BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - THE Independence Super Concert, which ended shortly before 4:00 a.m. today (Sept. 19) at the Warner Park Cricket Stadium, officially ushered in the 30th Independence Anniversary of St. Kitts-Nevis that saw a melting pot of musical genres - Reggae, Gospel and Soca - complemented with brilliant fireworks during the Flag Raising Ceremony.
Thousands of people, men, women and children, attended the nationalistic entertainment affair which was free of charge to the public.
The line-up featured renowned Jamaican Reggae band Morgan Heritage, famous Reggae artiste Jah Cure and popular Gospel singer Carlene Davis as the headline acts, and St. Kitts’ Tehillah Gospel Band, Nu Vybes Band International (De Sugar Band) and the Small Axe Band as well as a special guest performance by a Mexican band called Los Panchamas.
All the performers gave Independence congratulatory comments and the Small Axe Band brought a lively climax to the Concert with much nationalistic zeal in giving a one-hour performance, as patrons jammed to songs such as 'Hardware', ‘Rum’, ‘Banana’, ‘Masquerade’ and their 2013-2014 Carnival Roach March song ‘DCH’.
The Concert, which was slated to begin at 6:00 p.m., kicked off about one hour and 10 minutes later.
The first act for the night was the Tehillah Gospel Band, which played a number of spirited selections.
A highlight of their segment was the Reggae version of the popular Gospel song called ‘My God is Awesome’ by Pastor Charles Jenkins of Chicago, USA.
Second on stage was the Los Pachamama Band, which injected some lively Mexican flavour into the entertainment atmosphere.
Well-known Gospel Reggae singer Carlene Davis gave a show which clocked about one hour and 30 minutes. She did songs like ‘This Island Needs Jesus’, Nothing But the Blood of Jesus’ and ‘What A Mighty God We Serve’ and had many people dancing and sang along in religious merriment.
The Nu Vybes Band International followed with a bouncy, high-energy performance which clocked about an hour. 'De Sugar Band' had their fans and music lovers jumping up and jamming to hits such as ‘Oxygen’, ‘One Order’ and the nationalistic song ‘Born in SKB’.
Members of the band sported patriotic shirts and dancers with national flags were part of the show.
Following Nu Vybes was popular Jamaican Reggae artiste Jah Cure, backed by a live band, who rocked the audience for more than an hour.
As usual, the singer erupted a female frenzy as many women screamed and cheered in delight and admiration.
Many of these women stretched upward to the stage to touch him and were just ecstatic at the opportunity to be up close and personal in such a way.
Jah Cure dished out songs like ‘Unconditional Love’, ‘Reflection’, ‘Longing For’ and also his most recent hits...‘That Girl’ and ‘Stronger’.
The dreadlocked Rastafarian artiste ensured that he ‘big up’ and greeted his fellow Rastafarians in the audience.
At the stroke of midnight, the National Anthem of St. Kitts-Nevis was played for the Flag Raising Ceremony and citizens, residents and visitors were observed standing at attention out of respect and a spectacular display of fireworks followed, which the audience loved.
Carlene Davis, accompanied by the St. Kitts-Nevis Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas onstage, said a prayer for the 30th Independence Anniversary.
PM Douglas, speaking to the audience, thanked her for “that wonderful prayer for our nation”.
He said, “What we have attained 30 years ago is a good thing for the people of St. Kitts and Nevis and our nation.”
The Concert continued afterwards with the Rasta Reggae family band, Morgan Heritage, which performed for over 90 minutes and giving a show of rockers. Some of the songs performed were ‘Don’t Haffi Dread’, ‘I’m Coming Home’ and ‘I’m Still The Same’.
Many persons rocked and swayed in the ‘irie’ atmosphere to the pulsating Rasta Reggae vibrations.
Lead vocalist Peter Morgan, during the band’s performance, borrowed a St. Kitts-Nevis flag from a member of the audience, as he echoed Independence Anniversary remarks.
He commended PM Douglas for his leadership, saying that he has been “doing a good job and we must commend him for that”, which was met with thunderous cheers and applauses from the audience.
Before Morgan Heritage’s performance, 18-year-old Jemere Morgan, the son of well-known vocalist of the band, Gramps Morgan, held the audience’s attention for about seven to 10 minutes in which he did one of his top songs called ‘Neighbourhood Girl’.
