L'estate Romana

For those of us who for sum dubious reason or other


Did not manage to make it to the summer festivals scattered around the euro

And had to content with the hot humid summer in rome , jah know!

We kept the flame of fire burning still

Until the massicci and the sound bwoys and promoters make their way back and broke from all

The summer jams fests and splashes.

It was at Villa Ada that we enjoyed a mini reggae splash





Yet I am still recovering from the disconcerting pricing that was fixed

We paid 13 euri to see that GENTLEMAN from Germany

Another 13 euri to catch the italian called ALBAROSIE

But only 10 euri to catch the messenger LUCIANO and TURBULANCE the future

And only 7 euri for Mr – I am blessed - VEGAS

I was truly offended!

Yet there were nuff vybz still

Ca yu kno, who jah bless no man curse

And when the music hits yu, yu don feel no pain!

I am still convinced tho that Gentleman is a studio artist rather than a live performer

He is good and entertaining awrite, but the voice does not project far out, and thats what I come to see and hear at a live concert

Albarosie had a wicked bassist and drummer

And I am still not sure if I liked I EYE – Albarosi’s revelation - guess I will have to catch her live again in order to make up me mind

Mr VEGAS came with a Wacko Jacko wannabe/look alike
[who gave us a nice tribute to the king of pop]

and a swaggerish dancehall dancer of all time
that gyal can dance and gyrate and she does look rather delicious

Turbulance’s performance was brief and tight

And I cud tell he was not ready to get off the stage yet

When Luciano came up on stage in his red gold and green outfit

Its me again Jah, as I fall on my knees and pray!

And that’s exactly what he did, the man fell on his knees!

We briefly left Villa Adda for a sabbatical

And trodded to ROCK IN ROMA

I still cannot believe that dem promoters sold Shaggy off to Rock in Roma

What does Rock in Roma really have to do with Shaggy!

First off, the place, capanelle, is so uncongenial to the reggae crowd

We arrived at the box office to buy tickets

And those blondes were in such panic mode, looking for a panic button

Had the look of those bank tellers who find themselves face to face with a robber

And trying to look calm while pressing the panic button under the desk

And we only wanted to pay to get in to watch mr lover lover

The other blonde at the other box for accreditation

Cud not hide her apprehension, she was so panicky that her hands were shaking

And we had to repeat our names five times befo she could get it right

And the blondes at the bar were so bitchy it was unfashionable

The fact that it was raining did not help matters much

And when it did stop raining, so did the concert

Shaggy lasted an hour on that stage

And we was about not more than 150 of us

The 50 braved it in the rain and sang along and danced to mr bombastic chunes

While the rest were sitting far up in podium where there was shelter

Rain or Shine reggae music strive on

And that’s what poor shaggy kept on sayin

I cud sense his frustration at the dismal turn out

I mean shaggy is used to big concerts with beautiful ladies – in the frontlines- gyrating and screaming and vying for his attention

We were there awrite, screaming and gyratin

But, is not the same when we are not many yu kno

So shaggy was convinced it was the rain that kept people away

But I believe it was the context he was put in that was a turn off to most people

And the fact that roma was by now empty of its reggae massive

Who hav all trodded down south or to sum festival or other summer niceties

And the cover was like 20 euri - not because it was Shaggy, but because it was Rock in Roma

And the show was over too soon – not because of Shaggy, but because of Rock in Roma

And while shaggy was even reluctant to get off stage,

And he thanked us for coming out in the rain which by the way got him and the rest of us soaked!

And one Italian bwoy kept cursing Shaggy – mortacci tuo! He kept screaming

And I wonder if it was the same bwoy who kept hurling the same profanity at Mr VEGAS at VILLA ADA

Throughout the entire show of Mr I am Blessed Vegas, this bwoy kept hurling obscenities at him

I had the misfortune of standing next to him

I cud not figure out why he was acting that way, tho he did look fascist in his manner

And I kept wondering why he was there if he did not like the guy so much.

Has fascism infiltrated our reggae?

I wonder.