Assassin misses target . . .

Lady Squanda and an inimitable Sniper “General” Storm.
For those who attended Winky D’s flawless performance at the Samsung Galaxy Pocket launch at Red Fox Hotel in which he used a live band, C&A Entertainment’s insistence on bringing reggae artistes without a band has not gone down well with many music fans in the country.
For long the company responsible for bringing Elephant Man and Mavado to Zimbabwe has been getting away with “murder”.
Distinctly flaccid, Assassin’s set was poor; largely pedestrian and only livening up towards the end.
The use of back tracks made Agent Sasco look ordinary, Dadza D had more energy than that and maybe that is what led to one fan grabbing the Jamaican chanter’s shades, the only thing to remember him by, but certainly not his performance.
The bouncers must also be told that they do not hit a thief in the manner they did when police could have just arrested him, embarrassing it may be but they do not pulverise a human being like that.
The importance of a live band has never been understated; C&A Entertainment should get advice from the likes of Shumba Instrumentation, fellow promoters, who have always gone the distance in bringing artistes and their bands. In an instance that has not happened they have roped in Transit Crew.
The idea being live performances are different from studio works, some of our local DJs struggled for the “One Drop” like when Jiggaz was performing. Back tracks give the impression of child’s play; put Assassin on stage and play his riddims and people will jump seemed to be the assumption.
Indeed, in the latter part of his set the fans did but that can be placed on his own versatility as an artiste.
It is certainly cheaper to bring top reggae acts as one-man bands but it also gives the impression that a promoter is out for a quick buck.
A live performance must feel different to a club session because “stage shows” have a unique feel to them, people want to hear the lead guitar tearing up, or like Sly and Robbie, let the bass play.
Club performances allow for that closer intimacy with the artiste but on a stage like that over the weekend, the artiste’s full repertoire must be showcased.
Jamaica has a host of bands that have made their names by just backing other artistes; the likes of Roots Radics come to mind.
Promoters should have respect for the genre and respect for the fans that part with their hard-earned money.
Winky D’s absence told a story; Clint Robinson of C&A Entertainment claimed that the Ninja President’s management was the first to receive the offer to be part of Sasco’s show but a reply never came, apparently.
Observers would say Winky D was better off for that. His performance at Red Fox was as flawless as it was professional.
Having realised the pace he has set, the young chanter from Kambuzuma has shown that with a band, your act is mature and relevant.
Arrogant, he has been labelled, but the fact is he has grown so much in stature that he can pick and choose which shows he can be part of.
That said the night belonged to local artistes with Lady Squanda taking the plaudits for literally burying Badman in the tune for tune battle. The lady is amazingly gifted and for a clash that was dubbed unbalanced, she was ruthless in her delivery, cocky and direct with her stage persona.
Jiggaz also gave a master class of wit and creativity while Sniper Storm remains arguably the only solid pretender to Winky D’s throne.