BIG DANCE

Hermitage Community, August Town
Labour Day, 2001

Picture di original community dance. Nuff phat cyar park along di likkle lane, barriers out front, a three foot wide makeshift entrance, ladies in all their 'finery', bad man steppin' een with entourage in tow, 5 big bike park up by di sound, three video man, Moet poppin', Alize pouring, Canei sippin', crates of Guiness & Heineken strewn all over, the fragrant aroma of cannabis sativa in the air, the echo of the selecta's bellowing bouncin' off the concrete bricks, likkle youts peerin' thru the holes in the walls jus' to get a taste of what's to come for them... and of course, a dance ain't a dance without di big bad Stone Love in da house! The Whaddat Triumvirate followed Fire Links to Hermitage's Labour Day dance...

Tru: Damn, I thought you guys would never get here!
Mic: Yeh yuh dun know, we were waiting on links in Half-Way-Tree for an hour!!
Fyah: I can't believe I actually waited with you.
Tru: How come 'im tek so long?
Mic: Well, he apparently drives everywhere at 5 miles an hour. I guess it took him a good two hours to get from Portmore.
Fyah: Believe that! I felt bad driving off and leaving him on the way to Tru's but we caught him on the way back out...he was halfway there, not lost like Mic would have us think.

Tru: Well, we got there. And what a vibes man!
Mic: "Escorted through congestion, routine friction, metal detection...all clear as air, no questions...." Fyah: Yah...

Tru: I was really feeling the music. Swamp King and the man dem from Stone Love was a juggle sweet. Neva get fi hear everybody play still... but Stone Love and the MIGHTY Travellers did a go haaarrd!
Fyah: That sucked seeing as we went just to hear Fire Links and take pictures of HIM but the vibe did nice fi real.
Mic: Yeh, mi just follow di video man around an' tek di picture dem. Dun know always nuff nuff photo ops at di dance dem.
Tru: Trus' mi!
Fyah: Fi real is always nice to go out and see people actually dancing and everybody a fight fi di video light, as usual.
Mic: Yes, especially dat pack a woman by the speaker dem! Nuff vibes!!

Tru: Yo I did buck dis bredda weh mi did meet a Liquid. Obviously surprised to see me he proceeded to give me the full hundred about the dance hall scene. "Those big boxes are the speakers, those are the bashment girls, see di bad man dem there, those are druggis' in that corner..." Dem way deh! Dem man deh see wi an' feel seh we a some likkle preps. But yuh dun know, a nuh nuttin'
Mic: *crackin' up* Dun know...no provin' ting.
Fyah: Fi real! But unfortunately we had to cut early fi go Fire 2001 fi di stage show.
Tru: And onto di BIG BASHMENT...

FIRE 2001
Marketplace, Constant Spring Rd.
Labour Day
Promoter: Horseman

"RUN COME STAN UP INNA DI FYAH!!"
Jah know we hate to spoil the surprise, usually reserved for the end of the review but we just had to say that CAPLETON fully done FIRE 2001! What a man wicked! After performances by Risto Benji, Louie Culture, and Anthony B, the Prophet stormed the stage and created a frenzy in the crowd. Chants of "MORE FYAH" resonated through the crowd as the deejay belted a portion of tunes like "How Dem a Galang So", "Can't 'tan Ya","Woman Mek Mi Happy". DI PLACE BUSS!! Long time wi nuh see lighta like dat. When we were walking in, The Prophet actually had the entire Red Hills Rd. blocked off as a result of his arrival.

We cannot do this review without mentioning Anthony B. He was obviously destined to be a star upon conception. The ras, decked out in full pewter Iceberg, Timbs and Tommy towel, had the crowd weak with "Damage", "Plant di Corn" after opening with "Fire Pon Rome".

Despite all the hype, Sizzla was the one to close the show. Kolongi was well received by the crowd and gave a a good performance. Although this was not his best effort, he blessed the crowd, performing alot of his older material including "Words of Divine", "No Time to Gaze" & "Black Woman and Child". He ended his set with "Get to the Point" and "Blaze Up Di Chalwa" which had the crowd railin'!!

It's truly an amazing sight to see when these stars get together for a stage show. Only 3 bills to get in, the second annual 'Fire' was well worth the far parking space. Since its inception in 2000, promoter Horseman proves that he can do more than just design a wicked flyer for a dance. HEY! HEY! HEY!

See you there in 2002!
One, Peace & Likkle More!