The man of the Moment: Beres Hammond delivered another exciting show, but came on too late.

With the fixed seats of the National Stadium's grandstand rising behind white chairs arranged on the cycle track and part of the covered athletics track, all facing a huge black stage which had its own towering backdrop, Sunday's 'Moment' was a stunning production in a superb venue.

However, despite excellent showings from nearly all the performers before Hammond, when he entered exchanging lines on the chorus of Rock Me Tonight with Freddie Jackson (who tore the house down) at 12:10 a.m. yesterday, it was the moment of the night that had been too long in coming for a large audience that occupied about three-quarters of the available seating.

Whoops

They whooped for Hammond's every song, burning happily in the morning sun of his 70s R&B and continuing with shortened versions of One Dance, Step Aside Now, Groovy Little Thing, Double Trouble and Putting Up Resistance (which got more extended treatment), most standing throughout as the rockers hit home.

After paying homage to Alton Ellis with an acapella rendition of Weeping Willow, Hammond paused the start of Rockaway to explain that traffic congestion had caused a 20-minute late start, adding "I said we would finish at 1 o'clock. It is 1 o'clock, it is not my fault," many started heading to the exit.

The mass exodus continued even as most of the night's extensive line-up returned for an all-star ensemble to sing for the children, making for a let-down of a final moment that was simply not enough Hammond.

Rockaway was not performed that night.

The late start aside (there were three rounds of impatient handclaps), 'Moment' was spot-on with beautiful performances to match the venue, with very smooth transitions that saw performers exchanging places on a well-lit stage without any announcement. The Mighty Diamonds walked out with Right Time and rub a dubbed their way to Pass The Kutchie, before delivering the R&B of There's No Me Without You, earning a standing ovation from the audience.

Natural lull

Left: Fabulous in a flowing white dress, this woman catches the lens of our camera on her way into the National Stadium. Right: Marcia Griffiths looks memorable in her body hugging number. - winston sill photos

In the early going, maturity and relative youth alternated, so there was a natural lull in the excitement level when Courtney John replaced the Diamonds, his slick movements impressing as he sang When You Say. Then Mykal Rose lifted the large audience Black Uhuru style with Guess Who's Coming to Dinner and Shine Eye Gal, closing with the night's only injection of recent dancehall, Shootout.

Jimmy Cozier was the relative youngster and there was calm as he sang "I like to see the children play, growing up in the right way," then it was John Holt's turn to be the Carpenter and request Stick By Me. It was standouts all the way to intermission, Toots Hibbert going slow with Dreams to Remember and doing a sing and response on 54-46.

Barrington Levy was outstanding among the outstanding, his piercing voice carrying the dancehall of Living Dangerously, orchestrating a merry crowd contest and driving home the rockers of Murderer, the excitement reaching an even higher pitch as Beenie Man stepped onstage for the combination version. Broader Than Broadway was restarted before it was even started properly and Levy keened a Vice Versa Love prayer for Jamaica.

After waking the town and telling the people, U-Roy explained that he was not supposed to perform, but Hammond had asked him to do one song. Freddie McGregor brought up intermission in excellent style, even though the two-day hoarseness that nearly prevented him from performing showed slightly on Push Come To Shove, So I'll wait For You and Let Him Try.

Flat out retro style

It was a flat out retro style party with DJ Inferno during the break, but as enjoyable as it was, 35 minutes was too long an intermission.

On the resumption Lenya Wilks was the youth before the maturity of Gregory Isaacs, who was greeted with a belly roar and gave a showing worthy of his reception, with Soon Forward, Number One, Rumours and Night Nurse, leaving only to return and muse musically "dem still want more" to delight the crowd.

Marcia Griffiths, glowing in gold, carried a willing audience into Dreamland and was joined by audience members to show the electric slide as she sang Electric Boogie.

Then Freddie Jackson, with a combination of song, humour, movement and sheer personality whipped 'Moment' into a frenzy with Me and Mrs Jones, All I Ever Ask, You Are My Lady and Rock Me Tonight, before Hammond's shortened moment.

Left: Freddy Jackson gave a stellar performance at A Moment In Time Concert with Beres Hammond and Friends, held at the National Stadium, Independence Park on Sunday. Right: Cecile wasn't one of the performers but she was stylish in a sexy purple dress. - Winston Sill / Freelance Photographer

A Moment In Time Concert with Beres Hammond and Friends, held at the National Stadium, Independence Park on Sunday December 28, 2008.