The Jamaica Star :: Entertainment :: FLACK - Flies for lateness

Roberta Flack performs at Symphony Under the Stars at Cable and Wireless Golf Academy in St Andrew last Saturday. - Peta Gaye Clachar

Roberta Flack's complaint about coming onstage close to midnight last Saturday brought home to me just how accustomed we are to extremely late events.

As headliner for 'Symphony Under the Stars' it was naturally expected that she would come on last and she did, hitting the stage eight minutes shy of midnight. But about half-hour into Flack's performance, some people started to leave and, although it was not enough to have a significant impact on the large crowd which turned up for the show, it obviously bothered her.

The 'Flack' flew as she thanked "those who stayed" when she left the stage for the first time and then returned. Her version of flak was, like her singing, very gentle but at the same time pointed.

In the 'yard' scheme of a major Jamaican event, midnight is early. In fact, for quite a few shows, especially of the dancehall variety, no major performer would have hit the stage by that time - if any at all.

(I will not even get into the madness of the street dances that get going at 5:00 a.m. when there are sure to be people in the community who want to rest. But is ghetto; people cyan complain.)

Overseas performers

One of the few major reggae and dancehall based events which holds to some sort of early schedule is 'Welcome to Jamrock', which has ended bang on its slated 2:00 a.m. ever since it has begun.

Of course, the oldies shows tend to finish much earlier. And when overseas performers come for non-reggae and dancehall shows, they do tend to go on early enough.

Whether or not we agree with the 2:00 a.m. cut-off time on entertainment events, which is on the books although it is hardly ever enforced, there is no way that we as a nation can continue with the morning life which night-life has become. It is no longer a case where only large outdoor concerts with extensive line-ups are going on until the wee hours of the morning. Now all and sundry are rejoicing in seeing daylight come up on their cavorting without a care in the world for those who need to go to work.

Nor do they care about the children who are scheduled to go to school. Yet, the events are many times celebrated as 'poor people suppen'. They are, of course, not, not with the volumes and value of liquor consumed. Plus there is all the 'flossing' which takes place.

Police Commissioner Hardley Lewin has announced a zero- tolerance approach to crime. Fine. So how about the offence of shattering people's peace of mind at a time when they just need to sleep?