Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues - Why I would never return!!
28 01 2008Well I am somewhat BACK! I won’t be able to post as frequently as I had done last year because of personal commitments. I also vow to focus more on life in general in Jamaica, rather that the rather boring political landscape which is now in vogue. Anyway, Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival 2008 left many patrons feeling as if they had been cheated. Let me just back up a bit though and speak of my personal experience and why I would NEVER return to such an event!
In 2006 I flew down to Montego Bay on the spur of the moment, as my friends coaxed me to come down even for the final night to see Patti Labelle. I gave in, jumped on the plane, landed in Montego Bay, enjoyed the day with friends and the show that night. The venue was superb and you got the feeling that everyone was having a damn good time! I thought to myself that for once Jamaicans are capable of staging an event of this magnitude, in an orderly fashion. Boy was I in for a surprise. I convinced my entire family to attend the 2007 event. Never one to settle for mediocrity, the entire family checked into one of the upscale hotels (not the Rose Hall Resort) on the Rose Hall strip on the Friday afternoon ready and geared for the weekend. We bought VIP tickets and were quickly ushered to the front of the stage to a small enclosed area. After watching a few acts we agreed that there was no other way to do this but to sit right under the stage. What a pleasant event we thought! To our horror, each time a major act got on stage, people from the sky boxes descended up on the VIP area, blocking patrons who were already installed in the area as well as trampled on them. We complained but it fell on deaf ears! On top of it, the crowd was loud and boisterous and I can clearly proclaim that Jamaicans do not know how to behave themselves at these types of events. To make it worst, the Friday night billed many dance hall acts who, in my opinion, had no business at such an event, for they are neither jazz nor blues. We left the venue pissed as hell as we felt cheated of our VIP access. The next day we compared stories and incidents with friends who were sitting in the general area. One man plopped himself in front of a friend’s father, took out his ganja spliff and when asked to remove himself as he was blocking and choking those who were there already, he backed out his knife and was ready for a tumble. The goodly parents just backed off and accepted it for the rest of the night.
We were locked in as we had bought the weekend pass and even though 50% of our party had said that the organisers could stuff the money for Saturday’s ticket, we convinced them and again, we trekked back to the so called VIP section to be entertained. We were met at the entrance by security guards who told us that we couldn’t bring in our fold up chairs as VIP was only standing space. Where the hell were we to put the chairs we had on our backs? After several people came in, everyone eventually opened their chairs and dared the security to do something about it. When we looked around us, people were jumping the fence to come over to the section they had not paid for and nobody said anything to them. Again the sky box people invaded us and it was worst on the final night as more people seemed to have wanted only to attend on Saturday. As Earth Wind and Fire appeared, I took 2 pictures of them on stage and we left. What a fiasco! Never again!!
So, this time around, when I heard all my friends saying “Yeah man….wi haffi reach!!” I didn’t say a word….I was adamant that these people weren’t getting my money. I almost went down just for Saturday night but decided against it as memories from the previous year rushed in my head….hell no! I opened the papers this morning to see that Miss Diana Ross flopped the show and patrons were breathing fire. I am happy because I still have my US$80.00 in my pocket and a full tank of gas in my car. Based on the write up in the papers today, I would NEVER venture to Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues for the rest of my born days, especially when I can buy a ticket for the same cost and watch these same people in the comfort of an organised arena or stadium, where people know how to behave themselves. Everyone I spoke to on Friday stated that the main reason why they were not going was because of the bad behaviour and disorganisation from the pervious festival. My main pet peeve was that I felt ripped off with the VIP tickets! All that it is, is plain ole greed and trying to cram everyone into the place like tuna! Well to hell with that Festival…I will never ever ever ever ever return! As for Miss Diana Ross now dubbed “Miss Rass” (clawt), what you did was not nice…..the woman even lip-synched and the record scratched on her….ha ha ha! Any views?
Click the link below:
You deserved what you got! You decided to distance yourself from the regular Jamaican people because you thought you were better and “cotch” up yourself in VIP not realising that that nomeclature means nothing anymore. Might as well join the regular crowd and save money.
