Teino Evans, Staff Reporter

Spice applies the stick

From grand entrances to some amazing outfits onstage, performers have gone over the top at times to impress fans and ensure that that first impression lasts. And despite the grand entrance being replaced by more creative fashion and gimmicks, artistes nowadays still manage to be effective in making that huge initial impact.

Shabba Ranks raised the bar with his helicopter entry to Reggae Sunsplash in the early 1990s, a stunt that is still being talked about, and since then, it can be argued that not much has been done in terms of pulling really major stunts.

Elephant Man made a grand entrance on a crane from the left side of the stage, accompanied by fireworks at Sting 2004, Vegas entered on his Honda 50 motorbike at Reggae Sumfest 2006, Spice on the back of a horse at Sting 2005 and Busy Signal stepped out in a trenchcoat and gas mask at Sting 2006.

The artistes say they actually go the extra mile to impress their fans, who in turn show their appreciation by the loud cheers and screams that usually erupt around the venue.

Spice, who entered also came onstage at Sting 2003 on a motorbike, said "basically, as an artiste, first impression last, suh if yuh come out looking droopy and sad nobody nah guh waan here yuh, but if yuh come out pon a bang den yuh a guh get the vibes and attention right away."

According to Spice, as an artiste, there is a certain image that you have to uphold and, for her, "Mi haffi live up to my name still; mi always haffi spice it up. Mi nah guh gwaan normal like everyday performance pon like a big show."

Spice says "stage show is a form of entertainment. People nah guh come fi hear di song weh normally play pon radio, dem come fi di performance and your entry have a lot to do with you performance and mi always guh all out and that is what people love about me."

The simpler path

Many artistes prefer to travel the simpler path and get very creative with their actual appearance, rather than stage entrance.

Busy Signal, for example, got creative when he turned up onstage at Sting 2006 clad in a gas mask, bulletproof vest, trench coat and his black Desert Clarks.

He said he just wanted to find a creative way to dress, something that matched his hit single Step Out.

"A jus fi match back wid everything black an Step Out at the time. It nuh normal, it abnormal, and a jus di extra mile fi di fans an fi match back wid mi song, 'cause people nuh jus walk inna dem ting deh everyday," he said.

Busy says "di fans dem love dem ting deh, 'cause is not di regular everyday ting, an when dem si wi do dem ting deh jus fi dem dem appreciate it. Dem love dem ting deh an dem really give yuh feedback fairly."

Beenie Man says that the 'forward' every artiste works towards getting at a stage show can actually come as a result of just their physical appearance.

"Appearance is you, the whole image a you. Me is a man of fashion, mi love clothes, suh is your job fi mek di people si yuh in a different format at all time. Is di artiste job to look nice. Artiste fi always look outstanding, I don't care how expensive the suit is. Di people bawl forward fi yuh presence, how yuh look. Music is fashion, fashion is music," he said.

Going all out

As one member in a blog chat room said, "Some people will do anything to get a forward." That statement was made in direct reference to Elephant Man, who took the stage clad in a full 'Incredible Hulk' costume at Hot 97s 'On The Reggae Tip' annual reggae concert in NYC.

However some artistes, like Aidonia, say they don't believe in gimmicks and costumes on stage, but rather find interesting ways of dressing to impress their audience in a more professional manner.

Referring to his suit at Red Stripe Reggae Sumfest 2006, "a brown jacket suit, silk shirt, silk tie an one long pointed toe shoes," Aidonia says "yuh use dem show deh an mek di people dem si seh yuh a tek di ting professional. Wi nuh inna di costume ting, a clown ting dat".

According to Aidonia, he was so well dressed "dem seh me a di best dressed like Best Dressed Chicken".

Humour aside, Aidonia makes the important point that artistes should envision themselves as a product and seek to sell themselves accordingly.

"You are a product an yuh haffi package di product properly. Artistes haffi pre dem self inna da light deh, cause dem ting deh stand out an carry yuh a far way. An from wi touch di stage an di girl dem si yuh an like wah dem a si, dem nah stop scream di whole show, all when dem nuh know di song, an yuh done know di thugs dem wi rate yuh," Aidonia advised.