Sadeke Brooks, Staff Reporter
Selector Jigsy
Many Jamaicans have developed a culture of going to a party long past 2 a.m., which is the stipulated lock-off time for approved events. This is not always preferred by both promoters and patrons at these events.Mikey, who works at the Pearnel Charles Arcade in downtown Kingston, says he is tired of this late culture.
"Yuh can't get up out of yuh bed three inna de morning fi go stand up a dance 'til seven. Mi used to go dance 12 in de night an' lef by three. More time yuh reach 2:30 and nobody nuh reach yet," he said.
He added, "If dem start go a dance late an' it done by time dem reach, dem will start come out early, yes."
Mikey is not alone on this issue as Jigsy, who is a selector and promoter of Bembe Thursday, also shared this view. He said this is one of the reasons why his event finishes by 2 a.m.
"We a try bring back a vibe how dem used to have dancehall in the early '90s. When sound string up by six and by eight or nine di dance used to ram. So by two in de morning yuh can go home go sleep fi go work," said Jigsy.
Patrons to be blamed
He said this late partying has become prevalent because there are many songs to be played by selectors. He also believes the people attending parties are to be blamed because they have taken the late culture on to themselves.
MC Nuffy places the blame for the late culture on women. He says women reach events late and, as a result, the men arrive late as well. In the event that women reach earlier, he says the men will get there earlier as they go there to see the women.
He says Sting is one of those events that people go to early but they reach events like Jagga B's Black and White and All-White parties late.
Roderick Reid, who promotes parties like Mello Vibes, Yesterday and 11:59 - Minutes to Midnight, says he tries to end his parties by at least 5 a.m.
He says for Mello Vibes some patrons come early because of the earlybird specials that are offered to women. While this is the case, he says the largest percentage of patrons arrive between one and two in the morning.
However, for 11:59, the patrons are usually younger so most of them are dropped off early. Those coming from Portmore might also arrive earlier because their taxi fares would be cheaper before midnight.
For Mello Vibes, he says the older patrons come by 10 p.m. and leave by 1 a.m. but those between 20 and 30 arrive at 1:30 a.m.
Reid says that as a promoter he would be happier if this late culture changes and patrons come out earlier to party.
"That culture will not change overnight. You will have a promoter that has to end his party by two but a street dance can go on 'til seven in the morning," said Reid.
He says there needs to be some level of uniformity in the lock-off time as people will forgo the parties that end early in place of the late ending ones.
Senior Superintendent Derrick 'Cowboy' Knight, in charge of the St Andrew South Division, says he is also concerned about the late culture.
"It calls for strict enforcement from everybody concerned. If you aren't proactive they will go on 'til eight in the morning," said Knight.
He recalls an occasion where he arrived at a venue at 1 a.m. and there was no sound system, but he later heard that a party was taking place there.
"I can't speak for other divisions but in my divisions I will not tolerate events going past five," he said.
Knight says that he has made several arrests in his division for breaches of the Noise Abatement Act. The act says that parties should not go on past 2 a.m. unless an additional two hours is granted by the commissioner of police. It also says that the event should be held in an enclosed area and the noise should not be heard past 100 metres.
Nuffy - file photos
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