You are privileged (to be able to jump on a plane at a whim, book into an upscale hotel and purchase VIP tickets)and as such I believe your comments are very biased. I went to the same concert, sat with the regular crowd where some rather wonderful patrons were, persons I was meeting for the first time mind you. We all had a fabulous time.
Also you should note the VIP means nothing anymore. All you will get there are some persons showing off the social climbing skills, wannabes!!
Nicale you sound like you are just what Jamaicans call “bad mind and have grudgeful spirit”. Pardon me but the other people who prefer to sit closer to the stage by paying some more…is it a crime? “Cotch” up myself for what? Are you insinuating that I really didn’t belong there and I was trying to get in there illegally, because it sure sounds that way to me! Might as well I join the regular crowd? Who the fuck are you? Suppose I don’t want to? Suppose I want to sit in comfort with like friends who like to do the same? Are you the Jazz Police? Well if you want to sit in regular then you do that….but don’t come up on this blog telling people that because they wanted to treat themselves to a little comfort and was cheated out of what they paid for, means we deserve ill will! So what if I want to stay in a nice hotel rather than an inn? I mean seriously! What people work for and decide to spend their money on is not your business. The main point I was simply making is that when people pay for something in Jamaica, they often get a 6 for a 9……in essence, you don’t get your money’s worth!
You’re just jealous because I am sure if someone paid for you to sit in VIP you would damn well jump for it! Don’t hate! And as for your suggestion for saving money? I did! I stayed home because if I can’t do it in comfort I stay at my yard and watch it on TV.
And if you find my comments to be biased…then that is what it is! This is not the media and I am not obligated to give you 10 sides to a story. If you can read (hopefully you haven’t wasted taxpayers’ money) then you will see where I said it was MY EXPERIENCE!
Hey girl, it’s good to have you “somewhat back”
But, um, did I come in at a bad time? I would comment, but cockroach nuh bizniz inna fowl fight.
Anyway, I’m with you 100%. Makes me wonder how the other jazz fests - like Barbados and St. Lucia - compare. Hmmm…
I am sure that the other islanders are way more well behaved than we are. I have been to the one in St. Lucia and would love to go to the one in Tobago in April! Lucians on a whole are far more well behaved and ORGANISED (VERY IMPORTANT FACTOR), than we are. They KNOW what Jazz is. These half-assed people bring on Billy Ocean, Anita Baker, Jill Scott, Diana Ross, none of which are Jazz muscians/singers, and call them Jazz artistes. Oh please! I remember last year when the REAL Jazz artistes were performing, “ole nayga” dissed the people and shouted “come down”…..imagine that!
They wouldn’t get another dime off me again! Dawta did you go?
Lol, you come back well hot, steaming hot. I love seeing ladies fight
Well that is what happens when some asshole beleives that these are still the pre-emancipation period and that if you’re black you must stay back and not enjoy the finer things in life! I have always enjoyed myself wherever I go but I aint leaving my house to rough it at this stage of my life! That’s for when you’re 17 and 18. That person is just bad minded and because they can’t afford to do anything luxurious they want to blame poor Jamaican Girl….who only wanted to treat herself to a little comfort but is now being tried for treason!
@JD
Welcome back (smiles)
Let us clarify something here….. you are NOT being tried for trason by the long time readers of your blog or your family and close friends.
I refuse to patronize you and your experience speaks volumes.
My dismay/concern (after reading) is multifaceted.
-is this what the rest of the world sees, bad behaviour by us Jamaicans?
-is this a reflection of the lack of respect throughtout the Ja. society?
Nice to have you back …. keep posting.
Walk Good
Morpheus…of course people see us “bad behaving”! Why you think we need a visa to go to every possible country and will soon require a national ID on our person at all times? lol. There is a lack of respect and pride which permeates through the entire society. In addition, you have a set of people in Jamaica who have come into money and beleive they have also come into status……..dem just have whole heap of money and no class…hence they do not know how to behave at such functions…but always like to be seen and heard there.
