The traffic snarled leading to the Mas Camp venue, last Saturday night, for another successful staging of the Footloose retro party.

Some patrons decided to park on the side of the road and walk the rest of the way. Even a group of ladies in high heels and shorts were up to the task. Once they got on the inside, it was nonstop high energy and vibes.

DJs Liquid, Marc Chin, and Cyclone from Coppershot and DJ Smurf alongside Mad Scientist kept patrons grooving until the wee hours of Sunday morning.

The sounds of soca from the past, including Ragga Ragga by Red Plastic Bag; Workie Workie, a 1989 hit for Burning Flames; Byron Lee and the Dragonaires’ Dancehall Soca with Admiral Bailey; the Collin Lucas monster Dollar Wine; Tempted to Touch, a gold single by Rupee; Ride Mi Riddim by Alison Hinds, Celebrate by Destra; and Cha Cha Slide by DJ Casper, saw waistlines activated as females danced up a storm at the instruction of DJ Liquid.

He later cooled things down with Bill Withers’ original version of Lean on Me; Betty Wright’s No Pain, No Gain; Rupert Holmes’ 1979 platinum seller Escape (The Pina Colada Song); and Bobby Bland’s 1989 album cut Members Only.

“The good vibes, the good music, and just the memories, that’s what keeps patrons coming back to a party like Footloose. I don’t really plan a set, I just go with the vibe of the people, and mi fi play outta di box,” DJ Liquid told the
Jamaica Observer shortly after his set.

DJ Marc Chin and MC Cyclone from Coppershot continued the blistering pace as they whipped out Buju Banton’s 30-year-old hit Untold Stories, Wanna Be Loved, and Love Sponge; Jah Works by Terror Fabulous; Babylon a Listen by Sizzla; Tony Rebel’s Jah By My Side; Ghetto People Song by Everton Blenda. He segued to dancehall treats from the 1990s, including Searching by Wayne Wonder, No Long Talking and Hoist it Up by Lady Saw, Simpleton’s Coca Cola Bottle Shape, Video Light by Lexxus and Mr Vegas, Sean Paul’s Get Busy, and Sizzla’s Karate.

A dancing segment featuring Elephant Man’s Signal Di Plane — which saw patrons lighting up the venue with phones —
Mad Instrument Dance, Pon Di River, and Dip Again, was well received.

“People know that we are the young guns at the retro parties and Footloose is one of great parties with great energy. The patrons always come out ready to party, and from the patrons enjoy themselves that’s a vibe for me,” Cyclone told the
Observer.

Marc Chin chimed in: “The name Footloose means kick out yuh foot and dance and enjoy yuhself. Older folks appreciate it, and the young people know it. We inject the new blood into the party, and we give the patrons the hits that will take them back in time.”

When DJ Smurf alongside his MC Mad Scientist took over the musical wheels of steel, patrons were transported to an era in which uptempo gospel music reigned.

Sister Scully’s Hurry Up, Him a Mi Daddy Oh by Judith Gayle, It’s a Beautiful Day by Jermaine Edwards, and Marvia Providence’s dancehall-laced gospel anthem Hear My Cry Oh Lord took the proceedings to another level, as patrons danced and sang along.

Dynamite by Taio Cruz, I Got a Feeling by The Black-Eyed Peas, I Love (I Don’t Care) by Icana Pop, Rednex’s Cotton Eyed Joe, and Psy’s Gangman Style were added to the pot of offerings.

“Mi drop some rock and roll earlier in the night to kinda get the vibe going. Rock and roll is a genre that a lot of people do not play at parties. Everyone loves gospel, and the kind of people that were in attendance were mostly dancehall people, so I decided to keep it high energy with gospel,” DJ Smurf told the Observer.

He said variety is what keeps his set list fresh.

“Of course, we had to add some reggae, because mi like a variety when mi a play mi set, and the whole place a lift up even after mi drop some dancehall from the 90s. The highlight of the party for me was the second set that I did. Everybody a jump and a wave the whole time,” DJ Smurf shared.