Arthur Guinness Jamaica 2014 review

Ever since its completion in 2002 for the 2003 World Netball Championships, Jamaica’s National Indoor Sports Complex has been used for a variety of events. From politics to fashion and, yes sometimes even sports, the Indoor Sports Complex has proved itself to be one of the island’s premier venues. However it was with Jamaica’s most known export, music, that the complex really has shown itself to be the perfect setting for an indoor concert experience. The 6^th staging of Arthur Guinness Day, which was first launched worldwide in 2009 to coincide with the 250^th anniversary of the year the Guinness Brewery’s initial lease was originally signed at St. James’s Gate in Dublin, Ireland, saw the accompanying celebration grace the National IndoorSports Complex for the 4^th year running.

This year Guinness Caribbean invited soca stars Grenadian Mr. Killa and Vincentian Skinny Fabulous to add to the Jamaican contingent of Bugle, Assassin Jah Cure and Lady Saw. The acknowledgement of the particular acoustics of the venue by the production crew was key and the lighting and stage arrangement was superb. While each of the six performers commanded attention within their sets with Mr. Killa’s affinity for and antics with plus size women, Bugle’s lyrical content, Assassin overall on stage delivery and Jah Cure’s choir setup and vocal presence being the ones sure to be remembered by the packed house of Guinness lovers. By the end, only one question remained: What can be done to possible top this, next year?