Quickies - Startime returns tomorrow night

Jamaica's most notable vintage stage show, Startime, returns in all its glory tomorrow night at Liguanea Club, New Kingston. It has been on a six-year break after 18 consecutive years playing the lead role in keeping Jamaica's musical history up to date and its musical pioneers in the spotlight, Startime producers MKB, bowing to public demand for the show's return.

All of Jamaica's musical genres will be spotlighted, as the star-studded cast represents some of the finest performers to have graced the Jamaican musical stage over the past 50 years.

Intent on stamping their class on this historic event will be Queen of Reggae Marcia Griffiths, John '1000 Volts' Holt, King of Ska Derrick Morgan, Mr Rocksteady Ken Boothe, legendary DJ Big Youth, the Mighty Diamonds (celebrating 43 years with their original members), Johnny 'Hit Machine' Clarke and 'Mr Smooth' George Nooks. They will all be backed by Lloyd Parkes & We the People Band.

Gates will open at 7 p.m., with showtime 9 p.m. Patrons will enter the venue via the LIME Golf Academy, which be available for free parking.

Presold tickets are now available at Juici Patties, Knutsford Boulevard; Bourne's Texaco, 31 Constant Spring Road; Mall & Portmore Mall Pharmacies; Kia Motors, 2 Chelsea Avenue; Worldtron Total Gas Station, 23 Half-Way Tree Road; Christar Villas Hotel, 99A Hope Road, and J. Wray Afrique Pub, 2¹/² King Street, downtown Kingston.

Purple Valentine spreading love to children

Although Valentine's Day is a time when lovers celebrate each other, this year the love will be extended to the Hear the Children's Cry (HTCC) advocacy group, courtesy of the Purple Valentine Party, 'Purple Love', tomorrow.

Part proceeds of Purple Love will go towards the Youth Paper Recycling Project in Schools, which was launched recently by HTCC. The project is currently in dire need of a truck to be used to pick up and drop off the recycled paper from various locations in the Kingston Metropolitan Area.

Purple Valentine offers a unique experience, entertainment and pampering in one night. Women will be able to beautify themselves as they party. For example, individuals can get their feet massaged after dancing, or a lady can freshen up her make-up if it gets messed up, as these services will be provided in the Beauty Corner. A Purple Valentine Photo Studio will also be set up for patrons to get free souvenir photos.

There will be a merchandise corner where patrons will get to shop for clothing, jewellery, footwear, perfumes and handbags at reduced prices. Food and drinks will also be on sale.

Special entertainment will be provided by Christopher Martin, as well as pulsating rhythms from Dynamic Heart Steel band. The men will be entertained by the Purple Love Dancing Girls and they will also get a chance to 'Shoot the Loop' for their lover and win great prizes.

DJ Nicco on islandwide Thre3style assault

DJ Nicco's outstanding energy and mixing talent led to him winning Jamaica's Red Bull Thre3style DJ Competition last year and brought him to the international stage, giving him further experience to enhance his craft.

This year, as the competition prepares to return to Jamaica, Nicco - born Nicholas Rasinski - is helping to spread the art of being a good DJ throughout Jamaica with the Red Bull Thre3style Winner Tour.

"This craft has definitely become a real career for me and I just want to show others that you can make money doing what you love. But you have to take it seriously, put in the work, get out of your comfort zone and try every opportunity you can," said Nicco, whose skills also impressed the judges during the international finals, held in Chicago last September.

The four-parish Red Bull Thre3style Winner Tour, which officially kicked off in Portland last Saturday, aims to showcase the importance of the DJ profession by exploring the art form's creative and business sides and showing young up-and-coming DJs how they may seize and capitalise on opportunities available to them.

During each stop, DJs will get to experience new elements of the profession and also learn about the Red Bull Thre3style DJ Competition, a search for talented DJs.

The tour continues with a two-night stop in Montego Bay, yesterday at Margaritaville being the first, followed by today at Pier 1. Next Saturday, the tour goes to Sea Waves in Buff Bay, and it makes the final stop at Fiction in Kingston on Friday, March 1. 

Sunjock debuts Sunboss

Currently one of Suncity 104.9 FM's most sought after radio personalities, Sunjock (SJ) Calico, aka the 'Sunboss', is gearing up to debut his first official mixtape for 2013.

The project sees Calico exploring his musical artistry and serving up a unique blend of the popular dancehall genre, interspersed with interludes, hip-hop remixes, exclusive skits and dubs, capped off by some precision mixing.

The compilation, aptly titled Sunboss, will be produced and distributed under the Darkcide International imprint.

Heading into the Easter holidays, SJ Calico and the Darkcide team have been confirmed for several high-profile events, including Cargill's, Marco Polo, Hydroxy, Colour Rain and Slap Weh Saturdays.

Hair forum for UWI

Last year, for Black History Month, the Department of Sociology, Psychology and Social Work programmed a thought-provoking forum entitled 'Notions of Beauty in Black Communities Globally: Rituals of Positive affirmation and Denigration of the Black Body'. This year, the department is continuing with this theme, but there will be more emphasis on the undeniable pre-occupation that people in the Caribbean have with their hair texture (good hair vs bad hair), than on the topic of skin bleaching, which will still be considered.

This year's symposium will take place on Friday, February 22, from 6 p.m.- 9 p.m., at Neville Hall Lecture Theatre One, University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona campus. It is titled 'Hair Stories: Exploring Pervasive Attitudes towards Hair and Beauty Within Black Communities'. It will feature presentations by Dr Imani Tafari-Ama, Dr Clinton Hutton and Dr Christopher Charles.

Additionally, a few members of the public will share their own personal hair journeys and skin bleaching experiences. Dr Michael Barnett will chair the proceedings.

A significant excerpt from the highly acclaimed documentary Good Hair, produced by Chris Rock, will be screened at the forum.

Don Andre drops new video

London-based deejay Don Andre is pleased with the overall response to the music video for his buzzing single, Badness Ina Wi Longtime.

The track, produced by Bena Productions, has been receiving steady airplay in the UK and that momentum has catapulted and inspired the music video to allow viewers the opportunity to become familiarised with the talented entertainer.

Heavy Films, the outfit behind Tommy Lee Sparta's music videos, is responsible for Don Andre's Badness Ina We Long Time, which was shot on location in Kingston.

The recently released YouTube version of the track was well received with high anticipation for the edited version, which will be available for TV audiences worldwide next week. Don Andre, having steadily developed a large following in London where he is known in dancehall circles, believes his distinct style has set him apart from the many prospects in the industry.