The stage, illuminated with red, yellow and green lights, provided a fitting backdrop to two DJs creating a grooving reggae soundtrack in the background. The crowd erupted into applause. Beenie Man's Syracuse University debut had begun.
As part of the Caribbean Students Association's Bob Marley tribute weekend, the sold-out "Hands in the Air" concert on Friday in the Schine Underground saw a variety of acts, including singers, dancers and, in some cases, both. The self-proclaimed "King of the Dancehall" and Jamaican recording artist Beenie Man drew both dedicated and new fans.
"It went great," said Stella Adegite, a senior in The College of Arts and Sciences and event coordinator. "We had a great turnout despite the awful weather outside, and the audience seemed to really enjoy the event. The creativity and energy was phenomenal."
Combining an impassioned, Marley-esque vocal delivery and stage presence with his club and dance music background, Beenie Man commanded the stage throughout his hour-long set. The crowd erupted when he came on, singing along to every song with hands waving in the air.
He interjected humorous banter between songs, repeatedly telling the audience, "I love you all," and asking the "smelly people" in the audience not to wave their hands.
Yet despite the rousing reception from the audience, Beenie Man was the least consistent act of the night. He stopped his set in the middle of songs, saying each time "let's do this the right way," and often seemed out of sync with his two DJs.
Festivities kicked off at 9:15 p.m. with a performance from Soca music artist Trinity. He came out solo, helped only by an off-stage DJ, but quickly won the audience over by asking, "Is there anybody here from the Caribbean?" Trinity's songs were heavy on percussion, yet catchy enough to sing along to, and his frenetic dancing and stage presence further contributed to the effect.
Two dance performances followed in the center floor of the Underground, rather than onstage. One was a short performance led by an SU alumna known only as "Millie." The second was a five-member dance group from State University of New York at Old Westbury, which was more organized and intense.
Just before Beenie Man's set, singer Sean Taylor (also known as "Crazy Legs") gave a 20-minute performance, focusing mainly on his single "So Fresh." Taylor was aided by a DJ and used his trumpet skills and high R&B voice to produce a successful, if shortened, set.
But it was Beenie Man and his charismatic persona who stole the show. Whether it was through his movement on stage (not unlike the Jar Jar Binks character from "Star Wars") or his humorous storytelling during and between songs, he gave the crowd what it wanted - a good time.
"I'm a Bob Marley fan to begin with," said Alex Shisler, a landscape architecture graduate student at State University of New York Environmental Science and Forestry. "But actually, my friend told me about Beenie Man, and that he was a good show and he gave me some of the music, so I had to come see it."
sdkaplan@syr.edu
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