LINSTEAD: Alarm goes off late, but resonates

LINSTEAD: Alarm goes off late, but resonates

January 2, 2019 0 By Horace Mills

The TruJuice Sound Di Alarm Music Festival pulled out a galaxy of stars and a massive crowd on December 31 at Dinthill Technical High School in Linstead, St Catherine, but the wait for the musical stars to shine was too long.

It was in the final 30 minutes of the show that most of the headliners crowded the stage in a jostle for microphone use.

Kabaka Pyramid (left) and Jesse Royal share the stage

Some of the major artistes who graced the stage before police pulled the plug minutes after 4 o’clock on New Year morning were: Capleton, Popcaan, Kabaka Pyramid, Jesse Royal, Jah Vinci, I-Wayne, Richie Spice, Vershon, Louie Culture, Bugle, promoter Iba Mahr, as well as the duo Tony Curtis and Jigsy King.

Iba Mahr belted out his latest hit, ‘Million Thoughts,’ with Popcaan by his side.

This young artiste, Daviana, made a lasting impression with her lyrics, clarity, vocals and consciousness. She is surely one to watch.

The greater portion of the show, however, saw performances of varying qualities by young artistes out of Linstead and elsewhere.

Some of the most promising young standouts were Daviana, Sativa, Vision, Blugo, Alfray, and Leopard whose high energy and acrobatic moves landed him off stage.

Linstead native, Blugo, was not only about being a fashion standout. His energetic performance is memorable.

Meanwhile, some artistes, including Alfray, did not only use their opportunity on stage to belt out lyrics. They also hit out against the crime rate especially in Linstead, where a state of public emergency is underway.

“Di bag a killing weh a gwaan inna Jamaica, dat nuh right ino. This nuh come een like our Jamaica weh mi know. Mi si some bwoy a kill two-year-old pickney [and] woman weh a 98…” Alfray declared, adding: “The people dem weh seh love inna Linstead; wi need it.”

Linstead artiste Jigsy King, during his performance, hit out against the murder of a man he described as a ‘good youth’. Police said a licensed firearm holder fatally shot the 39-year-old man, identified as Niguel Beson, during an argument at Club Lavish in Linstead shortly before daybreak on December 31.

Alfray had more that great songs; he had a powerful appeal for people to turn away from crime and violence.

The TruJuice Sound Di Alarm Music Festival, which helps to raise funds for Linstead Hospital, was first held in 2015. It is the brainchild of promoter and artiste Iba Mahr who, in opening the event close to midnight on Monday, led the crowd into the year 2019 with an impressive firework display.

Iba Mahr, promoter and artiste


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