LIVE-MUSIC died at Red Bones Blues Café on Friday night as technical difficulties halted for over 20 minutes performances by rising acts Jah9 and Blu Grass in the Sky.

The artistes bravely performed until they were silenced by a mic that crackled, fried then died. It’s an uncommon occurrence at Red Bones which hosts Friday night concerts, frequented by those in upper St Andrew. Both acts have that ability to silence the bar chatter — a barometer of fan conversion — however Friday proved ironic as it was the artistes who were silenced. Patrons clapped and howled but some left during the suspension, including this reporter.

“I was told to apologise,” said Blu Grass’ lead singer and guitarist Simon Samuel as the band and Red Bones team huddled to balance the sound. “We will be back.”

Blu Grass mixes the lyrical attack of dancehall with the guitar harmonies of reggae, ska and mento. The band has no keyboardist which separates its sound from traditional dancehall, but offers two guitarists, a violinist and percussionists in addition to a bassist and drummer.

“Can I have a talk with the wizard in the box (engineer), now my guitar is starting to whisper,” Samuel admitted and then quipped. “Is there a pastor in the house or better a witch doctor.”

The band remained relaxed and performed a few songs including, I am King of My Destiny and a self-titled song prior to the suspension.

“Can I tell you a knock-knock joke?” Samuel said to pass time.

Jah9 born Janine Cunningham performed first and finished her set but not before experiencing mic difficulty.

“Can you hear me,” Jah9 asked the audience.

“No. Change the mic,” responded someone.

She is being shepherded by the legendary Beres Hammond and will release her album, Rebellion, this year.

“I am going to wash you out/cleanse myself and let you out,” she sang standing firm like an enchanted tree rooted by her long dress with hands swaying into the crowd.

She mixes dancehall, dub and jazz to evoke a new sound — a sort of jazz-jay, dance-jazz or sing-jazz music, in which Sizzla meets Amy Winehouse. Her lyrics are righteous but not self-righteous and she teaches without standing on a pulpit. Her set list included originals such as Little Boy, Warning and Parasite.

“This world is not a friend of mine,” she sang in an original whilst accompanied by Sheldon Bernard on keyboard, Black Kush on drums, Craig Cole on bass and Junior Congos on percussion. In Parasite, the song transitioned from a one-drop drum beat into a rapid army march which was balanced by a deep throbbing minor key bass-line.