 |
SPOTLIGHT ON REGGAE SUNSPLASH
"Reggae Sunsplash emerged in 1978 and continued as the premier reggae (and at first the only) reggae festival in the world. However, in 1997 it spasmed, heaved one last gasp of breath and died. Eight years later it has returned with a line-up that seemed intent upon proving that it was back for the long haul." Source: Jamaica Gleaner
|
Seasoned singers end Sunsplash
It was four consecutive daylight endings for the revived bMobile Reggae Sunsplash when the festival's official ambassador Freddie McGreggor and George Nooks lifted clasped hands high to finish One Love on Monday morning. Continue
Poetry makes a 'Splash'
Among the drum and bass, bright light and special attire, poetry found a place on all days of bMobile Reggae Sunsplash 2006, held at the Richmond Estate in Priory, St. Ann. The performances took place on the seaside amphitheatre stage, which had limited seating and where the audience got an up-close view of the performers. Continue
UB40 happy to make Jamaica debut
One month shy of Signing Off,their debut album's 26th anniversary, UB40 performed in Jamaica for the first time. In between, the band from the West Midlands, United Kingdom, making their full-length recording debut and playing an hour and 15 minutes in the early hours of last Sunday morning at bMobile Reggae Sunsplash 2006, there have been many hits. Continue
Famous last words....
A promise oft-repeated ought to be kept. The organisers of Reggae Sunsplash were at pains in the run-up to the festival to tell the media and thus the public that production breaks arising from band changes would be a thing of the past. Not that they would be reduced, or mitigated, but that they would be eliminated.
They were not, despite the vaunted two-stage set-up, and it took outstanding performances from three stalwarts against the backdrop of the morning sun (and other choice moments through the 13-hour plus show) to overcome the inevitable deflation of the audience's energy that attends such band breaks. Continue
Cultural riches go a begging
Complete with the rich cultural and spiritually poignant offerings that reggae performers often bring, the bMobile Reggae Sunsplash World Beat Night was an eclectic collection of talents and was reminiscent of a European music festival except for one thing - the artistes billed to perform had, at best, a cult following and were unable to attract even a fair-sized crowd to the Richmond Estate venue.
The vast expanse, lined with booths from which vendors sold craft, clothes, jewellery and food, further contextualised the festive feel of the night even as chair-peddlers earnestly tried getting the $1000 relief items off their hands. Continue
|
|
Massive marathon on Sunsplash's Int'l Night
At 11:40 p.m. on Saturday when Steel Pulse was called on to lead the billed British Invasion of bmobile Reggae Sunsplash's International Night, the very sparse audience in front of the stage had a remarkable growth spurt.
After paying attention to Etana and Kamau from the main stage then moving across, persons returned from watching Inner Voice's strong showing on the seaside amphitheatre stage, as well as the booths on the perimeter and various points around the massive ground, to form a critical cheering mass for the band from Handsworth's 60-minute set. It was the first of a series of extended performances on the main Sunsplash stage in a marathon of music that ended coming up to 10:00 a.m. yesterday. Continue
Sponsors and onstage vulgarity
The practice by corporate entities of having celebrities or well-known individuals endorse their products is widely accepted as the norm in the business world.
Indeed, many companies will aggressively pursue celebrities and pay them massive sums of money in endorsement fees, particularly if that celebrity is hot, getting a lot of ink and airtime and is a respected voice...
A company like Nike, for instance, has, we are sure, made millions of dollars worldwide by virtue of having the current world number one golfer, Mr Tiger Woods, endorse its products...
The draw for Nike, we suspect, is that Mr Woods, apart from being the world's top golfer, is articulate, good-looking, clean-cut and, most important, scandal-free.
We raise this scenario against the backdrop of the profile of some of our local entertainers and the companies that utilise them as spokespersons.
Two weeks ago, in these columns, we expressed our disappointment at the vulgarity displayed on stage by some acts at Red Stripe Reggae Sumfest. We are still mystified by the continued silence and inaction of the police, the St James Parish Council and the title sponsors to the behaviour and explicit pronouncements of these acts. For we had thought that a serious effort was being made to cleanse stage performances of the filth that was ridiculously being labelled entertainment and foisted on the public. Continue
|
|
|
|
| ENTERTAINMENT |
John Dixon's obsession with The Wailers has inspired him to write a screenplay on reggae's most famous group.
Read the Gleaner Story |
| SPORTS |
|
Joint 100m world record holder Asafa Powell stretched his unbeaten run to 11 races this year with victory in 9.91 at the London Grand Prix on Friday [July 28th.] |
| EDUCATION |
|
Anthony Alexander and Renee Nesbeth are two lucky Jamaican students who will this year attend the 2006 North American Youth Science Leadership Institute in Bartow, West Virginia and Washington DC. Details |
|
|
