( l - r ) Sizzla, Assassin, Bounty Killer

Champions in Action is known as a well-organised, orderly event and the 2009 staging at Jamworld, Portmore, St Catherine, last Saturday night was no different.

However, the lengthy line-up, including several relatively unknown performers, well after the concert segment got going at about 1:00 a.m. on Sunday, meant that the popular musical champions would always be pressed for time in the dawning hours, Queen Ifrica and Sizzla among those who squeezed in mostly a line or two of their songs. They were still, particularly Sizzla, appreciated.

The inevitable result was inconsistent action, which showed in the response of the large crowd. One of the redeeming factors which helped considerably was that Ruff Kut band played for all the performers, except show closers Bounty Killer and Mavado performing as a team, who took the house down again and again in a relatively short showing.

The pairing before them, Vybz Kartel and Beenie Man, did not have such good fortune, Beenie Man getting boos and harassing handclaps time and time again (he attributed it to Bounty Killer's Alliance fans). Kartel hit the spot with the crowd, surviving handclaps as he did Breast Specialist with his 'uncle' Beenie Man, whom he called on and later as he did his virginity song.

Assassin, who said with a recession on, people had to get a performance for their money, did not take any shortcuts from commanding "don' mek mi hol' yu" through to Priority and requesting "Almighty protect me", building up to Pree Dis in between for a genuine forward. When he asked, "who pay dem money an com in and sey Assassin work good, mek me see yu han'", a forest of hands reached for the morning sky and there was respectful, appreciative applause when he left the stage.

Raw wit

MC Sample Man, who hosted Champions in Action along with Nuffy and Empress, helped considerably, using raw wit to keep the crowd happy. Razz and Biggy especially, who blended old and new songs well despite a malfunctioning CD player, and Stone Love with Fire Ras, kept the crowd happy. Swatch's Maestro, delivering one of his songs at the end of one of the 'Passa Passa' sound's two segments, got handclaps to assist him in exiting the stage.

In the early going Copper Cat and Atomic got the first signs of life from the crowd with their lyrics about the 'bad man' fate, Ras Frazer's uncompromising lyrics and command "come een dutty money" hit the spot.

Along with the effort to present emerging talent, Robert Ffrench, George Nooks and John Holt represented a gentler side to the almost strictly dancehall diet. Nooks' God is Standing By got the audience on his side, while Holt's pedigree showed with hit after hit, especially Police In Helicopter getting the singalong treatment.

Appeal

Cutty Corn appealed effectively to the West Kingston sentiment, naming several popular personalities (many of whom have met violent deaths) in his lyrics. Among the younger performers, Atteru's Heart of Love beat strongly.

Pamputae was raw in quips, lyrics and bent over with her body jiggling, which did not have the over-the-top effect that approach sometimes produces. Gee Whizz sorted out the crowd with his opening declaration, "life soon sort out", though his two-song showing could hardly be called a performance.

The response to I-Octane's name indicated that it was big league time and his powerful voice rasped out stabbing of a vampire with a peg and comforted "mama you alone" to amply justify his welcome. The Portmore Empire was greeted with delight and Blak Ryno ("we beat it like a slave") and Jah Vinci particularly having a good night, the former rebuilding the 'vibe' after one Empire member was booed after a clumsily delivered Shebada reference.

Fiery material

I-Wayne interspersed Book of Life and Lava Ground with extended lyrical 'teachings' against immorality, while Capleton included the Ice Age and swine flu in his fiery material in one of those 'touch-and-go' showings that ended with an extended a cappella.

Flippa Mafia splashed liquor on the stage, touched his clothes to illustrate the brand name "dem ya" and declare "my clothes haffi repeat, cause me pay dear fi it", eventually tossing out money as the women up front demanded, although he said he did not want to cause a stampede at the 'President's' show.

And Spice packed in pieces of song from male entertainers (including Michael Jackson's Speechless) who she said were trying to have a relationship with her in delivering a decent idea that could have been executed far better. Lines from Fight Ova Man and Rampin' Shop were included in a showing that closed off with lethal lyrics against child molesters.

There were big-ups to the 'President', show organiser, all night and the announcement that Wyclef Jean would not be performing did not ruffle the Champions in Action crowd.