Queen Ifrica

At a few minutes past 11 p.m. on Saturday, 'Golden Oldies' at Mas Camp, Oxford Road in New Kingston, seemed headed along the roller coaster route that afflicts many a concert organised mainly for a cause apart from song and dance.

Too many performers, not enough stage time for each and an inconsistent running order on a show created to generate funds for bassist, Lloyd Parkes' son Ricky's medical expenses.

At that time, Pam Hall had lifted the audience, which never grew into a bumper crowd, but was more than enough to make a party, with her high notes in I Was Born a Woman after a gospel deejay had left them highly uninspired.

But then came unfamiliar younger performers Alibra and Leftside, working with tracks, the latter's deejaying, especially Tuck Een Yu Belly, striking a wrong chord, even after he said he is Parkes' son. When he was followed by Tina Tamara, a woman in the audience demanded loudly, "gospel again?!" and although Tina worked in some Marley in a medley and the audience showed its appreciation, the concert needed a boost.

Sparkling run

Tarrus Riley.

They got it in Lovindeer and his Dumplin' Shop, a collective laugh going up when he sang "me no want it siddung pon me ches". From there on 'Golden Oldies' with Lloyd Parkes and We The People playing for all the performers, had mostly a decent and sometimes sparkling run to the end, with relative youngsters Queen Ifrica and Tarrus Riley.

The performances were still on the 'contribution' side, short and a show of faith, though much better than simply being a show of face. And although it was clear that time was getting cramped in the end, it was never an unpleasant rush.

So Trinity did his own singing on Hypocrites and Loving Pauper, before chipping in with his deejaying, closing with Three Piece Suit, while Ken Boothe accompanied his voice on Freedom Street and Silver Words with twinkling toes and light backward steps. In his closing medley, the audience howled for the recognisable song intros.

The Tamlins, however, despite their vintage and credentials, were far from impressive, even though they closed with their big hit Baltimore, restarting even though the audience's response did not indicate a rewind.

Bongo Herman was brash, loud and a hit with the audience, rasping out the command "let's do rocksteady", palms fluttering as he indicated that the crowd should cheer. They did. Herman added a new gimmick to his bag of percussive tools that he pulled out individually. Normally he ends with the 'enamel chamber pot'; this time around he ended holding up a huge underwear which was good for a hearty laugh, although its music making use was unclear - or the instrument it works along with was missing.

Golden run

Ken Boothe

The concert hit a golden run, as from Push Come To Shove through So I'll Wait For You for his encore, Freddie McGregor fused good singing and showmanship. The Mighty Diamonds brought the Right Time and delivered the mothers a Wildflower or two. And Gregory Isaacs slow skanked on stage with Tune In and got the ministration of the Night Nurse, combining with Richie Stephens for Big All Around on a return to the stage.

The relative youngsters, Queen Ifrica and Tarrus Riley, were very comfortable with and before their elders, the former going Below The Waist. And elders and youngsters were united on the point "me don' want no fish inna me ital dish".

Riley opened with the rockers of Beware and wrapped up with She's Royal, a hit appropriate for the now Mother's Day 2009. In between, he interacted with the audience, had a mock battle with saxophonist Dean Fraser and paid homage to a special elder, Delroy Wilson.

Both of the night's MCs sang, Junior Sinclair going with the familiar Consider Me to make an impact on the audience. Empress was commendable for her enthusiasm, choice of topic and preparation (she had two back-up singers and sang for the Righteous Woman as well as pleading with fathers to take care of their sons). Still, she sounded more like an MC singing, than a singing MC, her voice way too loud and not quite on pitch with the music.