Mark Titus, Freelance Writer

Jah Cure during his performance at Cure Fest. - Richard Morais

WESTERN BUREAU

It was a case of too many eggs in one basket at Cure Fest on Sunday night.

Many top artistes never got the chance to perform adequately, because of the jam-packed line-up for the one-night show.

On a night when Beenie Man produced what many believed to be one of his best stints for 2007, when the veteran Jimmy Riley committed his Love and Devotion to the ladies, while his son, Taurus, went on the Battlefield and Morgan Heritage went Down by the River, as the female patrons accepted Coco Tea's invitation to Tune In, the stage managers had their hands full, trying to facilitate the approximately 87 acts that turned up to perform.

Calls for encore performances of some of the top acts in reggae/ dancehall at the event, seemingly fell upon deaf ears, which saw MC GT Taylor of Irie FM earning the wrath of the over-16,000 patrons who converged on the Trelawny Multi-Purpose Stadium for the historic event.

Capleton, Sizzla, Richie Spice, Ninja Man, Munga Honourable and Fantan Mojah had the crowd shouting for more, while Queen Ifrica sparkled for the three minutes that she graced the stage, demonstrating why she is one of the most in-demand female reggae acts today.

Macky Conscious, who is easily the most underrated reggae act today, left patrons questioning why promoters continue to keep him in the small league at these events when his performances demonstrate that he clearly belongs among the big boys.

DJ Jigsy King, with 1990s' tunes such as Give Me The Weed and Butterfly, was apparantly overwhelmed by the occasion, and spoiled the night with an expletive-laden performance, while launching what appeared to be a personal verbal attack on the police, who were out in their numbers. This led to his immediate arrest following his performance and subsequent charges of disorderly conduct and indecent language.

However, nothing could stop the main event. Entering the stage about 7:15 a.m., Jah Cure, dressed in full white, and reeling out hits after hits, gave a nervy, but steady performance, with hits such as Longing For, and Morning Jah Jah, sounding through the Monday morning skies.

Cure, whose correct name is Siccature Alcock, belted songs from his four albums, Free Jah Cure, Ghetto Life, Freedom Blues and True Reflections - A New Beginning, which was released three days after his release from prison on July 28.