BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - FREDDIE MCGREGOR had promised to "shell down de place" for his birthday, and that is just what he did last night (Jun. 28) at the final night of the sweet 18 St. Kitts Music Festival.
He burst on stage like lightning in the night sky and rocked the Warner Park Football Stadium which had filled to hundreds by the time his name was called to perform.
Even those who were in the Stadium and the VIP section ran from their seats to the front of the stage when McGregor made his grand entrance with 'Uncle Sam'.
The 58-year-old proved age is just a number as he bounced and poured out sings such a 'If You Wanna Go', 'Freedom is a Must', 'Stop Loving you' and 'Big Ship'.
A crowd favourite was 'I Was Born A Winner' and the audience sang along to the powerful song and moved to the groovy beat.
During his performance, McGregor put a hold on the hype to give a special rendition to the ladies present. He took a seat on one of the speakers at the front of the stage, and when the ladies asked him to remove his shirt he told them that he did not have a "six pack" and informed that fellow performer Tyrese might be the one to grant that request.
He belted out 'I Really Miss You' for the ladies and had them swaying from side to side, and continued the hypnosis with 'Always and Forever' before his performance ended.
Reggae songstress Tessanne Chin kept the audience alive with her melodious voice and Jamaican dance moves.
She performed some of the songs she sang on The Voice, including 'Try' and 'Underneath It All', during which time her magical voice held the audience captive from song to song.
Chin poured out songs such as 'Anything's Possible' and dedicated her performance of 'Bridge Over Troubled Waters' to all mothers. She explained that mothers usually go through many tough times which are not often seen by the outside world and that song sums up the experiences they have.
'You Got What I Need' is a song Chin said is for the days when "you just wanna relax on the beach with a cold beer and listen to some good music".
The 2013 The Voice winner disclosed that her new album would be coming out on July 1 and treated the audience to one of the songs on that album - 'Everything Reminds Me Of You'.
She paid tribute to Bob Marley with 'Redemption Song' and ended a great performance with a crowd favourite - 'Hideaway'.
The crowd went wild when her name was called to perform and, even though pregnant, Pop Star Kelly Rowland did not disappoint. Her moves were on point and her voice was beautiful.
She burst onstage with upbeat 'What a Feeling' song then bounced into 'Like This' before grooving into 'Lay It On Me'.
She took the audience back into the 90s with 'Dilemma' which sent the crown into frenzy. She also performed Fantasia's 'Without Me' in which she featured before singing 'Kisses Down Low', which everyone seemed be waiting to hear.
Before ending her performance, Rowland took the crowd down memory lane with some songs from her days of Destiny's Child, including 'Survivor', 'Jumpin Jumpin' and 'Soldier'.
Tyrese Gibson brought the curtains down on what can be deemed another successful staging of the St. Kitts Music Festival.
With his megawatt smile and enticing body build, he had the ladies in the crowd captivated from the moment he graced the stage.
Gibson did not do much singing, but rather let the band play his music while he concentrated on interacting with the crowd. The audience seemed not to mind and the females just went wild each time he spoke with them.
He took a moment to get down from the stage and hug a few ladies who were screaming, and, in some instances, crying, as he went from fan to fan singing. He stopped at one young lady and fell to his knees, and this unexpected gesture made her shed tears of joy as she screamed and jumped.
Songs such as 'How You Gonna Act Like That', 'Sweet Lady', 'Lately' and 'Stay' were the order of his performance as the audience constantly asked for him to remove his shirt - a request he however did not fulfil.
One song, 'Signs of Love Making', sent the females in the huge crowd over the edge causing them to almost climb over the banisters.
Gibson left the stage thanking everyone, including Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas, for an unforgettable first visit to Sweet Sugar City St. Kitts, while the audience screamed for more.
