Aidonia breaks Jamaican Curse!

Buying advance concert tickets is overrated. At least that’s how the situation appeared on the local front, especially when it came to obtaining passes to attend shows expected to feature Jamaican artistes.

Fans of Dancehall music in St Lucia had been disappointed one too many times due to the non-appearance of their favourite acts and they had been taking a stand. Certainly, this was not the case last Saturday.

Thousands showed up at Samaans Park to witness Jamaican Dancehall performer Aidonia and appeared to be fully satisfied when the show ended shortly before 3 am.

The event was staged by Yardstyle Promotions alongside Real FM and MBC, the newest media amalgamation of radio and TV on the block. It was dubbed the official public launch of the media enterprise, which started broadcasting here in 2012.

Saturday’s show featured quite a varied cast and it was somehow enlightening to see the audience, which was made up of mainly teenagers and young adults singing along to Calypsonian Invader one minute and a Country performer the next. The show also featured The Secret Band, which has enabled Saint Lucians from all walks of life to enjoy the indigenous sounds of “solo” with their ever popular “Bois.” The group made up of about twelve adults some crossing the half century mark thrilled the audience with their drumming and call and response music, not to mention some cultural gyrations if we may call it that!

Before the main act the show which was packed with entertainment, also featured a dance group, Real FM DJ’s, Alley Cat and Cold Sweat as well as a Soca segment with Mongstar, Ambi and Ricky T. Despite their abbreviated performance due to time scheduling, the trio was able to deliver bits of their current hits as well as a taste of their tracks for Carnival 2013.

Shortly before 2 am Aidonia made his way onstage in a mustard coloured suit to the deafening screams of fans, some rushing to the stage front threatening the collapse of the protective barriers. And while for the most part the earlier segments had provided much entertainment, this was what many had come for. Not only was there a whole lot of Dancehall music being belted on stage, but for a moment some suggestive dancing below the belt by a few female fans stole the spotlight from the main act. In fact the sexual gyrations which at times exposed the little to nothing undergarments of the ladies, with one wrapping her legs around Aidonia’s neck and hanging onto him with her ankles for dear life, was enough to make members of the Secret Band jaws’ drop, literally.

The stage was crowded with the singer’s crew, videographers and photographers, and there was much going on as music blared from the sound system and young fans threw caution to the wind in their equally daring outfits on the night.

In the end Aidonia closed off with his popular “Sit Dung Pon Di Jockey,” which was the icing on the cake for those who had come out. In a heaightened crowd pleasing moment he jumped off stage to touch and hug fans hailing himself “the realest artiste out of Jamaica.”

That one moment was undoubtedly fanatical for some — the sort of thing people who’ve crossed the forty lines may not quite understand. And for that we can only look on, stare, smile maybe… Or just be satisfied that for them at least this time around they may have gotten their money’s worth.