Ocho Rios businessman and promoter Lesbert ‘Pablo’ Thomas of Mongoose Restaurant and Lounge is leading a chorus of voices endorsing clean and positive reggae music, following the successful staging of a party last weekend at the venue, featuring Jamaica’s top sound systems, Stone Love and Bass Odyssey. 

The endorsement coincides with news that the Broadcasting Commission has banned the playing of songs that glorify scamming, illicit drugs and illegal guns, and in fact preceded the Commission’s announcement.  

Thomas’ birthday party on October 1, Life is Just for Living, featuring the two legendary sound systems, was kept solely with clean, positive reggae music and left several persons calling for more of the same.

NO MUSIC WITH GUN LYRICS 

Thomas said there was no music with gun lyrics, derogatory lyrics or songs inciting violence or negative behaviour and the feedback from patrons, performers, and even the sound system operators, was terrific.  

“It was a classic, it was really nice,” said Thomas.

“Clean 80s and 90s music and the vibes was perfect. I’m always promoting clean music, healthy music for the family and this was an event that the entire family could have attended.” 

He added: “The negative music bring a negative vibe, clean music give a clean and pure vibe and that is what I am all about, clean fun.” 

Thomas received backing from Bass Odyssey’s owner, Keith Walford, who said: “It was excellent, the music was excellent, the people who were there really had a good time.” 

He further declared: “We encourage sessions like these, we encourage promoters to keep sessions like these going forward because it was a real fun-filled occasion and for those who weren’t there they really missed out on something. No violence, everything was good, the vibes was right; overall it was a very fun-filled night of entertainment.” 

Billy Slaughter, of Stone Love, described the event as “great” and said it attracted a “big people” audience, as the two sound systems juggled foundation dancehall and reggae music. 

“Most of them parties we go nowadays, you don’t get these types of big people juggling. It’s mostly young people music, so to see two big sounds string up… .  It was well received, it was a good showing and you could see the people them really love the joy,” Slaughter said.

“It’s something he can build on,” he added. 

Chuck Fenda, who flew in for the event and performed with Little John and Bushman, said it was a record-making event.

“It’s a party to go down in the history books, record!” Fenda said.

“Is the first I and I perform at a retro show and fi see Stone Love and Bass Odyssey pon di same stage as two legendary sound with no throw-word, no animosity. A pure love and unity and the people them full-joy themselves. Never before mi ever see that, not even a argument, not even a quarrel, nobody nah look pon nobody no way, dem just a enjoy themselves, a dance and a live up. History! This nuh fe keep a Jamaica alone, this fi keep all over the world; people fi know ’bout dis,” Fenda added. 

Nicholas Evans, Irie FM’s sales manager and also media marketing manager, said more promoters should invest in events like Thomas’ Life is Just for Living. 

DIFFERENT VIBE FROM AVERAGE PARTIES

“The vibe was very good and what I find with the big people thing, there is less tension and you don’t have to worry about stepping on a man’s toe, you don’t have to worry about certain things, that’s the type of atmosphere.”

“There’s nobody showing off to see can spend the most money or who can drink the most champagne or wet up with the most champagne. It was a different vibe from one of those average parties –where everybody face just tense and everybody waa show off on one another. The big people thing is really, really a different kind of vibes, it’s really a good vibe.” 

Evans compared the event to what transpires on the Love and Harmony Cruise. 

“It’s pretty much like that so maybe what we need is more people to invest in events like Pablo’s. You might not get 10 to 15,000 people but you certainly will get a group of mature people with a mature because vibes and one thing for certain if you have a bar they will spend mature people don’t come out come buy one Heineken and drink the one Heineken whole night.”