Krista Henry, Staff Reporter

Left: Deejay Elephant Man speaking with a fan. Right: 'Grung God', Bounty Killer, as he poses with a fan at a party recently. - file photos

Many artistes have found that maintaining their presence on the local entertainment scene is not only about having their songs in heavy rotation, but it's also about being visible in the dancehall.

While fans may enjoy hearing">hearing their favourite artistes, sometimes seeing them not only performing at events but in the dancehall itself, is just as important.

Artistes such as Bounty Killer, for instance, may not have song after song being played on radio and in dances, but he manages to maintain a presence, as he frequents the party scene.

With more than one dance each night of the week, dances aren't only for the enjoyment of patrons but are essential to strengthening and popularising the artiste and his or her music.

Artistes often get closer to fans by partying alongside them. THE STAR has often spotted artistes like Bounty Killer, Beenie Man, Mavado, Vybz Kartel, Voicemail, D'Angel, Macka Diamond, Harry Todler, Konshens and countless others doing the nightly rounds at street dances.

Dancehall star Elephant Man's bright red and yellow-dyed hair cannot be missed by patrons at weekly dances such as Hot Mondays, Weddy Weddy, Bembe, Boasy Tuesdays and Passion Sundays which he frequents. According to Elephant Man he is one of the few dancehall artistes that is not afraid to mix with the hard-core dancehall fans.

"At the street dances is where you get the real hard-core garrison fans, you're seen in their eyes, that's where the dancehall is. Is like you're celebrating the music, you're showing your patriotism to the music. When the fans see you mixing with them, they say this is one down to earth dancehall artiste," Elephant Man explained.

The DASECA crew are also regulars on the streets, visiting two to three dances each night. According to Serani, they are everywhere music is. At the beginning of the week the trio can be seen at Uptown Mondays, Hot Mondays, Early Mondays, Girls Gone Wild Tuesdays, Blitz Tuesdays and Asylum on Tuesdays. By Wednesday it's Weddy Weddy and the Quad, Thursdays they frequent Bembe, then it's Dutty and Feelings Fridays. On the weekends it's partying as well with Sex and the City Saturdays and other parties.

While it may seem like purely fun, being a regular on the party scene helps keep the production group and their artistes current in the minds of patrons and selectors alike.

"The street like to be one with you, the people and audience in the streets dem waah feel like wi a one of dem. You have to connect with the people yuh can't lock up inna studio all di time, promotion is important," Serani told THE STAR.

For Serani it's about making his presence felt on the streets with the die-hard patrons who are the ones who make hits of songs.

D'Angel and Nikki Z came out for the fun at Bembe Orientation.

Naughty girls were also in the mix at Bembe Orientation.

Sadeke Brooks, Staff Reporter

It was a party of high energy at 'Bembe Orientation' on Thursday. The selectors 'talk the things' until the party came to an earlier than scheduled end at Weekenz.

Many women were dressed for the school themed party in their short uniforms or cheerleading costumes, complete with school ties and high socks or stockings. Though the men were not as much into the school theme, some wore their ties and khaki pants. There were some people who did not stick to the student theme but they were dressed as teachers, nurses and police, the people who seemed to have the job of keeping the order in the 'Bembe school'.

Razz and Biggy created a vibe and had the crowd moving as the duo reeled out hits like Tony Matterhorn's Dutty Wine, Aidonia's Hot Wuk and Vybz Kartel's Tic Toc. The women were definitely sweating but Razz allowed them to cool down when he played Bugle's Please and Exercise.

Songs like Mavado's Don't Worry got big 'forwards' but the attention soon moved from the music to a 'fluffy' Japanese woman who took over the spotlight with her versions of the latest dance moves.

Tony Matterhorn turned the warm party into a hot one as he started to 'talk the things' while he explained the importance of sexual intercourse. He had the people laughing as he made some very creative analogies. He then started to thrill the ladies as he played Beenie Man's Know How Fi Wine, Anthony B's Tease Har and Mavado's Twice A Day. He also praised himself as the best selector in the business saying, "De only thing lef fi dem give mi is the Grammy." He went on to play Mavado's So Special as he rocked to the beat.

