Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer

Patrons enjoy retro music at Mello Vibes, held at Mas Camp, Oxford Road, New Kingston, on Saturday night. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

The Mas Camp, Oxford Road, New Kingston, was packed before midnight on Saturday. But although the party people rocked away at intervals, the music fell short of the sustained mellowness expected in a series named Mello Vibes.

The latest instalment was dubbed Dance Fever and attracted a mainly 20s audience, with a couple teenagers and older folk in the mix.

Coming up to the official end of Saturday entry, the ticket lines moved smoothly, Spragga Benz, Lady Saw and Cobra gave way to the laid-back hip hop of Biggy Smalls within earshot of those outside and a few coloured lights flashed a greeting past the ticket checkpoints.

Video style

On the inside, most faced forward stage-show style, as large screens synched videos with the music, that being especially effective with MJ's Don't Stop (Till You Get Enough) and Tiney Winey.

When the gloved wonder's songs (Billie Jean was included) came, it was truly 'dancing fever', many a party person doing the trademark bent knees and hand in the air stance.

Hot Stuff and Lambada both got video treatment, the latter getting extended play, but when the beat switched to soca, starting with Tiney Winey, the music was much too fast. So, although some of the youngsters wined frantically away, one heavier lady in a jeans skirt giving many a pound on Dollar Wine, the 'dollar, dollar' refrain sounded more like Alvin and the Chipmunks than Colin Lucas.

The DJs constant appeals to "my independent ladies" over a muffled microphone wore thin quickly enough and after the soca, there was a dramatic slowdown to the No No No of Dawn Penn, Sanchez' remake of Missing You Now going over very well.

A pair of Beres Hammond songs, Putting Up Resistance and Double Trouble, went over very well. But there was this sense of rushing things, as shortly after Mello Vibes went into songs normally reserved for much later in the party when the really serious remained to participate in the clothed, informal simulated orgy that a retro dance party almost inevitably evolves into.

However, the selectors may have been aware of a potential lock-off at 2:00 a.m. under the Noise Abatement Act. So, Bounty Killer chortled about what the ladies should not should not get and there was rejoicing in the "glamity and gumption", but by an abrupt change in beat to Anything For You the party feeling was dying. Another abrupt switch to the Joyride rhythm did not help either, although for some of the youngsters anything went.

There was a run of Shabba, including Best Baby Father, but X-Rated, normally a high point in any party, was woefully misplaced and fell way short of its normal impact.

The same went for Terror Fabulous' Position, stuck on to the end of a relatively unknown tune, the lack of top end (inconsistent sound quality was also a factor) on the song not helping much.

Poor sound quality

Coming up to 1:30 a.m., Spragga's dismissal that Dem Flop gave way to disco and, once again, the music was played way too fast, even for party up-tempo standard.

However, for the youngsters, it was still excitement.

Mello Vibes, the Dance Fever edition, hit an excellent patch with laid back hip hop, including Gin 'N' Juice, but the sound quality on Kriss Kross' Jump was a letdown.

The audience cheered for Admiral Bailey's God Pickney coming up to 2:00 a.m. and the party hit another good run, the ladies cheering for the honour to the Wife and getting down their songs at what was now a more appropriate time for such fare.

Many a hand going up in the air for Bogle, then at 2:15 a.m. it was back to disco with Stayin' Alive.

At 2:30 a.m., The Gleaner gave up on something special happening and made a relatively early exit on to Oxford Road, New Kingston, quite a few people seeming to share the same view and exit point.

Still, a packed house remained inside Mas Camp, waiting on more 'mello' vibes.

In the end ,there was a very big, very enthusiastic audience and the potential for an excellent retro party which fell far short of being fulfilled.

However, those youngsters who were determined to have a good time certainly did so.