Has anyone ever told you that an “opportunity lost can never be regained”? They are usually right, and if you missed universal megastars Eve and Trey Songz then shame on you; just shame! It was mind-blowing, and this is from a man’s point of view; just imagine how the ladies are still feeling. The crowd was enormous, comprised primarily of ladies of course, and the atmosphere was pulsating. The Guyanalive.com team had access to almost every area and whether it was VIP or general section, the feeling was the same – excitement and monumental levels of anticipation. In the VIP and LVIP (Luxury Very Important Person) sections there were lots of drinks and food (some free) distributed by beautiful waitresses from the Shakers Cocktail Bar.
The audience was mixed with people from all walks of life – the young, the old, the straight and the gay. It was a plethora of well-dressed, well-mannered and joyous patrons. The Jamzone International Pageant delegates also graced the masses with their presence and they were warmly welcomed. We at Guyanalive.com presume that there were no serious issues because of the heavy security provided by the Guyana Police Force
The performances were kicked off by local hip-hop star Don Gialiani, with his hype lyrics and sick dances. However, he failed to get the crowd moving enough and as such his stint was short-lived. Timeka Marshall, our very own singing sensation, did a much better job with hits like “Whining Pro” and “One More Day”. Her dancers were fantastic when they showed the audience how to do certain dances that her songs instructed. She then surprised us all by doing a collaboration with West Indies cricketer Dwayne Bravo (who substituted for Beenie Man) which was seriously not bad. However, Bravo decided that he would continue trying to entertain us all after Ms. Marshall’s performance but was quickly stopped. After a brief interlude, American Superstar Eve, known as the First Lady of the Ruff Ryders, made her way to stage and was welcomed by dropped jaws and loud cheers. She was absolutely stunning in a partially sequinned, partially see-through black bodysuit and red shoes, which made her stage presence much more appealing. She delivered tracks from the old hip-hop generation along with some new hits. Her dancers (hailing from the USA) spared us no moves as they wowed the masses with their sultry moves and attention-commanding outfits.
Then, it was the moment we were all waiting for. After a short awkward silence and the assembly of a live band, we were teased by an interlude from the album Passion, Pain and Pleasure before seeing the Prince of Soul and R&B making his way to the stage casually dressed in short khaki pants and a white T; from that moment, pandemonium was everywhere. Ladies screamed, hyperventilated and pulled great amounts of hair from their heads as he smiled, and sang nothing but hits. He graciously interacted with the crowds of females, teasing their very beings by taking off his shirt and vest and throwing them into the audience. He was in total control of the stage and left us all wanting more. But, before he left he chose a lucky lady from the LVIP section to come on stage and collect his vest (which he tore from his ripped body) as a token of his appreciation. She blushed and gushed while he serenaded and caressed her; he also instructed her to wear it every night when she went to bed, so that she would always think of him. Imagine the jealousy of the other female fans as they witnessed the man of their dreams embrace another woman while they wished it was them. He encouraged all committed females to remain in their relationships if they were happy but enticed all single ladies to join him in his hotel room after the show. Of course, all females wanted to take him up on his offer.
Even though we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves at the show we must interject our constructive criticisms of the evening’s events. First of all, if the LVIP experience just means free food and drinks for $30,000 and excludes any mingling with the performing artistes, then why do it at all? Many complained that they felt robbed because they could’ve paid the regular cost or the cost for VIP ($20,000) and had just as much fun. Maybe the Hits and Jams team can amend this for the Regional Night. When we at Guyanalive.com thought about it, there was not much memorabilia to receive nor were there photo ops for artistes with fans. Then, and most importantly, some media houses were given the shorter straws when it came to access. For instance, the Guyanalive.com team had VIP Media Passes only and as such they were restricted from entering the LVIP section. Some other media houses had All Access Passes and were even allowed backstage; that strikes us as slightly unfair and we would love to hear the explanation behind such a decision. All in all though, it was a great show and we give it an 8 out of a possible 10 on the Guyanalive.com scale. We have just one closing question: How will Hits and Jams top this?!
View pictures from this event at –> GuyanaLive.com Gallery
By – Patrice Wishart
