Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer
Left: Brian McKnight in full flight during his performance.Right: Regina Belle in performance. - Photos by Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer
WHEN THE stage went dark at 2:07 a.m. yesterday morning, there were squeals at the Port Royal Entertainment Centre in anticipation of the main act of the 2007 CVM TV Port Royal Music Festival's Main Show. It had been a 45-minute wait, filled with recorded music, since Regina Belle closed a satisfying one-hour performance with Baby Come To Me.
There were screams at the sight of the white-clad Brian McKnight atop a set of stairs on stage, the volume of the women's voices increasing as he descended.
He stood on stage, raised the microphone to his lips - and there was nothing. The video of choreographed dancing behind him also froze as the sound went.
Still, he was not fazed, as when the microphone was adjusted after a few seconds, he said, "I'm gonna get this right for you. Give me a second. I have been waiting for this as long as you have been waiting for this."
The waiting had been going on in between performers, all of whom were appreciated despite delays, for some time.
Extra squeals
And it was right the second time around, McKnight adding a hip wiggle for extra squeals at the top of the stairs as he repeated his entry to start a standout 75-minute performance that included a tribute to Luther Vandross in Never Too Much, stints on guitar and piano, input from his sons Brian and Nico, who put in a bit of rock with Prince's Let's Go Crazy and engaging patter on break-ups around Do I Cross Your Mind, before climaxing with Back at One and One Last Cry.
The sound mishap had happened before when a dance was delayed for a stuck CD and the long wait had been gathering minutes after a late start was compounded by band changes after every performer. At 8:30 p.m., Regina Belle's band was on stage doing a sound check and 15 minutes later, there were impatient handclaps as the instrumental version of Dennis Brown's Sitting and Watching was being played, long before Fab Five struck up Buffalo Soldier at 9:24 p.m.
By the time Tarrus Riley, who came after the half-hour band change that followed McKnight's exit, had rocked the reduced house with She's Royal and Beware in a severely shortened set, explaining that he had to catch a flight before closing off at 4:17 a.m., most had had more than enough. The announcement of another band change sent more of the handful home. Fab Five was ready, but the call for Jimmy Riley and Leroy Sibbles went unanswered and the show was over.
Limited seating
These patrons were obviously enjoying themselves.
But while all were watching, not all were sitting, as the chairs were taken from early and the bulk of the audience had to stand for the $3,500 general admission price, a promise of more seating not being fulfilled. Large stones at the perimeter where the Port Royal Entertainment Centre edged on to the Kingston Harbour were used seating purposes.
One Third, who were first up, got substantial stage time, their original Baby Boo being slotted in among a slew of covers, which began with the uptempo Reach Out, settled into the accustomed groove of Africa and closed with the dancehall of Top a Tings, coordinated moves accompanying voices that sometimes did not blend as harmoniously as required.
Regina Belle, who honoured the Isley Brothers, exchanged vocals with the harmony singers on This is Love, went back to her roots with her first single, asked Show Me and sang, as her mother had told her, Jesus will make it right, a series of high notes impressing the audience on Make It Like It Was.
