From Left Ernie Smith, Lloyd Parkes and Pluto

The special Independence/Emancipation staging of Heineken Startime concert at the Mas Camp last Saturday was almost split down the middle between two of the finest acts around.

Stanley Beckford(Photos: Joseph Wellington)

The vintage showcase which continues to attract strong support across social class and age groups, was dominated by the hit-making prowess of veteran crooner, Ernie Smith, and the showmanship of Roy Rayon.

After the curtain-raiser, the virtually unknown Shenley Duffus, from the ska era did his thing, but Rayon's blistering set was just what the doctors ordered.

The three-time festival song winner was in his element and when he is in such form, is a difficult act to follow. This was proven by other festival veterans such as Stanley Beckford and "Mr Festival", Eric Donaldson himself.

They both paled in comparison to Rayon's dynamism which left all the other acts, except Ernie Smith looking out of their depths.

Also among those other acts who performed in Rayon's shadow, were veterans such as Pluto Shervington and the Abbysinnians. While the trio of Satta Massa Gana fame was steady without being explosive, the singer who chants that "I man born yah, mi nah leave yah," was tame beyond recognition.

His real shining moment, however, was later in the show when he teamed with Ernie Smith on Duppy Gunman and Bob Marley's One Love.

As it turned out, up until when Smith hit the stage, the giant shadow that Rayon cast was still hovering in the Oxford Road facility.

It was only evaporated by the appearance of the entertainer whose smash hit, Life Is Just For Living, was the theme of the concert.

What really gave Ernie Smith the ascendency over Roy Rayon, was Smith's wider repertoire of hits. As much as the crowd loved how Rayon performed them, festival songs like Come Rock, Love Fever and Give Thanks and Praises; were no match to Smith's barrage of great Jamaican classics.

To borrow the local parlance, "it was over by the shouting" as the singer with the gravelly vocal styling reeled off Pitta Patta, Bend Down, Sammy, I Can't Take It, Power and The Glory (Jah Kingdom Goes To Waste), All For Jesus, Play Di Music, One Dream, Duppy Gunman and yes, Life Is Just For Living.

In-between performing those monster hits, Ernie Smith was presented a plaque by Keith Brown of MKB, promoters of the event for his outstanding contribution to Jamaican music.

For the first time in many Startime's outings, the band and sound were a tad below par. On the part of the band, it would appeared that sufficient rehearsals were lacking.

While giving the overall show a pass mark, it fell below the usually high Startime expectation.

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