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Superstars sharing the same stage on local soil.
But courtesy of the Lion Lager Reggae Festival the country’s reggae fans will be rocking away to the sounds of Beres Hammond, Cocoa Tea and Fantan Mojah at the Glamis Arena tonight.
It is exactly 22 years since Ijahman Levi, Eric Donaldson and Culture graced the same stage at the Sunsplash show that remains a memorable event to many a mature reggae lover.
The late great Joseph Hill, fronting Culture brought the curtain down on that memorable night in 1989 with his band playing until the run rose after taking to the stage shortly before 3.30pm.
Sandwiched between Culture’s energetic performance and Eric Donaldson act was the serenading Ijahman of the “Are We a Warrior fame”.
Before the trio of Donaldson, Ijahman and Culture took to the stage fans had also been warmed up by a fired up local outfit – Transit Crew – with the late Tendai “Culture T” Gamure on lead vocals and Jamaican Munya Brown, who had earlier come to the country with Misty in Roots on drums. The local revellers will be hoping for something similar if not better tonight when they get a mix of lovers’ rock, dancehall and conscious being belted out by the versatile duo of Beres and Cocoa T and the energetic Fantan Mojah.
Tonight, Beres, gifted with a soulful voice, will headline the Lion Lager Festival as Harare rocks to his music, which cuts across generations as he is equally at home with lovers’ rock as he is with dancehall and conscious.
In Tempted to Touch, Pull up the Vibes and Full attention, the fans are certain to be treated to some of Beres’ internationally acclaimed dancehall tunes.
Born Hugh Beresford Hammond, Beres is also a ladies’ man who should set the fairer sex on the dance floor with songs like “They Gonna Talk”, “Groovy little thing” and “Rockaway”.
Glamis arena could erupt into frenzy when Beres and his ensemble belt out the ever popular track “What One Dance can Do”, for which he also has a dub version:
I’d like to tell you a story about
what one dance can do,
one dance can do
one dance can do
A listen up
After one dance on the floor
she came back, wanting for more
for more,
and I don’t know what it is
that I’ve got, but she whispered it was so nice
so nice . . .
but her man is sitting across the way
and he can hear the things I’d say
now he watches from the corner of his eyes
so a move like this would be so unwise
ooh ooh he’s standing in my way
standing in my way hey yeah, yeah
Lyrics – www.allthelyrics.com/lyrics/beres_hammond/
you could see
she was more than ready
to make the move with me
anytime,
not even thinking of the consequences
now now now
so I had to think quickly
cause her man his face was looking oh so mean
as if anytime, he could create a scene
so gently I pushed her away
ooh ooh, he wants to spoil the play
he’s standing in my way . . . hey yeah
he’s standing in my way yeah . . .
Woo ooh oohh . . .
Now I understand how he feels
but I wish he’d give me a little room
just a little room
I didn’t mean, to be so unkind
but I had to do what I had to do
even though this woman was looking fine
big spender he was, had to have his
own way, I thought he’d leave, but he
stayed, standing in my way . . .
standing in my way yeah, yeah
oooh oooh standing in my way hey
standing . . .
Thats what one dance can do . . . sings Beres.
Fans will also not be short of first class entertainment when ageless and versatile musical teacher and DJ Cocoa Tea takes to the stage and warns the youth against engaging in social vices that would earn them long years behind bars in the signature tune Rikers Island.
The 52 year-old Cocoa T who has been in the reggae music industry for decades but rarely undertakes international tours has a lot of lyrics that are also laced with history and messages of African
Renaissance as espoused in the Holy Mount Zion album.
With a glittering repertoire of 32 albums the fans can expect a night to savour as Cocoa T sings Tune In and also warns teenage girls against dating older men in Young Lover while in Sonia Come back and Sweet sound of Cocoa T, he exhibits his romantic side.
But when Fantan Mojah, at 36, easily the youngest of the Jamaican trio that is touring the country, takes to the stage, fans would have to brace for a high octane performance because the Bobo Man is full of energy and he is certain to get all Ghetto Youth jumping up and in down with his song Uplift Yourself.
Fantan brings a refreshing breath to dancehall as he sings about righteousness and not the slackness that has often been associated with this genre.
In “She makes me feel so nice”, Fantan pays tribute to all virtuous women while he also reinforces his belief in the Bobo Ashanti cult in Rastafari is the Ruler.
It should be a night to remember at the Glamis and thanks to the organisers of the tour, ANYTHING NICE WE DO IT TWICE and thus another show is lined up for Bulawayo after tonight’s concert.
Bless up the night Rasta!
Online Reporter