Stars shine for 'Fathers With Love'

John Holt, Marcia Griffiths and Ken Boothe

THE HEINEKEN Startime Concert staged at the Fayor's Entertainment Centre in Mandeville on Saturday was all it was billed to be and more.

Promoted as 'To Fathers With Love', a tribute to fathers, it really should have been called 'To The Family With Love'. The star-studded line-up of Jamaican artistes left patrons wanting for nothing more than for the show to continue until daybreak.

From as early as 6 p.m., one got the feeling that patrons would be in for an evening without the many hitches so often associated with Jamaican shows.

It began with the arrival of Marcia Griffiths, who was followed by Judi Emanuel and emcee Richie B.

The show started at nine o'clock as advertised after patrons were treated to three hours of music by sound operator Mr. Wong.

With Lloyd Parks and We The People Band coming on stage, the show started with the Fourth Street Sisters dressed in matching white pants suits.

Their performance was fair, but clearly the fast pace of their act was not suited for the evening. They managed, however, to get the audience involved.

It was then time for the breathtaking voice of 'Star of the Future' Judi Emanuel who, with her clear and rich tones, asked Are You Still The One? from backstage. While all eyes were glued to the side entrances on stage, she emerged from an entrance below, with microphone in hand, singing as she gracefully climbed the stairway.

The audience was awed by her entrance and she took them to greater heights when she moved into old hits such as The Great Pretender, To Sir With Love (from the hit movie with Sidney Poitier) and the Supremes' Stop! In the Name Of Love.

Just when it was felt she could do no better, she added another flavour with a string of hits from the late Dennis Brown. She then had the crowd rocking to cuts from Percy Sledge.

Her closing number, a hit for Brook Benton in the early sixties, I Hunger for Your Touch, put the crown on what clearly was not the performance of a star in the making but that of one who had arrived.

The evening flowed with master of ceremonies Richie B not missing a beat.

Lloyd Parks and We The People Band, without doubt, are a class act and by themselves created the sounds which alerted the audience that Mr. Rocksteady, Ken Boothe, was on his way to the stage.

Ken Boothe was great. His footwork was as good as his singing.

He was followed by Marcia Griffiths, who pleased the patrons with her every word and move. Her purple, ankle-length dress and silver head-dress were as adorable as her renditions of I Want To Be Closer (To You) and I Shall Sing.

A solid performance by this veteran female entertainer was followed by John Holt who celebrated his birthday the day before, Holt closed the show sending everyone home happy after singing Tribal War and Stick By Me among other memorable songs.

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