The energy got so high and the 'forwards' even higher that some men managed to hit down a board which separated the venue from the road. Another group of men behind the stage hit the board so hard that the music stopped.

Jigsy took the stage at 2:20 a.m. saying that this would be a longer than usual Bembe because as opposed to 2 a.m. it would be ending at 3 a.m. As he started his set he repeated several songs that were played earlier. He then started to play a few current dance songs like Assassin's Wah Do Dem Guy Deh and Elephant Man's Nuh Linga and Calm Dem Down. This did not prevent the crowd from leaving however, forcing Bembe Orientation to end at 2: 35 a.m.

'DUTTY DAGGARIN'

Left: Two hotties chill. Right: Enjoying the vibes at Dutty Fridaze.

Having made the move back to Fletcher's Land, Kingston,for one night only, the weekly street dance Dutty Fridaze held last Friday in the community square saw a huge turnout.

Artistes, dancers and other followers of the popular street dance turned out at their usual 'party time', most arriving after 3 a.m. All were dressed to impress, as the event was scheduled to be the second anniversary celebration.

However, speaking with Dutty Fridaze promoter at the event, Wayne '2 Gran' Bartley said he was working to sort things out with the police so that a proper anniversary party could be held.

Teino Evans, Entertainment Coordinator

Dutty Fridaze will return to its original home in Fletchers Land today, for one night only.

The weekly dance, which had to uproot and move to Hellshire Beach less than a month ago, changed venues yet again in order to stage its second anniversary.

The popular street dance was moved to Hellshire initially because no permit was granted by the police due to an upsurge in violence in the surrounding communities.

"I applied from long time to keep the anniversary tomorrow (today) and about three days ago they (the police) are telling me that I cannot keep it because of the number of artistes on the show," Wayne 'Two Gran' Bartley, the event's promoter, told The WEEKEND STAR.

"Furthermore, dem sey Dutty Fridaze attract violent patrons whose actions pose a threat to public safety, and the premises that it is being held is not safe... this was sent to me by the Portmore Police Division."

When contacted, Superintendent Terrence Bent, in charge of the Portmore Division, told THE WEEKEND STAR that the event would not be allowed to take place.

"No, it will not (take place) because in my estimation there is a security concern. From what I have been informed, some elements of the crowd that follow the event pose some serious security concerns and the area that it (Dutty Fridaze) is held in is not conducive to this," Supt. Bent said.

However, Two Gran says "It seems unfair that we (Dutty Fridaze) nuh get nuh permit 'cause dem sey di venue is not safe, an is di same place that Prendy's on the Beach is kept every Sunday, and that event is still on."

The Dutty Fridaze promoter says, "It is my belief that other promoters are trying to sabotage my ting, because the police have given permission for another event to be held at the same venue."

In the meantime, Two Gran has had to move quickly to get permission for another venue to stage the anniversary, as he says, "A lot of money has already been spent.

"So for tomorrow's (today's) Dutty Fridaze we have to relocate back to our original home in Fletchers Land square for one night, but we are still in dialogue with the police (in Portmore) to go back to Hellshire after that.

"We have already spent up a lot of money to have artistes like Bugle, Serani, Voicemail, Vegas, T.O.K, Bounty Killer, Beenie Man and Kartel, and some of these artistes will have other shows to go or dem might even fly out by next week, suh wi cyaan tek no chance an put off di anniversary," Two Gran said.

The anniversary celebration promises to be a memorable one.

"Most of the dancers will be getting awards, some deejays will be getting awards and also some patrons. We will also have bucket deals and we have prizes for who we will not have cash prizes for. So mi jus waan fi ask the fans to work wid mi, because mi haffi a tell dem fi guh here suh an there suh, but a jus to how di police ting a gwaan," Two Gran said.