A two-and-a-half-hour delay may have resulted in an epic organisational failure for promoters on the first set up within the 2025 Coveside Live performance sequence at Plantation Cove on Saturday. However a doable catastrophe became a pleasant show of premium leisure as veteran reggae acts delivered one scintillating efficiency after the opposite.
As quickly because the present obtained underway, tardiness grew to become a distant reminiscence as keen patrons misplaced themselves within the candy sounds.
Luciano, recognized all through the leisure fraternity because the Messenger, opened the present to thunderous applause from the viewers. Clearly decided to offer as a lot as he was receiving, the entertainer carried out a slew of hits from his illustrious catalogue, together with Who Might It Be, Give Reward, and Ulterior Motive.
Plantation Cove was shortly reworked right into a mass choir as patrons added their voices to the singer’s set as he dished out basic hits.
However whereas the songs undoubtedly resonated with the viewers, it was Luciano’s cries for unity and his pleas for Jamaicans to carry onto their religion that earned him essentially the most forwards for the evening. It wouldn’t be an genuine Luciano set if because the messenger, he didn’t ship phrases of knowledge. Declaring religion a strong device, the singer urged Jamaicans to recollect the ability of prayer.
“Religion is a strong factor. Typically we glance down the street and it appears like there’s no approach out however prayer works,” he mentioned as he recalled how a lot his mom’s prayers helped to vary many circumstances in his life.
He then launched right into a soulful rendition of his prayerful single, Sweep Over My Soul, earlier than including the strings to his efficiency as he strummed the melody to his hit single, Serve Jah. Arms lifted to the heavens, members of the viewers misplaced themselves in his set.
Heaven Assist Us, Your World and Mine, In This Collectively, and Carry Jah Load had been additionally songs the skilled entertainer drew from his bag of hits. However it was his highly effective efficiency of It’s Me Once more Jah that was maybe the spotlight of his set. On bended knees, with arms outstretched, Luciano belted out the lyrics earlier than main the viewers within the Lord’s Prayer.
His efforts earned him praises from host Elise Kelly, who thanked Luciano for being a “clear, ‘upfull’ reggae musician”.
The temper continued with the following act, as Gramps Morgan started his set with a soulful rendition of the twenty third Psalm. Possessing the vocal prowess wanted to take issues to the following degree, the singer introduced with him constructive vibrations. Calling on his brother, Mojo Morgan and his son, Jemere Morgan, the entertainer paid tribute to the reminiscence of his late brother, Peetah — who handed away in February 2024.
Declaring “Morgan Heritage eternally”, the trio carried out Down By The River, from the Morgan Heritage repertoire. Gramps then went on to serve up a slew of authentic songs, together with Runaway Bay and
Girl Like You. He ended his set with Folks Like You.
Some viewers members fought again tears whereas others gasped as Gramps shared the touching story of how his youngest son survived a medical situation which led many docs to foretell the kid would by no means stroll. Revealing that the boy would have over 200 seizures per day, Gramps invited his son to affix him on stage. The boy, having reportedly misplaced the power to make use of 38 per cent of his mind, walked onto the stage and was welcomed by a convincing spherical of applause.
Barrington Levy closed the curtains on an evening of spectacular performances. Indicating how glad he was to be again on dwelling soil, he mentioned it’s all the time an honour to carry out in Jamaica because the reception is all the time patriotic and heat.
Digging deep into his bag of hits, Levy drew on classics comparable to Don’t Throw It All Away, Assassin, Below Mi Sensei and My Time. The viewers couldn’t get sufficient, which resulted within the entertainer performing a number of encores for the evening. Exhibiting simply how huge his assortment of hits is, Levy additionally carried out Too Skilled, Black Roses, 21 Women Salute, and She’s Mine.
“They speaking about dancehall however that is what you do in dancehall,” he mentioned earlier than igniting the group even additional together with his internationally acclaimed single, Right here I Come.
In a post-performance interview, Levy advised the Jamaica Observer that he strategically books native reveals few and much aside as he needs his dwelling base to overlook him whereas he flies the Jamaican flag excessive on the worldwide circuit.
“It’s all the time a pleasure being again on dwelling soil,” he mentioned. “And to be trustworthy the world wants us. You need to perceive that a whole lot of the veteran artistes move off and just a few of us go away, so now we have to unfold the music all around the world. So while you don’t see me, I’m abroad selling Jamaica.”
Inventive director of the Coveside Live performance sequence, Vonni Koromanti, advised the Observer that, regardless of the late begin, concert-goers waited patiently as they knew they might not be disenchanted with the showcase.
Dubbing the occasion a “labour of affection”, Koromanti mentioned Coveside Live performance is all the time from the center.
“We’re concerning the one-drop vitality, that spirit of Jamaica, that positivity, that vibration of togetherness, and we’re on this for the lengthy haul,” she declared. “I’ve a superb workforce who work actually exhausting behind the scenes to make it occur. We’re dedicated to delivering high quality performances and we’ll proceed to develop from power to power.”
