage at about 2:15 a.m., to cheers and fireworks, Assassin went through his repertoire with energy and enthusiasm. He dropped songs such as: Serious Ting, Step Pon Dem and Bad Mind before launching into a new tune dubbed Ghost which speaks of girls who are:

"Long distance ghost, pretty from far but a duppy of close ... cute from far but far from cute."

He then went back into his catalogue and came out with Some Gyal No Like Yuh, Girls Gone Wild, Anywhere We Go and God Nah Sleep before closing the show with Idiat Ting.

The first of three Red Stripe Live Red world parties, what the Montego Bay show lacked in numbers it made up for in spirit as while patrons were few they all left satisfied that they got their money's worth.

Reader's Write

Would you like to share your reviews of CDs, movies, plays, concerts or recitals with others?

Here is your chance to submit them in 250 words or less and see them published in The Gleaner. Send submissions to:

Reader's Write

The Gleaner Company

7 North Street Kingston or email them to

entertainment@gleanerjm.com.

Submissions that exceed the stated word limit may not be published. They must bear the writer's full name, address and telephone number. When submitting a pen name, please submit your full name separately. Names and addresses will be withheld on request. The editor reserves the right to condense submissions and correct errors of fact, spelling, grammar and punctuation.