Epic showing from Chronixx - As Caribbean leg of 'Chronology' album tour makes Kingston stop
Published:Sunday | December 3, 2017 | 12:00 AMShereita Grizzle
If anyone doubted the massive appeal of Grammy-nominated artiste Chronixx, then those doubts were quickly put to rest on Friday night as the Kingston leg of his Caribbean tour for his album, Chronology, got under way at Mas Camp.
The gates to the venue were scheduled to open at 7 p.m., and the rarity of having the reggae phenomenon performing on local soil was enough to have scores of patrons lining up at the gates from as early as 6 p.m. Patrons weren't able to access the venue until after 7:30 p.m., but they didn't seem to mind waiting as they chatted until they were able to enter.
Jamaicans forming lines and waiting on a show to start is not something many witness very often, so if that was any indication, the night wasn't going to be a normal one.
Indescribable
Epic and historic are the only adjectives that suffice when describing what took place on Friday night. The demographic of the audience spoke levels about the impact of Chronixx's music as children, adolescents, young adults, and the elderly turned out in droves to catch the singer in his element. So thick was the crowd that there was hardly space to move around, but there were zero complaints from patrons as they considered themselves blessed for making it inside as the show was completely sold out before performance night.
They came for the man of the moment, but he didn't grace the stage until minutes before midnight. While they waited for the main act, up-and-coming artiste Essah did well to whet their musical appetites. The young singer delivered a quality set, engaging the audience with just the right mix of social commentary and something for the females.
Protoje also delivered a rousing set, commanding the stage and thrilling the audience with song after song. Performing crowd favourites such as Rasta Love, Be Wise,
and Criminal, the entertainer showed off his style and class. He had the crowd glued to his set and singing along as he went on to deliver songs such as Roll, Stylin, and Blood Money before making his exit. During his set, Protoje also shared the spotlight with up-and-coming acts Sevana, Lila Ike and Mortimer.
Then it was time for the man himself, and as soon as he was introduced by host Debbie Bissoon, Mas Camp went wild. Loud screams greeted the singer as he made his entrance. Chronixx showed his class as he managed to fully captivate the crowd for a set that lasted more than two hours. There was no paying attention to the time as the crowd was completely lost in his mesmerising performance. The musical onslaught began from the get-go as the singer delivered songs such as They Don't Know, Alpha and Omega, Never Give Up, Roots and Chalice, Majesty, and Black Is Beautiful. Smile Jamaica, Skankin Sweet and I'm Blessed all followed in that 'warm-up' segment.
It was his night, but in true Chronixx fashion, the singer never left out his colleagues. Inviting Jah9 on stage to perform Reverence and Protoje to perform Who Knows, the entertainer shared the spotlight and was met with huge cheers for his efforts. He was shown even more love when he invited his father, Chronicle, to the stage. Performing Bet You Didn't Know, he and his father thrilled the crowd as their synergy was undeniable and engaging.
The show could have ended after that as patrons had already received good measure for their monies spent, but there was still more to come.
Capture Land, Here Comes Trouble, Behind Curtain and some electrifying freestyling in between followed in the next segment of the show. Then just when patrons thought things couldn't get any better, the night transcended their expectations as the singer showed off his dancing ability with a performance that involved some 'flinging of the shoulders' with the Ravers dance crew.
Performing what is undoubtedly one of his most popular tracks on the local market, Chronixx thrilled with an engaging performance of Likes to end the show on a high. Patrons danced their way through the gates as the show came to a close just after 2 a.m.