Dwight Nelson, Gleaner writer

Patrons in a frenzy during South Coast Carnival - Jamaica Carnival blow-out fête, held at Jamalco Sports Club, May Pen, on Saturday.

South Coast Carnival 2K8 dubbed May Pen Blow-out held at Jamalco Sports Club in Clarendon on Saturday night had everything the promoters ordered. It had crowd support, high energy, lots of entertainment and Byron Lee and the Dragonaires.

When the Star team arrived at the venue shortly after 10:00 p.m., it was half filled already and lots of fans were still pouring in. The fans were receptive to the various selections from Selector Teet-a-pow from Black Wizard.

It was 11:10 p.m. when Reggae Rogers introduced Byron Lee and the Dragonaires to the stage. This got the crowd in a frenzy. Jumo, one of the singers from the band, had the entire crowd waving rags and jumping in the air to several soca favourites, including 'Jump and wave you rags' and 'The people want WATA'.

Oscar B and Jumo got the crowd participating while they assumed the role of 'socarobics' instructors. They instructed the crowd to divide into two halves, one for Oscar and the other for Jumo, to see which had the higher level of energy. Both groups, however, generated high levels of energy and receptiveness and neither could outdo the other.

Jumo generated shrieks of pleasure from the women in the crowd when he took his shirt off and started flexing his waistline to the beat of several soca rhythms. Ashley and Talia from the band took the crowd to church for a while, with several gospel favourites, including the Marvia Providence/Elephant Man combination Hear my Cry/Too Bad Mine before the band break at 12:30 a.m.

All for the ladies

At 12:50 a.m., it was guest entertainer Desi Boyd, who got the crowd together in a dancehall mood as he did his piece 'What's happening in de dancehall?' and demonstrated slow-wine movements to the crowd, which had the females in awe. His ganja tune Rolling in from West, had the men on a high, but his final song She Got It, had the ladies screaming as if he had left something precious with them.

It was 1:10 a.m. when Busy Signal did Step Out and got the crowd in a frenzy throughout his 20-minute performance.

Byron Lee and the Dragonaires made their second stage appearance at 1:45 a.m. and took the crowd back to soca madness.

Oscar B (centre) and Jumo (right) from Byron Lee and the Dragonaires providing a musical treat for the patrons. - Photos by Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer