A SUPERB SHOW FOR GREGORY

Jamaicans nowadays are often ‘bawling’ that there’s hardly any professionally staged live shows being held in Jamaica. It’s mostly DJs and Sounds that are backing up artists instead of live bands. Those stage shows with live bands that do keep often frustrate patrons because of long band changes that keep you waiting on your favorite artists till the early hours of the morning. None of that was the case Saturday evening for the heavily publicized Valentine’s show A Red Rose for Gregory. At JMD6000 at the gate (7500VIP), tickets were quite pricey but you got a super professionally organized show in return and all proceeds of the show went to the Gregory Isaacs foundation and thus to charitable causes. 

The setting at the Liguany Golf Academy in New Kingston was superb with a huge stage, top of the line lighting and three bars. The VIP section took up almost two-thirds of the entire visitor space. The venue was filled with chairs, a rarity on a Jamaican stage show where you are mostly prompted to bring your own chair. This was clearly a ‘big people show’, meaning that it’s a show for a mature audience, dressed to the occasion. Also behaving for the occasion, as we couldn’t see a single marihuana cigarette or even a regular cigarette being smoked in the VIP section. 

The early part of the show was quite entertaining and saw a number of artists performing Gregory Isaacs’s tunes. We especially liked a Canadian Gregory lookalike who really nailed it when singing some of the cool ruler’s hits. In this first segment, all artists were backed by the phenomenal Fab 5 band so there were no band changes and it was live music throughout. We enjoyed the Melodians, a singing trio that hadn’t been on stage for quite a while, performing some of their hit songs like Rivers of Babylon, You have caught me Baby or Come on Little Girl. Special guest artist, Deniece Williams’ showcase was received very well by the audience.

The first band change happened when Third World took the stage. Even this break was quite entertaining as Errol Dunkley was presented an award and treated the audience to an a capella walk down reggae history. The artist closing the show, also bringing his own band, was Sanchez. Who could think of a more suitable artist to close a Valentine’s showcase? His voice was phenomenal and he gave the audience what they came for. 

In conclusion, Red Rose for Gregory was a highly entertaining and professionally organized stage show and all who where there clearly enjoyed it. The only point of criticism we personally have concerns the bar, which was out of rum and beer real soon, and later also out of water. Our hearts were filled with music, but our throats were dry. That’s all right.