By Winston Wilson, Jr.,
Staff Reporter
Luther doing the 'Butterfly'. - Michael Sloley
'THE POWER of Love' concert was a tale of financial flop for the organisers, Buzz Productions and an enjoyable night for thousands of patrons, who braved the threat of rain to attend the open-air event Saturday night at the Constant Spring Golf Club, Kingston.
"We nuh mek no money. We lose...a lot," Carl Sharpe, head of Buzz Productions, told The Gleaner during the show.
According to him about 6,000 persons attended, which was about 4,000 fewer than expected. Based on that reduced number, the organisers stood to collect about $10 million less can projected.
But the thousands of Luther Vandross fans who sat under a canopy of pregnant grey clouds (that sometimes delivered) and on a carpet of wet grass and damp earth, had a "wooo...wonderful time", as described by Carole Guntley-Brady, Director-General of Ministry of Tourism.
Though Stevie Face, Judy Mowatt and Richie Stephens gave good performances, they got a lukewarm reception. The loyalty and anticipation was for Luther Vandross.
The first chord of The Glow of Love struck and the all-seated audience went wild. Then Luther Vandross stepped into the spotlight, immaculate in black, singing to a chorus of screams and shouts. Patrons jumped, flailed their arms and hoisted the chairs in response to his charisma and youthful appeal.
His 100-minute set included Never Too Much, If Only For One Night, Still In Love and 'Till My Baby Comes Home. He sang a number of unfamiliar songs too, leaving several persons nursing their yen for hits like There's Nothing Better Than Love, I Know You Want To, the Always And Forever cover, If This World Were Mine, So Amazing, When You Call On Me and Your Secret Love among others.
While an excellent singer, with a delightful vocal appeal, Vandross lacked presence, stage personality and performing skills. But the audience was too enamoured with the 50-year-old Luther on stage and the four images projected on screens throughout the expansive venue to mind.
The sky was cloudy all day and night, but it was just when Luther attempted the still-popular dance, 'Butterfly', that it started to rain on his parade. Some persons unfolded their umbrellas, others hoisted empty plastic chairs over their heads, while the majority ignored the sky's tears and were soaked. The rain gave up after about 30 minutes.
He introduced his back-up singers and musicians, which included Pat Lacy, lead singer of Sounds of Blackness and Kevin Owen, of Ray, Goodman and Brown. With an amazing falsetto, Owen delivered Love On A Two Way Street to the appreciation of the audience.
The golf club was convincingly transformed into a concert venue, with six-foot high wire fencing separating sections for VIP, reserved and general seating.
Patrons, especially in the VIP section, came dressed in designer outfits and spike-heeled shoes reigned alongside frills and furs, velvet and linen and 'bashy' hair-dos. A full-figured woman in a ground-sweeping pink, frilly number had to step out of her high-heeled shoe that was stuck in the mud.
Sky-blue seemed to be the popular colour of the night. Emcee Paula Ann Porter was 'blue-tiful' in an off-the- shoulder, ankle-length number and Judy Mowatt's ensemble with glitters and matching head piece was 'fablulous'.
Richie Stephens also sang a blue note in his dapper suit. The blue bundle sitting on the stage was Luther's equipment covered by a tarpaulin. And while waiting to go on stage, the superstar donned a blue bathrobe.
The production went ahead with few glitches, but the promised set design from either Luther Vandross or local designer Paul Hamilton never surfaced.
After Vandross sang Power Of Love and said goodbye, he returned to the chants of "We want more" to give Since I Lost My Baby and his latest single (yet to be released) Can I Take You Out Tonight.
With a third change of jacket, he closed the show with Stop To Love.
Richard Burgess was co-emcee.
