These young women caught the eyes of several men attending the Red Stripe Road Show in Montego Bay last Friday night. - Photo by Noel Thompson
WESTERN BUREAU:
It was a wet and murky night, but the sporadic heavy rainfall could not deter determined 'bredrens' from showing up at the Red Stripe Ultimate Bredren Road Show at Dump Up Beach in Montego Bay on the weekend.
Mounds of mud and pools of water covered most of the grounds, and thick dark clouds signalled the threat of more rain, but the bredrens demonstrated that once they were already at the open-air venue nothing would stop them from enjoying themselves.
Although the rain had noticeably prevented what was expected to be a large turnout, the small gathering in attendance could be seen clutching buckets of Red Stripe, Heineken and Guinness and sharing among themselves, and were awarded on-the-spot cash prizes.
They opened one bottle after another and repeatedly echoed shouts of 'forward', as the selectors from three different sound systems took turns to spin a litany of dancehall and funk music. The crowd extended credit to Donovan Smith and Dexter 'Pepper' Smith of Pieces Music; DJ Kentucky and Super Strong sound systems, all based in Montego Bay.
Pieces, however, created a different atmosphere by starting off their set with several '70s hits, such as Bony Em's Glory To The New Born King. Thirty seconds later, a barrage of funk thumped from the boxes, including Ain't No Stopping Us Now, Sweet Dreams, What Is Love, Funky Town, Celebrate Good Times, Hot Stuff and Michael Jackson's Billy Jean.
Inclement weather
Red Stripe's divisional sales manager Keith Miller's only disappointment was that more patrons did not show up due to the inclement weather.
The beverage company embarked on a promotion dubbed Red Stripe Ultimate Bredren Flex, on November 14, which lasts through February 14.
"This is the only promotion that has over 700 winners daily, inclusive of four daily winners of $25,000 cash, 675 winners of daily phone credit and 74 winners of Red Stripe gear," boasts Miller.
Mega prizes
He said loyal customers would also be rewarded with mega prizes, inclusive of $500,000, which would be won by three lucky persons; a weekend spent at an attraction and a party for 20 friends; a VIP shopping spree for one winner and four friends; a tour of the Black River Safari and a night in Negril, and an exclusive party in Portland.
"The real mega prize, which is worth $3 million, will see one winner and four friends jetting off to Las Vegas and will be treated like VIPs. All you have to do is buy Red Stripe and Red Stripe Light and text in the information under the crown to stand a chance of being a winner," Miller said.