Maxi Priest, Shaggy, Beres Hammond, and UB40 Rock Barclays Center in Brooklyn

Maxi Priest Performs For a Packed House at Sounds of Reggae

Standing onstage in a T-shirt reading Flatbush Wah Gwan, Shaggy looked very much at home in the Barclays Center—the audaciously fly new arena on Atlantic Avenue that also serves as home of the Brooklyn Nets. “It’s very important that you came out in the masses as you did, so stand up and give yourself a round of applause,” Shaggy told the near-capacity crowd. “However I am a little bit disappointed because of the fact that this is West Indian party, and there is not party like a West Indian party. Yet still we have some old people siddown pon them chair like them no wan’ get up. And we no inna it tonight! So point dem out! The first time West Indian people are inside the Barclay Center and them siddung pon them backside? It nah go work!” After a little scolding from the Grammy Award winner—who ran through his catalog of chart-topping hits and invited sparring partners Rayvon and Red Fox on stage to perform dancehall boomshots like “Big Up” and “Bashment Party”—the party did in fact tun up. The Biolife Sounds of Reggae Concert also featured British reggae star Maxi Priest and internationally recognized reggae band UB40, as well as veteran reggae crooner Beres Hammond. Held under the patronage of the Consul General of Jamaica, Hon. Herman LaMont, the concert celebrated 50 years of Jamaican independence and raised over $10,000 . A portion of the concert proceeds to benefit the American Foundation for the University of The West Indies (AFUWI) scholarship fund. Maxi Priest turned in a solid performance to open the show, and UB40’s Ali Campbell proved that he still has the golden voice—if not the recent hits to hold the crowd during to the end of their ill-advised closing slot. But the night belonged to the legendary reggae vocalist Beres Hammond, who addressed the audience as “family” all night long and made the enormous venue feel as intimate as a house party. As he ran through a bushel basket of classics, from “Full Attention” to “Putting Up Resistance” and “What One Dance Can Do,” it was hard to tell who was having more fun—Beres or the audience. When all was said and done the crowd’s sentiment could best be summarized witha Beres lyric: “I wish you could stay longer.” Photos and Video After The Jump…

Shaggy Scolds The Crowd

Beres at Barclays

Photographs By Errol Anderson, Courtesy of Barclays Center

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2 Responses

  1. […] Maxi Priest, Shaggy, Beres Hammond, and UB40 Rock Barclays Center in Brooklyn (Boomshots) Standing onstage in a T-shirt reading Flatbush Wah Gwan, Shaggy looked very much at home in the Barclays Center—the audaciously fly new arena on Atlantic Avenue that also serves as home of the Brooklyn Nets. “It’s very important that you came out in the masses as you did, so stand up and give yourself a round of applause,” Shaggy told the near-capacity crowd. “However I am a little bit disappointed because of the fact that this is West Indian party, and there is not party like a West Indian party. Yet still we have some old people siddown pon them chair like them no wan’ get up. And we no inna it tonight! So point dem out! The first time West Indian people are inside the Barclay Center and them siddung pon them backside? It nah go work!” […]

  2. Janice says:

    It would be nice if shows like this can be broadcast in areas for those who cannot get to NYC to see it in person. It looks like it was a great show and I wished i was there.

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