Epic finale

Ten main acts, four open mic singers and one spotlight artiste were part of the epic entertainment package for 2 Mile Hill’s grand finale on the 10th edition of Mahalia’s Corner.

Some of the best local artistes were on one stage at Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre on Sunday night performing before a standing room only audience.

The night started out with a 25-minute set from the host band which included an All in My Grill medley, Beyonce’s Drunk in Love and their songs Conversation and Run It. Mahalia was joined on stage by Tamara Marshall and Adaeze for Joe Cocker’s 1969 hit With a Little Help from My Friends. The trio gave a moving performance of the classic.

Spotlight artiste Jermone was in fine form too. He sang and played the guitar. He started off with Lil Nas X’s Old Town Road. He was amazing on the guitar. The five open mic singers were also well received. But it was Melissa and Jasmine Miller who were a cut above the rest. Andre Orlando, Myles Straughan and Leandra Boxhill were the others.

All of the main acts were good, but some stood out and the reaction from the audience was evidence of that fact. Khiomal (Hard Place), Teff (Vibe Like You), Rhesa (No More, Woman), John Yarde (Count Your Blessings, Friends & Family) and Iron Pipe (Sound System, Never Keep US Down) all gave solid performances.

But Betty B and Ch’an out-sang them all. Betty did soulful renditions of What About Us and Why Should I Stay while Ch’an was in excellent vocals as she performed Runaway.

However, ironically it was the last three acts that took things to another level. Bobo skilfully used the music from Eminem’s Lose Yourself to rap about some serious social ills. The versatile singer touched on squatters, violence, Rasta literacy and a failing education system. Bobo was on fire. He did a medley of some of his more popular soca songs.

Mole, who made his debut, hit the stage to thunderous screams and applause and he did not disappoint. The popular artiste sang Deh Wid Um, Sweeter Than Wine, Boomflick and Do It Fah Daddy. But as expected, it was Breathe which caused pure pandemonium. He started out with a slower version of the song singing in what he called his “sexy voice” then swiftly moved into the uptempo bashment soca version.

Lil Rick, who declared he did not rehearse with the band, was flawless. He closed the show with an energetic, exciting and entertaining set. He started at the beginning of his musical journey with his Talk Fuh Me and Dollar Wine. He moved to his first soca song Hard Wine before singing It Ain’t Me, Ben It, Yeah, Breakfast In Bed, Can’t Style Me, Sugar Lump and then it was pace with Mudda Sally and Jam Down. By this time, Rick had a dancer on stage and members of the audience were on their feet.

When the festivities were over and the curtain closed on this year’s season of the show principal of the University of the West Indies Eudine Barriteau praised the 2 Mile Hill for staging the event.

“We were delighted this year to partner with Mahalia’s Corner and 2 Mile Hill for this incredible show of talent. You had two weekends at the Errol Barrow Centre for Creative Imagination and that is the kind of thing we want to do.

“We want the university to be deep in the community and we are in the process of creating a faculty of creative and performing arts and when I see the talent that is available here and all over Barbados, that faculty is long overdue,” Barriteau said. (IMC)