Meceastra to go on US Tour after successful Labour Day showing
KINGSTON, Jamaica – On the heels of what many have dubbed an impressive showing by dancehall artiste Tommy Lee Sparta at the recently concluded Mecaestra, Michael Dawson, chief executive officer of MECA nightclub has boldly declared that “dancehall will never be the same again.”
Mecaestra, “an avant-garde orchestra/dancehall event, saw Tommy Lee Sparta taking on duties as conductor as he fused his usual hardcore, gothic dancehall style with classic-opera-like instrumentals and sheet music.
The Psycho artiste performed with a broken arm but according to Dawson, he gave so much of himself, that his injury took a backseat to his undeniable stage presence.
“The Sparta Boss didn’t just show up, he arrived with a presence, enhanced by coordinated lighting effects, serenading the crowd with a brilliant rendition of “Warn Dem” accompanied by a beautifully sounding choir,” he said. “His melody was on point with the choir. At some point, he took over conductor duties and took charge of the Mecaestra, as it was called. The audience was simply spellbound.”
Dubbing the performance a one-of-a-kind showing, Dawson said Mecaestra created history and signalled there was more in store as he now has his sights set on turning the show into a performance series.
“Dancehall will not be the same again. The audiences are already saying they want more. Versions of this have been tried before but many patrons said this one ‘nuh normal.’ Mecaestra is an opportunity for dancehall music to be served up in a new flavour,” he said, indicating that the show will be taking some of dancehall’s biggest acts on a US tour.
“We have been approached by sponsors and other venues seeking to host the next Mecaestra and so this is a unique product that people are obviously loving. We just want to show the world that dancehall can be spun in many different ways and still be entertaining. Tommy Lee proved that as a hardcore artiste, he could adjust his style and serve up a performance that his fans still resonated with. We’re ready to serve up more shows like this so just stay tuned to hear where we will be next.”