Handful for Lauryn Hill
Great performances at Shaggy & Friends
ONLY a handful of the thousands who crammed into the venue on Jamaica House lawns heard Grammy-winning artiste Lauryn Hill's final notes.
It was after 3:00 am on Sunday when the headliner and closing act completed her set at the Shaggy and Friends Concert — a charity show aimed at raising funds for the Bustamante Hospital for Children.
On a long night of sterling performances, she began to test the patience of patrons even before she took the stage.
Sporadic applause due to frustration broke out across the grounds as patrons were forced to sit through an hour-long band change and technical set-up. So, when Hill finally came on stage at 2:10 am, patrons were already weary and had begun streaming out of the venue.
The situation was not made easier as Hill complained incessantly about her sound quality.
"Open up my mic. Bring up the sides. More in the monitors," she commanded her technical team. She also kept asking the audience: "Can you hear me?" This only served to incense weary patrons. Her stops and restarts also ruined the flow of her first-half performance.
For some, the fact that she offered 'live' as opposed to the studio/CD versions of popular tracks also fuelled the frustration.
By midway into her performance, it was only the determined who endured. By the end, they were possibly outnumbered by the white chairs.
Long band change and complaints aside, those who remained were treated to a spirited second-half performance by Hill, which encompassed hits from her days as part of the trio The Fugees. Hill's seminal work, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, as well as interesting covers of tracks by reggae icon, Bob Marley -- grandfather to five of her six children -- were done.
Her playlist included Killing Me Softly, Everything is Everything, Ex Factor, Zion, Natty Dread, Smile, Ooh La La La, Ready or Not, Turn Your Lights Down Low and Doo Wop (That Thing).
Prior to Hill, performances rolled through like a well-oiled machine. Some of the standout performances came from former pop-now-gospel act Deniece Williams, whose voice shows no signs of ageing. Williams was able to deliver high octave notes from her opening salvo -- an a capella rendition of God is Truly Amazing .
The 61-year-old artiste would have patrons on their feet with It's Gonna Take a Miracle, the dance track Let's Hear It for the Boys, closing with Silly.
Maxi Priest was another crowd-pleaser. He brought patrons to their feet as he delivered from his arsenal of hit songs. Surprise guest entertainer, Beres Hammond also did what he does best -- entertain.
The young man from Stepney in St Ann, Romain Virgo, continues to show growth and depth in his delivery. Wayne Marshall also delivered an entertaining set with the inclusion of swagin' partners Tifa and Future Fambo. While Stephen Marley, with a cameo by sibling Damian 'Junior Gong' Marley, added to the night's enjoyment.
Shaggy, who did the trifecta of promoter, host and performer duties, fared well at all three. His sets were interspersed throughout the programme during which he delivered his hits.
www.jamaicaobserver.com/entertainment/Handful-for-Lauryn-Hill_10526004#ixzz1ixlRXOKq
Wow ! This version is amazing!!!! Maybe her mic is not enough loud compared to her back singers 
