Sunday night saw the highly anticipated and most exciting engagement in Reggae music this year!

Marcia Griffiths & Friends, produced and promoted by Solid Agency Company and Burke Bodley Limited, was everything we expected and still so much more.

The star-studded line up had the likes of Shaggy, Busy Signal, Tanya Stephens, Skip Marley, Cutty Ranks, Alaine, Tessanne Chin, Brick & Lace, Nadine Sutherland, Tony Gregory, Duane Stephenson, Ras Shiloh, Lady G and Beenie Man.

Marcia Griffiths had hinted at having surprise guests and so when Beres Hammond, Buju Banton, Damian Marley and Stephen Marley took the stage, patrons were beside themselves with glee. The music was provided by some of Jamaica’s finest musicians, the Jamaican All Star Band, led by the incomparable Dean Fraser.

Marcia Griffiths says “It was just one beautiful manifestation, a divine order. I am so honoured.

I want to thank those who shared the diamond journey and the friends and family that turned out to support me, that braved the weather and that had a good time. It was a beautiful, awesome feeling. They didn’t have to do it and they did. Soul touching that’s what it was.”

The queen of Reggae chuckled as she spoke of her elation at seeing Buju.

“I didn’t know he would make it back from his trip. So when I saw him take the stage and when he said ‘You tink me was gwehh let yuh dung eeh?’ I was so happy to have him there.”

Patrons commented on seeing Beres, Buju and Marcia on stage at one event as phenomenal and the right direction for the music. Those who packed the venue continue to commend the line-up, the production and the big performances. Many patrons also praised the on-time starting and ending of the show and were thankful that they were able to be home by midnight or earlier.

The show hosted by Marcia herself with emcee support from Tommy Cowan and Judith Bodley, had a medley of some of Jamaica’s staple brands sponsoring the event – such as Appleton Estate, Wisynco – Coca Cola, Wata, Sparkling Cranwata and Tru-Juice.

KFC, Pizza Hut, Tastee, IPrint Group, Select Brands, Kendel and HIC andVP records, Heather Laine, From thought to finish and Ranch entertainment also supported the Marcia Griffiths and friends show. Myriad Media brands pulled out coverage stops for the show – The Observer Group, The RJR Gleaner Group, IRIE FM, Zip, Fyah, Suncity, Kool, Roots, Nationwide, Online and overseas media turned out in numbers.

The timing and flow of the show was seamless; Marcia took the audience through her musical journey, starting in the 1960s, all the way through to the 2000s.

As she flowed from one era to the next, we were greeted by her friends (artistes on the line-up) that she met and created timeless music with along the way. Only Marcia Griffiths, the Queen of Reggae with the solid team could pull this cache of talent together for an immensely successful and outstanding affair!

We caught up with Sharon Burke and Judith Bodley who were satisfied that Marcia got her well deserved flowers, that the almighty held the rain for the duration of the show and lauded their teams for a job well done.

A special thank you goes out to Sagicor, Music Mart and LP Azar for going beyond and also the ‘Strings Orchestra’ for their help with “Young Gifted & Black”