Duane Stephenson was the closing act at 'Tenky Miss Lou'. - Peta-Gaye Clachar/photographer
The third time around, 'Tenky Miss Lou', a birthday celebration for the Honourable Louise Bennett-Coverley in Gordon Town Square, St Andrew, was a mixed bag.
After the daytime activities, which included tours of Miss Lou's former home in the hills above and behind the square, it seemed anticipation was highest for the concert, featuring school performers, semi-professionals and professional entertainers. However, even the stage action held the attention and sparked excitement of what seemed a much smaller audience than last year's turnout, only in spurts.
Even when the audience showed a perceptible reaction beyond semi-polite handclaps, it was not necessarily proportionate to the quality of the performance. Case in point, Papine High School's excellent reworking of popular dancehall style songs (including some 'lingering' and 'sweeping'), complete with appropriate moves, got decent applause, at best, from the audience.
On the other hand, former Digicel Rising Star contestant Annalisa Morgan's truncated delivery of Sam Cooke's Bring It On Home To Me ignited what had been, up to that point in her performance, a lacklustre crowd, although, vocally, the rendition was competent but not outstanding.
Crowd appreciation
The combination of quality delivery and crowd appreciation was reserved for the night's closing performer, Duane Stephenson, even a substandard sound amplification system unable to cloud the sheer quality of his voice. On an evening of short performances, he delivered Ghetto Pain, Cottage in Negril and August Town (pointing down the hill in the direction of that community) well, an easygoing-nature showing, as he ran a mini dancing competition with three children and rewarding all.
In the gospel segment Minister Treasure got some hands waving in unison to "come mek we praise him", and Justine Redwood reminded all Jesus is Alive in a voice that has tons of potential. Clan Carthy's speech dramatists, on their third turn onstage, did a humorous take on hygiene ("cleanliness is next to godliness/but me and water don't 'gree"), much to the amusement of the audience. There wasn't much interest, though, in Tanice Morrison's pair of songs, two male dancers dropping moves on the first.
Deejay Ateru worked his way through the Nyabinghi Good Over Evil in decent, though not sparkling, fashion, hitting out against the pastors who literally reach out and touch young members of their congregations. His Heart of Love music outfit compatriot, Nature, also had a 'binghi-style track, which he saved for second and last whereas his opening song, informing "hold on, you battles must be won", hit a good note with the audience. He too, hit some good notes, his voice having a near plaintive quality which connected with the audience.
Sherita also suffered from the disproportionate response to quality as she sang "all in the name of the Lord", the audience not quite with her despite her obvious ability.
At the end of it all, there was a dramatic switch from the 'tenkys' onstage to Miss Lou, Mavado's So Special ringing out over the audience as the selector took over.