by Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer

D'Angel performs her popular song, 'Downtown Girl' at St. Bess Splash at Little Ochi, Alligator Pond. - nathaniel stewart photos

Sunday night's 'St. Bess Splash' at Little Ochie, Alligator Pond, pulled in a large crowd which seemed very willing to stick it out through the long line-up, even as the concert headed into the dawning of a work day.

And a harmonious presentation by LUST stood out from the generally hardcore nature of the slew of performances, the reggae rocking Run Free and an a'capella, Singing Melody led, Broken Hearted Melodies among the numbers which hit home.

'Brimstone chat'

Blessed Love and Brimstone ended the homegrown talent section, the latter telling someone in the audience to 'sk yu Mumma', before Saloon beat Iyahbungie for the PG Express prize of $10,000 and a contract. DJ Liquid rocked the audience, some standing on sloping ground, with hip-hop, mixing in Buju Banton's Boom Bye Bye, as well as a Sizzla triple, before the 'St. Bess' models presented clothing by LA Lewis.

Just past midnight Ward 21 started the hardcore performances, all to recorded tracks, with Bloodstain, the audience cheering when the bass voice hit. By the time they ended with "ccman fi get kick inna face" they had lost momentum. Don Mafia, a member of Beenie Man's Mafia House Productions, said respects to Beenie Man and Bounty Killer. "We no inna no problem, everybody fi live good," he said. His 'py py' lyrics, as well as Problem and Hear Sey, were met with strong forwards. CP Inc and Maurice came before LUST, performing without Lukie D, lavish harmonies from the opening "rolling up a blunt" sending the lighters and hands to the night sky, where they went repeatedly, a genuine encore demanded and given.

Face's Rising Star persona was totally gone as she stepped on stage with a long piece of wood and announced "bman an' bgyal fi dead". She used that wood to prod at an MCs crotch, saying "I want to know if you can get an erection", then deejaying "put me on my knees/put your cy in my py".

Power Man and Singer J worked in combination, Power Man up first with "bus me gun all over the ocean". Singer J said "de odda day me shot afta some bway whe look like dem g. Dem gat away. So yu know whe me do? Me get a longer gun", displaying a large imitation firearm to the delight of the audience.

Moonga Honorable and Hollow Point also did it combination style, Moonga opening with "dem bway deh no bad like I" and the audience cheering to "sekkle Hollow Point, easy no man".

When Bling Dawg charged on stage with "look how me full up a grass" to begin a relatively extended performance, which ran through Shatta Ting and had the audience filling in for Vybz Kartel, then Wayne Marshall sang his desire to Marijuana as well as Make Them Come, it seemed that St. Bess Splash was heading into serious startime.

D' Angel and Black-er

However, there was an extended run of selections from Teflon sound system before D'Angel stepped up with Downtown Girl, Macka Diamond bubbled and wined to Lexus and Benz, Black-er joined her to cause an eruption with Bun Him and Kip Rich defended male honour admirably against a gang of three that included Diamond and Queen Paula.

Harry Toddler got the stand and look treatment through his command to "watch yu fren dat yu keep" before St. Bess Splash turned cultural with Ras Shiloh's Child of A Slave and Natural Black ripping up the venue with Far From Reality.

With billed headliners Turbulence, Bounty Killer, Sizzla and Elephant Man yet to come, THE STAR called it a night at 3:45 a.m., and left, the 'St. Bess' Splashers dancing happily away.

DJ Face of Rising Stars fame left all of the gloss behind while onstage at the show. She used a piece of stick to get a reaction from a man on stage. - nathaniel stewart photos