–Patrons break down VIP barrier

By Tamica Garnett

THOUGH some said it was top notch, many supporters of the Jamzone Alkaline concert, staged at the National Park last Sunday morning, were displeased with how things played out for varying reasons. From the behaviour of fellow spectators, to lax security, to even having a problem with the singer’s performance, the concert just did not sit well with several persons.
“It was nice, but it finish too fast; that was the problem,” one patron said, adding:
“I also hate the fact that all the young ladies were on the stage, and the guy didn’t get to perform the way he wanted to. But other than that, thumbs up to the show.”
Another said: “He performed better than last time; last time it wasn’t so entertaining for me.” The last time Alkaline performed here was back in 2014 at another Jamzone event.

BODYGUARDS IN TOW
It was around 01:15hrs when the “Champion Boy” singer burst on to the stage with an entourage of about three bodyguards in tow, for what would be an approximate 45- minute performance.
Decked out in a uniform of skinny jeans that ended under his butt, a T-shirt and open-button shirt, the artiste started off with his “All About the Money” track, and one particularly adventurous young lady quickly climbed onto the stage for a “whine” on the Jamaican.
The security entourage allowed the young woman her 15 seconds of fame, before she was unceremoniously hauled off the stage.
She would be the first of many who would share the same fate, as several other young women tried to grab onto the artiste whenever he dared come too close to the edge of the stage, causing him to have to continually beat a hasty retreat.
TOO HOT TO HANDLE
As the night progressed, the police added their presence to the stage, as it was beginning to look as though some of the ladies were becoming more than Alkaline’s entourage could handle.
One patron was convinced the young ladies wanted to strip the 22-year-old singer.
“If he did only go down in the crowd, one woulda tek he shoe, one woulda tek he laces, and one he pants… He coulda can’t come out ah Guyana; dem girls woulda hold on pon he,” the gentleman said.
He was another patron for whom the concert just didn’t do it. In spite of all the ladies fawning over the tattooed artiste, this spectator did not believe Alkaline did the event justice last Saturday night.
“To me, he didn’t have tunes for the girls them party,” he said. “Was mostly bad-man tune. You need tune fuh the girls party and whine whole night; that’s what I want.
“I don’t know about other people; I like partying, and I didn’t enjoy me’self tonight. It was flat for me; I don’t know about other people.
“But anyway, I won’t be going to Alkaline show anymore; he can’t sing for me.”
SECURITY BREACH

The young ladies on the stage were not the only unpleasant event of the early-morning gig.
A few minutes after Alkaline had made his entrance on stage, patrons in the VIP section noticed that the area was becoming very crowded, very fast.
The barrier separating the VIP and Regular areas had been breached, and everyone was rushing to be as close to the stage as possible.
Some blamed the organisers for the breach in security. “The entire VIP area didn’t seem like it needed to be a VIP area; it just seemed like a regular spot,” one patron said. “There were no special additives for VIPs; it was disorganized; the promoters need to work on their organization skills.”
Said another, “For one, when I arrived here, my ticket said VIP, and the people at the gate didn’t even know what it was. But I told them it was VIP, and they just let me walk in. Security was lax, clearly.”