Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer

Cindy Breakspeare of BentSpeare Entertainment speaks at the launch of Welcome To Jamrock - the Concert, held at the Hilton Kingston hotel, New Kingston, on Tuesday. From second left are Zachary Harding of the Wisynco Group, David Walton, brand manager of Appleton Jamaica Rum, and Rupert Bent, co-promoter. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

When Rupert Bent Sr. announced the venue for the second 'Appleton Welcome To Jamrock, The Concert', he presented the Constant Spring Football Field as a meeting place of different sides of Jamaica.

"We had to find a venue to fit the mix of uptown and downtown," Bent said of the Friday, December 22, concert, saying that it is important to Damian Marley, after whose Grammy-winning album it is named. Last year it was held at Cinema II, New Kingston.

"Constant Spring is like Damian's Half-Way Tree," he said, referring those gathered at the Jonkanoo Lounge, Hilton hotel, on Tuesday evening to Jr. Gong's previous full-length effort. "We are hoping that this will be their biggest show so far and it launch them as a venue," he said, noting that the Constant Spring Road, St. Andrew, venue was moving in that direction.

Entertainers

The organisers, BentSpeare Entertainment, are relying on TOK, Tanya Stephens, Luciano, Tessane Chin, Stephen Marley, Sean Paul and Damian Marley to pull in that crowd. Stone Love will be providing recorded music.

However, in giving the vote of thanks Cindy Breakspeare, the other half of BentSpeare, in speaking about the hard work putting on the concert is, emphasised that a lot of that work was simply finding a venue. "It is definitely a problem. Music is to Jamaica what sand is to the beach, ants to a picnic. We have nowhere to stage an event," she said.

"I started at Constant Spring Polo Club and worked my way in," she said, noting that for that venue it was close to the beginning of the season and there were fears that the field would be messed up. "I would like to appeal to our governments, we need a venue to host shows," she emphasised.

For the Appleton 'Welcome To Jamrock, The Concert', Bent said parking will be provided in an open lot close by, below Constant Spring Football Field. "Prior to the event it will be transformed into a parking lot," he said. In addition, permission has been granted to use the post office's grounds and negotiations are under way to use the tax office's facilities. On the other side of Constant Spring Road, however, the nuns seem to be having none of it, Bent saying, "They are concerned. Anything to do with a concert is not for their girls."

He emphasised that the show begins at 9:00 p.m. sharp, "as it did last year. We say that with pride. The show will end, as it did last year, promptly and exactly at 2:00 a.m."