- WINSTON SILL/FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
Kenny Benjamin and Aloima Suarez didn't resist the music.Daviot Kelly, Staff Reporter
THE HOST with the most did it again on New Year's eve.
Kenny Benjamin threw another wild party at his Stony Hill residence. The garden theatre was transformed into a disco dance floor. The party favours including hats, noisemakers and tiaras awaited guests after they walked up the lantern illuminated red carpet. In the distance, someone was setting off fireworks; illegal, yes, but adding to the festive atmosphere.
No Benjamin New Year's eve party is complete without lots of music and this year, guests were in the capable hands of Andrew Henry. He kept the early arrivals (anyone who was there around 9:30 p.m.), entertained before picking up the tempo as more guests almost literally swarmed in. Tuxedos and ball gowns brushed off or bought anew were on display as with some of Kingston's leading hotels not throwing any festivities, this was indeed the place to be to meet 2006. And, as the DJ counted down the minutes, Benjamin urged guests towards the dance domain, and when it was 1midnight, the scene was of toasting, hugs and kisses, and the best renditions of Auld Lang Syne guests could muster.
PERFORMER OF THE NIGHT
But, the question on many minds as the clock neared midnight was, who was the feature performer for the night?
That question was soon answered as 'The Doctor', Beenie Man entered. But perhaps it was the many shows he had done for the season (had two more that very morning), problems with his microphone or having none of his tracks as backup, but his musical surgery wasn't with the usual precision. He still got favourable response at times, but Beenie was clearly not at his best.
On the other hand, Elephant Man could do no wrong with the audience. From the moment he touched the stage, he had the crowd rocking just like he did to ring in 2005 at the same venue. Everybody (security guards included) was doing the 'Willy Bounce', 'Jiggy', 'Weddy Weddy' and all the dance hits he's perfected. When the self-proclaimed 'Energy God' said his goodbyes to "have some champagne", Benjamin called him back for an encore.
PLANS FOR 2006
All the while, guests made full use of the two fully stacked bars and another excellent buffet. As guests left sometime before sunrise, many wondered what Benjamin was planning for December 31, 2006.
Guests included Gerd and Mara Jarchow, Robert Haughton, Christene King, Al Niazi, Robert MacMillan, Judy Markes, Oliver Jarchow and wife-to-be Floreen Hopkins, Ann Rae, Charles and Brunetta Matthews, Juliet Watkiss and Oneil Walters, Rodney and Nadja Davis, Rivi Gardner and Margaret East, Mark Shields, Shereen Walsh, Lisa Marzouca, Joan Hooley, John Barrows, Claude and Jenni Clement, Natalia Kovalchuk, Adrian and Darrilyn Foreman, Ueli Bangarter, Gary and Bernadette Barrow, Dr. Henry Lowe, Nadine Willis, Allison Peart, Vinay Walia and Sophia Max-Brown.
