by Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer

Patrons dance at the Merritone Anniversary 'Las' Lick' Party, held at The Deck, Trafalgar Road, New Kingston, on Monday. - Winston Sill

There may have been many a playful 'las' lick' delivered when primary, prep and basic schools went on break for the National Heroes holiday weekend, but on Monday night there was a 'las' lick' of a musical kind at The Deck, Trafalgar Road, New Kingston.

And it was not from children, though there was a level of glee and merrimaking that indicated that as there was many a child at heart among the heads that attended Merritone Music's 'Las Lick' for its 56th anniversary and 16th annual family reunion and homecoming celebrations.

And it was a lasting 'Las' Lick', as at 2:00 a.m. on a work day soca was on the turntables and the dance floor was full, legs sprawled from chairs around the full room indicating the cluster and chatter from the bar suggesting high spirits.On Tempted To Touch, one gentleman leaned against a wall in the dark, away from the dance floor, and allowed his partner to do the work, a task she tackled willingly.

The beat soon changed to relaxed reggae, Morgan Heritage taking all Down By The River, Vegas asking Do You Know and Junior Gong welcoming all to Jam Rock as Blake sent congrat-ulations to Bob Andy and Boris Gardner on their national honours, presented earlier that day, both singers present at The Deck.

Sean Paul and Sasha's remake of I'm Still In Love and Just Friends preceded a switch to disco, all songs getting extended play. When Dancing Queen hit, the floor was emptier than before, one couple making slow, entwined movements to the uptempo music. George Benson's Gimme The Night thumped hard and two couples locked hips on deck to the beat of Rock The Boat.

Many a person 'gallop de donkey' as THE STAR hitched its hampers and made its way out to Braemar Avenue where the line of cars which had stretched all the way up to Argyle Road was notably reduced.

Monday night's 'Las Lick' closed a 10-day celebratory programme that took Merritone Music back to its roots in St. Thomas, then to Somerset Falls in Portland. There were urban stops at The Quad, New Kingston, and Waterfalls, Liguanea, on Wednesday and Thursday respectively, before a long Heroes weekend trip to Hedonism III in Runaway Bay, St. Ann, which ended on Monday morning.