It started in 1988 as a source of revenue for the now defunct Oceana Hotel located downtown. Now 16 years later, Heineken Startime will be celebrating its 100th show at the Mas Camp Village on Oxford Road on Saturday, December 4.

John Holt

The featured artiste for the first show was Gregory Isaacs but there is a story behind that show which took place at the Old Spanish Town Bar located inside the Oceana.

"The first artiste we booked was John Holt. He even came with me to the meeting with the sponsors Heineken," says Michael Barnett, the man who came up with the vintage showcase idea, and who was then in charge of entertainment at the Oceana.

"The sponsors were very impressed with the idea and were elated that the artiste booked for the show had actually come to be part of the negotiations," Barnett told Splash.

But trouble was to set in. Holt, who was then domiciled in New York, missed his flight and Barnett and his team had to scramble for a replacement. Fortunately for lovers of oldies, that replacement came in the form of Isaacs, backed by Lloyd Parkes and his We The People band.

On the next four shows Bob Andy, Hopeton Lewis and Kelly, Cynthia Schloss and the Heptones without lead singer Leroy Sibbles performed on tracks and slowly but surely the reputation of the show grew. People were now cramming the Old Spanish Town Bar for the musical fare and soon Startime had to be moved to the hotel's poolside which accommodated approximately 1,000 people.

Before long, however, despite the undoubted success of the shows, the Oceana closed (1993) and Heineken Startime came off the burner.

"Despite the setback, people were still clamouring for the show. In 1994, Keith Brown and myself came together to form MKB Promotions and we are still together promoting Startime with our loyal sponsors, Heineken," Barnett said.

The first Startime that took place outside of the Oceana was in 1995 at the Mirage Club in Sovereign Plaza. But again space proved a problem and later that same year another venue change took place - the Peppers Night Club on Waterloo Road.

"Things went well at Peppers for a while, then it was on (1997) to the Countryside setting on Eastwood Park Road in the middle of Half Way Tree. We really had some great shows there (Countryside) and for the first time in our history we included a foreign act, Dorothy Moore,"

Barnett informed. Heineken Startime then found a final resting place at the Mas Camp Village in 2000, but before that the show was taken out of Kingston for the first time in 1999 when MKB went to Mandeville at the Fayors Entertainment Complex on Ward Avenue.

Since then other shows have been held outside of Kingston, including stops in May Pen, Alpart in St Elizabeth, Montego Bay, Negril, and Ocho Rios.
Barnett, who has been present for all 100 Startime shows, says it is difficult choosing a favourite show or performer.
"To choose is really a problematic task.

I remember when Eric Monty Morris of Sammy Dead, A Little More Oil In My Lamp fame performed for the first time in 1999. He was living abroad at the time and people had literally forgotten about him. He came and tore the place down.

Then when Culture performed for the first time it was something to see and behold and there is that really unforgettable show at the Countryside featuring the late Dennis Brown. It was probably one of (Dennis) Brown's best stage performances," Barnett said.

The MKB director said the growth and development of Startime would not have been possible without the outstanding contributions of sponsors Heineken and constant Lloyd Parks and his band.

"Lloydie (Parkes) is a part of the family. He was there from day one and is still with us. Heineken stood by us through thick and thin and today we strive for excellence together."

Now it's on to 100. The featured headliners for the show include Marcia Griffiths, ska pioneer Owen Gray, along with ace deejay U Roy, Bob Andy, Half Pint, Leroy Sibbles and The Mighty Diamonds, among others.

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