The inaugural Barbados Reggae Weekend came to a thrilling end last Sunday evening at the Reggae Village in the National Botanical Gardens.
An All-Star cast of local and international musicians featured at Reggae in the Gardens to the appreciation of a sold-out crowd which included Barbadian Prime Minister the Honourable Mia Mottley.
It was the fitting climax to a weekend of cultural appreciation and musical excellence, as the reggae and dancehall genres were celebrated in grand style through memorable performances from some of the best in the business.
“The line up was good, the quality of the performances was of a high standard, however the extended wait between Tessanne Chin and UB 40, and then again with Morgan Heritage was unacceptable”
Barbadian reggae band Right side of Red set the tone for the occasion with their smooth, melodic presentation.
Co-lead singer Daniel had the audience in a trance with his global hit “Come away”, before he collaborated with vocalist Rhesa Garnes and the rest of the band to perform a series of past and present reggae songs.
The distinctive voice of Jamaican dancehall artist Ghost captivated the Gardens as he delivered a very intimate and passionate performance which included tracks such as his remake of Air Supply’s “Making love out of nothing at all”, Singing Sweet’s “Oh Donna”, and Bad English’s “When I see you smile”.
If Ghost’s voice was not attractive enough, his fancy footwork definitely maintained the audience’s attention.
Queen Ifrica’s presence was immediate and impactful when she entered the stage with her 2009 single “Far Away”. Her 2006 hit “Below the Waist” got a roaring response from the crowd, particularly the ladies, who sang and swayed rhythmically from start to finish.
The Jamaican empress’s rendition of “Lioness on the Rise” was the perfect topping to a delightful performance.
Tessanne Chin’s performance was definitely worth the 14-year wait.
The Season Five winner of international singing competition The Voice, displayed why she has one of the most powerful voices in entertainment when she performed her signature hit “Hideaway”, which was readily supported by “The Garden Choir”.
A trip down memory lane followed, as the four-time Grammy Award nominee UB-40 featuring Ali Campbell graced the stage in impressive form.
With over four decades of music, the British band captivated the audience with multiple hits and the ageless voice of Campbell was a wonder to behold.
The audience sang each word of, “Bring me your cup”, “If it happens again”, “Kingston Town”, “Falling in love with you”, amongst many other chart-topping hits.
Morgan Heritage maintained the standard with another thrilling performance; however the lone disappointment in the performances was echoed throughout the audience, as Jamaican duo Masicka and Jahshi had their set prematurely ended.
Just after 2:30am, 10 minutes into the shared performance, co-host of the event Peter Coppin announced that The Barbados Police Service instructed the promoters to bring the curtain down on the night’s event.
The general feedback from many was positive but there were some specific concerns, notably the lull between performances.
“The line up was good, the quality of the performances was of a high standard, however the extended wait between Tessanne Chin and UB 40, and then again with Morgan Heritage was unacceptable”, said Natanya.
Another patron, who asked to remain anonymous, told Loop News that she enjoyed the show in its entirety, but thought it went on a bit late, which was due to the intermission between band changes.
“The overall show was good. UB 40, Morgan Heritage and Tessanne Chin especially stood out to me and gave solid performances.
“Accessing VIP was smooth and hassle-free. However, I felt as if there could have been more food options in VIP”, said Emily.
Another member of the VIP audience, Darian, acknowledged the performances but said he was very impressed with the layout of the event. “The show was great, while the acts stole center stage, the layout and design of the sections, and most notably VIP was top tier.
“Every show has its hiccups, but someone clearly did their homework with regards to the setup of the event.”
