A retro-themed party with an experienced line-up of dejays, such as DJ Delano, DJ Smurf and DJ Kurt Riley, you are guaranteed nothing short of fun and excitement. And that’s what took place at last Saturday night’s staging of Footloose Bright Colours Edition.

Held at Mas Camp, Stadium North, each DJ took patrons down memory lane with soca, dancehall, R&B, house, pop and reggae hits.

Upon approaching the venue at midnight, DJ Delano was hard at work dishing soca treats, among them Roll It Gal by Alison Hinds and Wotless by KES the Band. He then took the vibes a notch higher dishing out Elephant Man’s Signal Di Plane, Vybz Kartel’s
Summertime, Popcaan’s Ravin’, Mr Vegas’s I am Blessed, High Unda by Mavado, and
Position by Terror Fabulous.

The good vibes continued with Lady Saw’s No Long Talking, Singing Sweet’s When I See You Smile, Simpleton’s Coca Cola Bottle Shape, Joseph Stepper’s anthem Wife, and Bounty Killer’s Benz and Bimma.

When he drew for Buju Banton’s Big it Up, the females in the crowd couldn’t resist bubbling and gyrating.

Surely living up to the bright colours theme, several patrons came dressed in neon colours, reminiscent of the 1990s.

By the time DJ Kurt Riley took over the reins at 12:30 am, ballads were the order of the morning. Riley easily separated himself from the pack as he skipped through Whitney Houston’s Exhale (Shoop Shoop), Boyz II Men’s I’ll Make Love To You, That’s What Friends Are For by Dionne Warwick and Friends, Yvonne Elliman’s 1970’s chestnut
Love Me Please, Betty Wright’s Thank You for the Many Things and Michael Bolton’s cover of Lean On Me.

Riley then unleashed current gospel favourite Goodness of God by CeCe Winans, and segued into R Kelly’s 1994 hit Your Body’s Calling before wrapping up the slow jams segment with Toni Braxton’s 1993 hit You Mean The World To Me.

Soca favourites including It’s Carnival by Destra, JW & Blaze’s Palance saw soca fanatics dancing up a storm. But when Buju Banton’s Driver A and Collie Buddz’s
Come Around were thrown in for good measure. It was near pandemonium.

DJ Smurf then held patrons entranced with Celine Dion’s I’m Alive, Tina Turner’s Simply the Best and Abba’s platinum-selling hit Dancing Queen before switching gears to 1980s dance music including Billy Ocean’s Caribbean Queen.

A patron who identified herself as Marie told the Jamaica Observer she had come to Footloose to celebrate the birthday of one of her male friends.

“This event is going on really good. It’s my friend’s birthday and we came to celebrate and, trust mi, I’m having a good time,” said Marie.

A devout Luther Vandross fan, Marie said: “I love retro music, but I’m a souls girl, so anything Luther Vandross is fine with me,” she shared.

Radio broadcaster Wesley “Burgerman” Burger was in a dancing mood all night and patrons cheered him on.

“You see every single retro party in Jamaica, dem always sell off. Footloose, look deh, is not even 1:00 am and the bar empty. These types of parties take you back to a time when we never had so much killing, no diabetes, no severe health issues, and yuh just dance and enjoy yuhself. All the DJ sets, mi support all a dem, mi just a have fun,” Burger disclosed.

Lisa from Portmore said, as a 90s baby, retro music is what she grew up on.

“I grew up on this type of music; I’m a child of the 1990s. I’m at every Footloose, but the highlight for me tonight was when they played Air Supply. That’s my favourite group,” Lisa stated.

DJ Delano said it doesn’t take much to prepare for a retro party like Footloose.

“I helped to build that era, so it’s not much preparation that is required. We lived the era and played the music. Patrons continue to come to these events because they are guaranteed a great time, and it’s nostalgic. It takes you back in time and it’s a sing-a-long vibe for the patrons,” said DJ Delano.

Marketing officer at Mother’s Enterprises Ryan “Rage” Riley and some of his friends put on a dancing frenzy as they taught some patrons how to do the Raging Bull, Signal Di Plane, Crazy Hype, and Dip Again among others.