REGGAE ON DA ROCKS RAP UP Part I

(above: Da’Ville takes center stage)

REGGAE ON DA ROCKS was this past Saturday the 17th, and the Waikiki Shell stage was graced by legendary Freddie McGregor after Half Pint and Da’Ville heated it up.  Speaking of heat…the vog kept the humidity up and the amphitheater kept the breeze from cooling things off but the back lawn became the most comfortable place to be at.  But as the sun fell, thousands packed in for the biggest reggae show of the year so far. **CORRECTION: After realizing the Bob Fest that took place in the Water Park, your blogger must say that this concert was actually the biggest of the Summer (so far)**

The opening bands Ooklah Da Moc and Rebel Souljahz readied the band area during the sun’s peak. 

Your Pacific Sounds Outernational kept the records rotating stage right.  Most of the photos you will see are from that perspective, behind the decks. 

After the page break, more photos, and a statement from the Mad Cobra camp regarding the no-show

Half Pint’s performance reminded all of us just how many hits this man brought us.  Tune after tune!  His stageshow took it from Sunset to sundown, the time in which the place tripled in numbers.

Da’Ville hit the local crowd hard with his tunes they hear on local radio all the time, mixed with tunes that are crucial to hardcore reggae fans.  “Fling it pon me” was the dancing favorite of the night, the place jumped up for Da’Ville on that one!

FREDDIE MCGREGOR took over an excited crowd with his classic Jamaican hits, again: you never really remember just how many hits this type of artists has until you see their stage show, songs I havent heard in years.  Wonderful performance, highlighted by a tribute to Bob Marley and Dennis Brown.  Serious thing!  The place buss when you heard him come in with “Love and Hate, could never be friends—”.  This went along with a lot of buzz I have heard for the past decade that Freddie McGregor is the artist that inherited the crown after D. Brown’s passing away. 

Freddie’s performance was upful and spirited, a lot of fun for the 5,000+ on hand.  At the peak of his performance, pure fireworks popped off to the right of the crowd in the near distance.

The evening wasn’t without disappointment, as the promoters got word in the afternoon that Mad Cobra and his management were not able to get out of Kingston.  Your REDDAFIRE.COM contacted the management so that you could get the half, his manager Ian Clarke responded with the following:

I myself was very dissappointed not to have made the trip as we we looking forward to it. It was not the fault of the promoters as the problem stemmed from the airline (Air J) that should have taken us on the first leg of the journey.

 

They called us the day before to let us know that our flight with them was cancelled and that they were putting us on another airline. It so happenend that when we reach the airport on the morning of our departure we were advised that Mad Cobra’s ticket was not transferred properly and as a result there was no booking for him on the flight out. By the time we were able to sort this out the flight was overbooked and there was no seat for him. We spent hours trying to get alternative connections but to no avail, so we left the airport. None of us had slept as we were preparing for the long flight so that jet lag would not have been a problem for Mad Cobra when he arrived. Based on the information we got at the airport we saw our options as dismal. Everything went downhill after that.

 

I would like to formally say to the Hawaiian people and fans of Mad Cobra including yourself and all sound systems there, that we deeply regret not being able to make it to the shows as Mad Cobra was planning a very special performance for his fans and all Hawaiian people. This however was beyond his control. We hope that in the very near future the oppurtunity for us to perform in Hawaii will present itself.

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As disappointed as many hardcore dancehall fans were at the news, we never got a chance to get down as the performers brought the show of the year to the fullness.  From the sound system point of view, we had a great experience keepin the place blessed with tunes from the turntables, and Ma’acho over our sound at the end blew the place up with his old school style of toasting. 

More photos will be posted throughout the week, so check back! 

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