BY MEL COOKE, Freelance Writer
LIVE WYYA, winner of the the inaugural Global Battle of the Bands, held at Backyaad, Constant Spring Road, on Sunday. The band will represent Jamaica in the Global Battle of the Bands, to be held at the London Astoria, England, on December 7, 2005. - WINSTON SILL
ON SUNDAY NIGHT, 16 bands played two original songs each in eight minutes for a bronze statuette and a trip to London in December to compete in the Global Battle of the Bands.
The first prize in that competition is US$100,000 and a world tour of all the competing countries.
LIVE WYYA will be taking that trip and a shot at the top prize, as they topped the field at Backyaad on Constant Spring Road before a substantial audience, which accounted for 20 per cent of the vote. A panel of seven persons determined 80 per cent of the judgement.
It was a case of reggae and rock all night long, with the winners and second placed C Sharp playing reggae, electric guitar solos included. Third placed Rootz Underground had a blend of rock and reggae and there was a rock sweep up to sixth place by From the Deep, Downstairs and Black Zebra, with reggae band Marcus I and the Revolutionaries coming in seventh in the only other named position.
At the first-ever Jamaican leg of the Global Battle of the Bands, The Ray Darwin Group was up first for a reggae start with Time Flies.
Cohesion played straight roots reggae, the lead singer examining the "high cost of living", while a pair of rappers led the Gunsmoke Battalion in reveling in "the streets of Ja".
The Rhythm Boys were the only band on the night to go for love, reggae style.
Aluta Continua went into reggae with Revolution, the lead singer giving a high energy showing and there were huge cheers for Rootz Underground - as there were for LIVE WYYA and C Sharp.
It was back to undiluted roots reggae with Ajani and the Real Roots of Culture and Only Solution, the night's only female lead singer standing tall on black boots, red hair to the sky.
Kassa and the Storm rocked Machinery, while From The Deep had a pair of guitar playing brothers singing lead together on a well appreciated Guitar Song.
Downstairs was given a warm reception, singing "We're headed for the bloody precipice" on their second song, and there was a tumult of horns and whistles for LIVE WYYA, the lead singer getting the audience involved in clapping to the first uptempo reggae song.
No Credit hit a reggae groove and earned strong applause from the audience while two guitarists jammed briefly in an electric Black Zebra set.
Marcus I and the Revolutionaries was the only band to go over time and have the sound turned down for an extended period.
C Sharp, was warmly greeted. The guitarist was the only musician for the night to venture on to the runway, stepping forward for a tremendous solo and, with all the musicians singing harmony, C Sharp ended with 'Let Jah Be Praised' to acclaim from the substantial audience at Backyaad.
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