Singing Jamaicans

If there’s one thing I know about Jamaicans, they are NOT shy! They’re all up for performing any time, whether it be dancing, singing or any other form of putting themselves out there. I love this about them. What I’ve also learned is that even though 99% of them can dance like there’s no tomorrow, they can’t all sing LOL!! Still doesn’t stop them from trying.

A couple of friends I stayed with in Negril are perfect examples of the fact that even if they can’t sing they’ll still perform their little hearts out. CLICK HERE to meet these guys, and then plug your ears as you watch the videos posted below.

This was a typical morning at their house….rum shots for breakfast followed by some horrible Michael Bolton sing-along sessions.

Its beyond me why a lot of young Jamaicans listen to the oldies so much….Michael Bolton, Celine Dion is another big one, all kinds of stuff that died decades ago in our world is alive and kickin’ in their world. Its hilarious!!

So like I said….NOT SHY at all. But not always quality vocals for sure hahaha. If you got a kick out of these videos CLICK HERE to see more ear-shattering musical moments at the local karaoke place in Ocho Rios!

Jerk Festivals

I stumbled upon the Hanover Jerk Festival by accident after meeting a couple locals in Negril. These guys I met at a nightclub one night invited me to the town of Lucea for the festival the next night. Of course I say YES! I would have never known about it otherwise, and after seeing that I was the only white person there, apparently not many tourists know about it.

Lucea is about a 40 minute drive from Negril and we arrived at the festival around 11pm. It was already packed?unusual because the nightlife in Jamaica doesn’t typically start til after midnight. It was being held at a school in Lucea and cost me $500 J (approx $7) admission.

Town of Lucea, Jamaica

Immediately inside the gates there were a bunch of tables and Barbeques set up where I assume they were serving various Jamaican Jerk dishes. I had already eaten so unfortunately I never sampled any of the food.

Even though this was a food festival, much like everything in Jamaica, the whole thing was pretty much centered on the entertainment instead. The stage show was situated in the schoolyard where hundreds of Jamaicans were gathered with rum in hand and blowtorches ready to ignite (see Reggae Sumfest post for blowtorch info). It was nice to see that there were both adults and children present.

The majority of the stage show was focused on the Digicel Rising Star 2008 competitors and I was pleasantly surprised at the young talent Jamaica has to offer. They showcased groups and solo artists alike, and the final Rising Star act was the winner of the 2008 season, Cameal Davis. She’s pretty awesome.

In between the Rising Star performances, several Jamaican dance groups were showcased as well. This is always my favorite thing to see in Jamaica, the dancers are top-notch! This group was my favorite; I didn’t catch the name of them.

The surprise guest at the end of the night, who alone, was WORTH my $500 J, was Jamaican music legend Ninja Man. I was totally not expecting to see a big artist appearance and it made my night complete! His show was awesome as he was inviting young Jamaican MC’s up on stage to battle him. It was hilarious and fully entertaining.

The last shock of the night was that the festival ended rather early by Jamaican standards. I think we were out of there by 2:30am, and I was back to Negril and in bed by 3:30.

Reggae Sumfest Review

I have two words to say about Reggae Sumfest – JUST GO!!!!!!!

I’ve attended Sumfest twice so far, in 2006 and 2008. They both had one major thing (and a lot of minor things) in common. The major thing – WEAR ORTHOPEDIC SHOES! Or if you don’t have any, just wear flip flops but be prepared to endure! Or bring a chair to sit on during breaks.

Okay now onto all the great stuff! Reggae Sumfest is the best entertainment I’ve ever seen, next to Busta Rhymes and John Legend concerts. Where else can I see EVERY dancehall artist I want to see for a measly $35 US?? I was shocked that dancehall night was cheaper than International night for the value of the show. I’m guessing that’s because all the dancehall artists live there and don’t need to be flown in.

Sumfest is an annual outdoor event held in Montego Bay, that showcases everyone you could ever want to see in the dancehall and reggae circuits, and several international artists. Since I live in Western Canada, home of the weakest Caribbean vibes in the world, there is nowhere I can see 30 of my favorite artists in one weekend! All of Sumfest is a blur to me due to the fantastic times I was having but here are the performances I’ve seen that completely stand out in my mind right now:

Vybz Kartel, Bounty Killa, Mavado, Elephant Man, Tarrus Riley, Gyptian, Jah Cure, Beenie Man, Etana, Busy Signal, Erup, Beres Hammond, Missy Elliot, Lady Saw, Wayne Marshall, Black Rhyno, Demarco, Serani, Ninja Man, Anthony B, Voicemail, Assassin, Munga, Macka Diamond, need I go on?? And NO, T-Pain and Lil Wayne did NOT stand out in my mind.

The atmosphere at Reggae Sumfest is unrivaled if you’ve never been to a Jamaican concert before. I remember my first time, being in awe of the pure energy in the place. It was filled with about 25,000 Jamaicans with aerosol cans and lighters creating blow torches everywhere!

What to Bring to Reggae Sumfest

Money – You don’t want to miss out on some of the wicked food being sold at the booths. There are also several booths selling liquor and event souvenirs. And once the place gets SO crowded that you don’t want to leave your spot, you can easily buy whatever you want from the sellers weaving in and out the crowd. They have snacks, refreshments, cigarettes, gum, umbrellas, chairs and yes, even ganja.

A Chair – If you don’t want to pay the price of a desperate person and buy a chair at Sumfest, bring your own. Lots of people bring fold up chairs. I wish I had.

Your Camera – Don’t be afraid of the signs at the gate that say “no cameras” and the fact that they search your bags coming in. They’re looking for something else.

A catheter would be helpful too because its about a 30 minute process getting to and from restrooms at Sumfest. And as the night wears on the condition of the restrooms sadly suffers.

Where can you purchase tickets for Reggae Sumfest?

You can buy them online at www.reggaesumfest.com before you go to Jamaica OR you can pretty much buy them anywhere once you get to Jamaica. I bought mine in a clothing store in Ocho Rios.

Reggae Sumfest Tickets

Sumfest goes on all night into the morning light and I had to strain myself to last til 6AM. When I left it was still jumping and Beenie Man had yet to perform. I reached my hotel around 6:30AM and slept like a baby, then did it all over again the next night.

TIP: When leaving Sumfest, all the taxi drivers waiting inside the gates to drive people home?.they’re charters and will charge you an arm and a leg to get back to your hotel. You’re best to just leave and find your own Route Taxi out on the road. See “Taxis in Jamaica”.