Back on track for the seventh season of the teenAGE Observer Expressions Tour, we make our first stop at Tacky High School in St Mary.

Mingling with students while setting up, we got to see first- hand the fire damage to the school’s canteen, from an incident recently, as proceeds of the concert would be going to the renovation.

Talented Shanice and Company took the stage first with their a reggae medley. And, shortly after, a trivia question was asked and Raniel Richards secured a prize.

Short and spicy with ‘Gun Man A Come’ was Jadeen Richards’ dub poem, followed by Rajesh McLean’s rendition of popular R&B hits Stay With Me and All Of Me, which elicited much cheers from his female audience.

Another group entered the stage, Janore and Company, who tried multiple times to deejay on a beatbox riddim by one of the group members.

Keyshae Hoilette was up next, performing Everything Good That I’ve Done which received considerable support from schoolmates after a rough start.

Another trivia question saw Andre Bruce emerging the winner.

Bringing her grouses of promises without performance was Ajoya Martin and her original Nutten Nah Gwaan. Martin spoke of her school fire and not receiving much support.

Tacky High loves local music and this was evident as Tahjaughn Darling delivered his reggae medley with selections such as Reflections by Jah Cure.

Following this was another trivia question from one of our sponsors, AAMM Cooperative Credit Union teacher Vanessa Gardener successfully answered the teacher’s question. Shanice Smith acted out Me Husband Nah Buy by Joan Andrea Hutchinson.

Dub poem Talk it Out by Asianeek Henry and Nickalia Green.

Another original In Class was done by Tianna Hinds, proving the wealth of talent present among Tacky High.

Things were turned up several notches by the 11×1 Dance group performed a fast-paced routine to several popular hits. Lisakaye Isaac performed poem ‘Hear Seh’ ably in Jamaican dialect, after which Ramone Henry sang You Are Not Alone by Michael Jackson, which delighted the audiece.

Kennoy Fagan deejayed and there was Grade 7 group doing another well delivered reggae medley.

Mr Murphy, a teacher at Tacky high — and also an artiste — treated everyone to a few of his conscious songs, which are certainly already circulating the airwaves.

Things were winding down, but definitely heating up Danesha Oxford deejayed, spitting rhyme after rhyme, which ensured her coming back for encore.

The concert was over, but not before the dance challenge, which turned out to be intense. And after many close rounds, Kamaul Walker, short in stature but not short on dance moves, took away the title of the winner.

Judges for the day were Daidre Sloley from AAMM, and school representatives Rayano Reddie and Felecia West.

The scores were tallied and Ajoya Martin was third, 11×1 came in at second place and Danesha Oxford in first position, moving on to the finals in next year May.

One last exciting feature of the day was probably all Tacky High could manage after a fun-filled day and it was so.

Guest artiste Nesbeth thoroughly entertained and motivated the students with well known hits such as Guns Out, I Love Her and Board House.