Mel Cooke, Gleaner Writer

Shaggy performs at Champions in Action held at the Jam World Entertainment Centre, Portmore, last Saturday. - Nathaniel Stewart/Freelance Photographer

There were many champions at Jam World, Portmore, St Catherine, last Saturday night into Sunday morning, but the action was inconsistent. And while Champions in Action pulled in a significant audience as it finally went off after being postponed due to bad weather, the numbers were below what would be expected for the Tivoli Gardens-based Presidential Click's annual concert.

The inconsistency of the action, most of the dancehall champions having a limited run due to the sheer volume of performers on a show that ended at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, was especially glaring coming down the hardcore dancehall home stretch to the explosive closing combination of Bounty Killer and Mavado.

An outstanding run

So while Lady Saw dropped in effective references to her boyfriend 'John John', the ladies 'reying' as required, her guest Spice had limited impact on the audience. And after Saw closed, Assassin had an outstanding run, repeating the line in Sissy referring to Champions in Action and doing Same Thing again a cappella, Ninja Man's major contribution for the morning was bringing on Zebra, who reminded the audience of Redder Than Red before getting repeated 'forwards' with a new playfully rhyming lyric.

Cutty Corn deejayed the praises of the Tivoli leaders, past and present, to good effect on a home crowd, but after connecting with Duppy Know Who fe Frighten DeMarco was at simply tolerable. Kartel and Black Rhino took Champions in Action on a high, the former taking it to Mavado as part of his lyrical onslaught, but then Tony Matterhorn and Fire Links fell flat.

So did Aidonia, despite his 100 Stab, Bugle and Serani continuing the lack of action from the cham-pions, Exercise and Don't from them, respectively, getting rare rises from the audience.

Mavado's morning

Bounty Killer preceded Mavado onstage, lashing out as many did last Saturday night against the latest wave of child molestations and murders while doing Eagle and The Hawk and Cyaan Believe Me Eye. It was Mavado's morning, though, thunderous screams going up as he entered with Full Clip and Real McKoy, then continued to sling very effective words at Kartel before the concert closed.

In the earlier going, the action from the champions had been similarly erratic, making for an unsatisfactory concert overall. LUST's rude boy romance with Inspiration and Just As I Am remakes went over well, but after his opening Crab Inna Barrel, Shane-O went steadily downhill. Then Lutan Fyah blazed an outstanding fire, starting out with St Jago De La Vega, I-Octane also connecting as he stabbed vampires with a lyrical peg. Etana got a princess' reception and worked impressively to her closing I'm Not Afraid, but despite his hits and quality, Wayne Wonder did not move the audience.

I-Wayne and Turbulence, the latter spending some time haranguing the band, changed that flat response to enthusiasm and Tarrus Riley, Capleton and Sizzla, the last working to tracks, were truly champions, before Shaggy's impact was limited mainly to the screaming women at the front, Strength of a Woman and Angel among his offerings.

The numerous band changes did not help the constant interruption of momentum, although Razz and Biggy and Swatch did a lot to keep the tempo going with recorded selections.

Among the bands were Prophecy, Rhythm 200 and Anger Management. Sample Man, Empress and Nuffy the emcees.