Hailing the accomplishments of Byron Lee and the Dragonaries, the
audience was treated to an energetic performance form the band on stage
called Many Moods of the Dragon, and dancers in the infield. Byron Lee
and the Dragonaires performed songs like Jamaican Ska and Tiny Winey
which got the crowd off its feet and dancing to the sounds to the 53
year old band.
In a tribute to sports, Dancers performed ‘Training Day’ which was a
stylized display of the myriad of sporting disciplines that Jamaicans
enter and excel in. Gymnastics, cycling, track and field, swimming, and
many other sports were highlighted fantastically. Then came Bandmania –
the synchronized display of the combined marching bands: Inner City,
St. Jude’s, Magnificent Troopers and Tivoli Gardens.
But no tribute to Jamaica’s culture is complete without the musical
prowess that the island possesses. The Reggae Euphoria segment
showcased the talents of Da’Ville, and Rising Star winners, Noddy
Virtue and Jodi-Ann Pantry whose rendition of Bon Jovi’s Lay You Down
In A Bed of Roses resonated with the crowd. Gyption, Freddie McGregor
and Etana also performed in this segment. From the Passa Passa scene,
performers like D’Angel and QQ worked the crowd.
Mavado, whose
entrance, elicited more applause than any other person at the event,
performed On the Rock. In apparent protest, Mavado performed to the on
the other side of the stage to audience members in the Bleachers. The
group RDX, with their song To Di World, had the entire stadium doing
the synchronized dance routine of the same name. Festival song
competition winner, Roy Rayon performed his song, Rise and Shine to a
dancing crowd.
The Coronation Market Scene was well executed, with another display of
elaborate costumes, from donkeys laden with produce to market stalls
and market women with exaggerated posteriors selling their wares –
emphasizing Jamaica’s renewed Eat What You Grow theme.
And just when the audience thought that the day’s events couldn’t be
topped, there came the Passa Passa dancers exhibiting the street
culture of Jamaica and to the sounds of Bike Back, rode in a number of
‘Ninja’ bikes complete with gal pickney in school uniform costumes pon
di bike back. The brilliant stadium lights were replaced by the lights
from the bikes and the massive and impressive fireworks the culminated
an extravagant scene.
Jamaica has outdone itself once again by putting on a show of epic
proportions. The Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) should
be applauded for an extraordinary show and the revival of the Jamaica
Independence celebrations.
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