By Chaos, Freelance WriterCD ENTERTAINMENT'S and Mud Slide's 'Splurt 2K3 - Mardi Gras & Spring Break Madness' was much better than the previous 'Splurt' incarnation held last November. In fact, this one was a resounding success.
Held last Tuesday at the Blue Mountain Inn, St. Andrew, the event featured two dance floors, an all-night 'two-for-one' drink policy and Mardi Gras beads and it was packed.
Entrance into the mountain venue saw throngs of people dancing and drinking to the sounds of Renaissance, Deejay Karim and Bass X/S in Room One, but it was when one went through the venue to see the lower level Room Two and looked down where you truly appreciated the massive number of people present.
As Vendetta, Collin Hinds and Delano played, people looked as small, busy and as packed as ants in a nest disturbed in Room Two. People, a drink or two in hand, were constantly making their way between the dance floors. Room Two also featured a foam pit, which this time around was fully utilised by young ladies in skimpy outfits and somewhat inebriated young men, who 'wined', jumped and somehow drank while covered in bubbles.
After one in the morning, Room Two was the place to be for hip-hop remixes of dancehall favourites and the selectors did not stint in delivering the same. Wayne Marshall's Overcome and Bounty Killer's Sufferer were just two of the many songs which came in for the treatment and the patrons just lapped it all up while having a ball wherever they could find the space to cut loose. Upstart rap star 50 Cent's In Da Club, courtesy of the eyepatch-wearing Delano, sent the crowd even wilder, large masses of foam in the pit flying all over the place.
Room One was the place for more hardcore dancehall after two in the morning. Splurt 2K3 was billed as being hosted by selecting duo Leftside and Esco and here Leftside was in his element, shouting out various instructions as Bass X/S played.
As the night wore one, deejays such as Elephant Man, Wayne Marshall and the newly Rastafarian Spragga Benz, en route from THE STAR Awards held earlier, made an appearance, as did selector Tony Matterhorn. Room One, which after four a.m. saw a massive influx from Room Two as well as appearances by Kurt Riley and Delano, saw Wayne Marshall, Elephant Man and their entourages make one corner of the room their own, forming a circle and dancing according to the instructions from the selectors.
They did the 'Higher Level', '3-Pointer', 'Medium Level' and the 'Jump Shot' rhythmically in time with shouted orders and the music, with RE TV's Quizz adding her own version of each in the process. Spragga Benz on the other was just 'chilling', leaning against a wall and taking in the proceedings.
The portable toilets came in for some assault but survived being banged on with intense regularity, whether occupied or not, and apparently treated at least one young lady to a surprise in the form of a real live frog. She assured The Gleaner that no kisses were attempted - perhaps she already had her prince.
Leftside, after Tony Matterhorn 'mash up di place' with Benz' A Rasta Run Di World, had a ball playing a profanity laden song by Calico, which seemed to consist almost entirely of the word bcl, 'pulling it up' quite a number of times - which no one seemed to mind.
A break for the presentation of a weekend for two at Hedonism 3 to Ruth-Ann Green from Sydenham Villas in Spanish Town was taken. She won the weekend based on the number of Mardi Gras beads she had, quite a number of which were strung around her neck, leading her to look like a Maori tribeswoman. When asked, Miss Green told The Gleaner that she invested $1500 in the beads - an idea which clearly paid off for her.
On the other hand, there were rumours, which The Gleaner was unable to substantiate, that she was one of the persons selling the beads earlier- not that it mattered at the end of the day.
Then it was back to the music and no event such as this, especially one featuring Tony Matterhorn, would be complete without crass instructions shouted out about or against any number of topics, 'How good yuh sex yuh woman' and homosexuality being popular ones. The selectors did not 'disappoint' - irony intended. The words were said and the hands were raised by many at the selectors' behest as, all the while, pulsating beats were laid down.
The next - or present - day was Ash Wednesday and the thought of no school or work the following day apparently led to many persons having no intention of leaving until the sun put in an appearance, with one selector having to shout that 'De bus dem ready an' outside a wait' at long past five a.m. The buses in question were the shuttles which provided transportation between parking at Jamaica College and the venue. Slowly and reluctantly they were filled and a good Splurt 2K3 came to an end - eventually.
