Entertainment

Akon Locked Up Sumfest

( left - right ) Akon and Sanchez - file

western bureau

IT WAS A melting pot of music at Red Stripe Reggae Sumfest's International Night I on Friday in Montego Bay, St James.

The show was headlined by some of the music finest entertainers; Morgan Heritage, Luciano, Richie Spice, Sanchez, R& B singers Ciara and Akon and Guyanese group First-Born.

Senegalese-born singer Akon kept it 'real' as he made his first major appearance in Jamaica.With deafening screams and overwhelming energy from the packed venue, the singer's choice of songs included Ghetto, Trouble Nobody and Locked Up.

He then decided that he wanted to "go to the people", jumped off the stage and made his way through the VIP area. Then with the help of security officers stood on a fence that separated the rest of the patrons and went on to do the hit 'Lonely', which had the crowd in a frenzy. He stunned the appreciative audience.

Sanchez delivered a package of love ballads and gospel pieces to a delighted audience. With the crowd dancing and crooning in unison with him, it was an indication that the festival's promoters had delivered a winning formula.

Morgan Heritage came 'Full Circle' after their five-year absence from the show. The cultural ambassadors were in peak form as they sent messages of hope and love to the masses. Luciano was one of the more mature acts of the night and enthralled patrons with his lyrical display.

New R& B princess Ciara showed off her dancing prowess as she gyrated and shaked her 'goodies'.

Despite his customary calm composure, Richie Spice settled into a groove with The Way We're Living, What Is This, Black Like A Tar, Groovin' My Girl, Earth A Run Red and Marijuana Pon Di Corner.

First Born, a five-member group, impressed with their vocal styling and message-flavoured songs and at one point in their performance worked with LMG to do Love Me.

Montego Bay's Nash Lawson justified his appearance in the line-up and delivered a good set. There were also earlier performances by Chokey Taylor and Turbulence that were also good.