By Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer
Beenie Man. - File
WESTERN BUREAU:
WITH BEENIE Man on-stage, along with a host of dancers, as well as Kitty Paw in all his miniature glory, the live segment of Saturday night's dance at Bojay's should have been blistering.
As it was, it hit a high in parts, but there was hardly a conflagration at the St. James entertainment spot. This was in keeping with the number of persons who turned out for the event enough to keep it from being deemed a 'flop', but certainly not enough to make it a whopping success.
In addition, a large part of the highs came from a mock 'clash' with popular disabled dancer Screechie, Beenie Man temporarily 'disabling' himself to match style for style and winning the friendly contest.
Fire Lion chipped in with his trademark 'Zum Zi' styles at segments of Beenie Man's performance and it was left to him, when the Grammy-winning deejay and entourage called it a night, to turn the proceedings back over to the sound system. However, with most of the people following Beenie Man's entourage through the exit and on to the Anchovy main road, he soon gave up the effort.
Leopard, with his Waapen; the little man with the big voice, John Gotti, the humourous Mikey Ranks and the gun-lyrics flashing Meriton Crew performed before the minute figure of Kitty Paw burst on to the stage. His blue headwrap bobbed as he moved in time with the rhythm, but the screams and cheers did not start until Beenie Man walked casually on to the stage.
Clad all in black, Beenie Man immediately set the stage for a hardcore performance.
Rowing the boat with Kitty Paw, Beenie Man appealed to anti-homosexuality and pro-sex feelings, hitting a groove early. Fire Lion got a touch, 'livicating' I Know What Girls Like to a woman at the front of the audience.
Beenie Man's Lick I Back caused a stir, but Gangster Fi Life cooled the vibes considerably. "Dat a BET sittin," Beenie man said.
The entire dancing crew, some 13 or 14 strong 'bus de dance' to the delight of the audience, which chanted 'hey-hey-hey' in time with the moves and the music. However, it was the disabled dancer Screechie who ripped up the venue, 'rowing the boat' across the stage on the seat of his pants as the audience howled.
Screechie challenged Beenie Man to a clash, which the deejay accepted and, twisting his limbs into pretzel-like positions, ripped the place apart with exquisite moves.
Dis Bad Man (Yu Get Shot) came on a rhythm used by Eminen, Beenie Man playing a mock guitar as he grinned and bounced to the rhythm.
The original deejay 'Lapa Leng' was introduced with a lot of honour and respect, the dapperly dressed gentleman delivering well. Beenie Man went into a semi-oldies snippet, with touches of Man a Bad Man and If You Cross The Bridge, but by that time the enthusiasm inside Bojay's had cooled considerably. Red Red Red did not hit the middle and back of the audience with much impact and Beenie Man finished the evening, leaving Warface, a Guyanese deejay, and Fire Lion to take over.
