Capleton - file

by Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer

When Caple Williams gave an overview of this year's 'St. Mary Mi Come From' to the large audience inside the Hilton hotel's Jonkanoo Lounge on Tuesday evening, he emphasised that the show will begin early.

The gates open at 5:30 p.m., showtime is 6:00 p.m. and this time around the children's treat, a staple at the annual concert, will be held outside the Gray's Inn Sports Complex, Annotto Bay, so there is no problem in clearing the venue when it is 'big people time'.

The early start will be necessary, as the Sunday, August 5, event will feature an extensive line-up of performers, with Capleton, Sizzla, Beenie Man, Bounty Killer, Ninja Man, Spragga Benz, Elephant Man, Lady Saw, Mavado, Munga Honourable, Tarrus Riley, Hero, Bushman and Lymie Murray among them. Planned special guests Third World have a commitment in Japan and will not be able to make it.

Entry is $1,000 and $1,500 for the VIP section. There will be no presold tickets, Williams saying that there will be several ticket outlets at the venue, an improvement over last year's sole outlet. There will be no re-entry, Williams smiling as he said that since 'St. Mary Mi Come From' will benefit various organisations leaving and then buying another ticket to return would be a donation to a worthy cause.

The beneficiaries of this year's concert are the St. Mary Police Youth Club, Star Cosmo's Football Club, 3D Projects (Highgate), Islington High School, Martin's Primary School, Enfield Primary School, Jack's River Primary School, Annotto Bay All-Age School, Haile Selassie High School and Oberlin High School.

And on Tuesday evening a few of the performers were on hand, the poetry trio Royal African Soldier cautioning that there are those "ready to shoot you down like Lee Harvey/anyhow you talk like Bob Marley".

Policeman Little Pinch was humourous, commenting on a relationship that "she waan give de jacket to de short man/but shorty too short an' de jacket too long". Bijean's 'Spiritual Poverty' enriched the audience, which cheered as his strong voice soared and Jah Malo quipped "I'm so slim but my bank account fat".

Lymie Murray sang of "dem real high grade yah" before Teflon ignited the audience with "keep holding on to Jah Jah love".

That should have been the end of the evening's live music, but Capleton's response was heavily deejay based, as he deejayed "dem shoulda know a St. Mary me come from" as he approached the podium. He then hit a piece of 'Cyaan Dead' and responded to reports around the Reggae Compassionate Act with "we no sign funny man bill".

"We jus' waan contribute to de development of Jamaica an' de yute dem. Is not all about de hype an' de fame. Is all about the message," Capleton said.

And, noting that the concert will be in the time leading up to the 2007 General Election, Capleton said he would be asking every artiste who goes on the stage to push peace and love. "Fi dis election, if yu cyaan unite vote an no fight," he said.