WESTERN BUREAU:
THERE WAS an encouraging run of fresh talent at Carifest 2002, held at the Port Kaiser Sports Club in Manchester recently.
Among the standouts were the Spanish/English singing duo Unico, humorous deejay Sharky Ranks, the dancing, singing dazzlingly smiling Aisha and a sweet-voiced Champagne.
However, it was also in this section that MC Jerry Davy announced that "If the band on the stage stops playing it is because they are trying to keep it on a level". This was after the Monster Twins had invited the Warrior Princess Xena on-stage.
After wining with each twin in turn, the Warrior Princess ended up in a most 'unregal' heap with one on the stage, her brief clothing riding up to expose her.
The band on the stage was SANE (Sounds Against Negative Expressions).
The first young talent to ignite the audience was Lion Face, who opened up by chanting "Up deh, up deh, Selassie I up deh". With a trademark growl which was replicated throughout the audience during his performance, Lion Face scored with Bush Life, switching from the woods to the bush to chant:
Bus a sweat
.. ... haffi get wet
However, it was not as well received as his previous offerings.
Lion Face earned the night's first encore, doing a weed song and a tribute to the vegetarian lifestyle:
Fly away chicken, swim away fish
To be a vegetarian is the Rastaman wish
"A de firs real vibe fi de night," said MC Jerry D.
For the next performance, however, Jerry D himself was involved in the first extreme lewdness of the night, as Jem and Alle Berry, a pair of females who put down a display of lyrics and wining. Jerry D ended up with his shirt off and testing Alle Berry, who at first demanded: "A run yu a run from wine Jerry?"
Sharky Ranks, introduced as Manchester's top deejay for 1997-98, delivered lyrics that had the audience in stitches. His voice strong and clear, Sharky's first piece was about going to buy a pair of shoes -- which developed into a lovely play on words which was about another matter, as the woman he was buying the footwear from shouted when he put his foot into it:
Me see Jeesas Crise him tear de tongue
Aisha, who was next, was introduced as a lady with a different style. She was. She performed Put It On Me, complete with her back-up dancers. Aisha proved her experience with L'Acadco, doing excellent dances - enticing and raunchy, yet in no way vulgar.
If yuh want to be my man
You've got to give it the best you can
If you want me to be your girl
You've got me to be able
to light my world,
Aisha sang.
Aisha also earned an encore, the audience expressing its appreciation with handclaps.
Unico proved to be two young men, one singing in Spanish and the other in English, who went down especially well with the ladies. Among their numbers was Judgement Day in Spanish, as they gave credit to Terry Linen for allowing them to do a song on his album. They sung an excellent tune on the rhythm to Beres Hammond's Rock Away about losing a girl and wanting her back, before moving into Who The Cap Fit for the deceased Black Rat.
Champagne, a male singer, was also impressive, opening with the words of Bob Andy:
Just take these chains away and set me free
Remove me out of bondage and we will all agree
He moved on to a Sanchez track, before leaving on a dancehall note. Jerry D called him back and attempted to take him on in a singing contest to melt a particular girl in the audience.
It was a no contest.