What that writer doesn’t even know about some Jamaicans is that you do have a set of people who have no problems jumping on a plane and head to the US just to watch Britney Spears or Celine Dion….I have seen it with my own 2 eyes…I would rather save my money and do that to be honest, than to push and shove in any big crowd where the artiste has such a last minute request. By the way, her fee was US$300,000.00 and she is probably gone back to the US thinking what a set of suckers we were….lol!
Well Jamaicangirl your sentiments are resounding all over the internet. I posted about this today and I got some heated comments too from ticked off fans. There’s nothing wrong with expecting to get what you pay for, no matter where you are in the world.
Welcome back.
You have more faith the ability of crowds of Jamaicans to act civilised than you should.
No, I didn’t go, and now I’m not sorry. I’ve always had my eye on going to St. Lucia, though, and after getting that thumbs up from you about them, I think it’s gonna be on my to-do list.
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HAHAHAHAHAHA… why thank you for your kind comments. I always like to see wonderful uppity Jamaicans band together to protect their snottiness and sinnadru behaviour. Just because someone critises your comments it must mean that that person is a bad wud bad wud person.. PRECIOUS. Have no fear, I walk with my GOD and my fun and will always prefer to be with my Jamaican family and never leave them out for fake wannabees who only want to be associated with like minded fake wannabees people. This was my first time reading your post and I could class you correctly!!
Once again, thank you so much for your laughable and ridiculous comments!!!! I WILL CONTINUE TO LAUGH AT YOU AND YOUR SNOTTY CRONIES!!
Oh thanks for writing us back. It is clear you’re totally idiotic. You didn’t criticise my comments. You claimed that because I wanted to sit up front to see better and paid a little more than you did, it was considered criminal. If you want to sit in the back that is fine and nobody cares. But I can see you still have not got the point of the fact that when people pay for something they expect to get what they were told they would get. Yes you can continue to laugh but don’t blame the world if you are such a broke ass or from a lower socio-economic background than a few people. It’s not my or anyone’s fault. The point is I am not going back and I don’t need to go back to see those artistes. There are many other music and entertainment festivals all around the Caribbean and the world where those people perform. At least at these other festivals they are WAY more organised don’t try to cheat you out of what you paid for…..which was my only point.
So yes, continue to laugh….because truly….I don’t care, and I am sure the other readers don’t either. You’re just a jealous, bad minded individual who believes that if they had a good time, it can’t be true that others didn’t. If you had fun on Saturday, paying all that money to see someone who didn’t want to see you, then you stand alone…..because everyone else was pissed as hell. It seems to me that you’re the one who wants to be the wannabe….
You’re right….I will laugh about it someday. However, based on my first experience at Jazz, which was really good, I returned to the 2007 show. The first one I went to i sat in the general section. However, I was going with much older relatives and they didn’t want to do that because they were given the impression that they would get red carpet treatment…..this is how they sold the section when the tickets were being purchased. I would say that this is an event you should only do once. I did it twice and I know I would never go back.
I don’t know what you’re getting at, but the point of everyone going somewhere didn’t evoke a response from me which suggested I had to be on the bandwaggon. I enjoyed Patti Labelle in 06 and based on mental schema I decided to attend 07 and so did family members. The point I was making was that for the 08 concert, even if it was Judgment Day/Weekend, I would probably end up going to hell as nothing would have convinced me to go. The other point I was making is that it was a typical example of how one can purchase something and expect A but get B, which really is a breach of the contract you entered into when you bought the ticket.
Then the first person to answer claims that anyone who can afford to treat themself to a little comfort is a social climber and status seeker, which is such a pathetic response. To add to it, they claim that once you buy something and get less than what you paid for, it means that you deserve ill will and should not demand the service which you pay for. Now that type of individual is incapable of understanding the point and therefored not worthy of debating with. I don’t go to Emancipation Park concerts primarily because of the hassle of parking and nothing really to do with what is being presented and not because it is free and may attract all kinds. Many persons say that Jazz is not what it used to be and what should we do? Slaughter them for their opinion? I think not.
I’m so loving the fight. Nicale doesn’t even have a link so we can see if she’s really an idiot or not. Ah well …
But babes, why the date on your post saying Jule 2007? I thought I was in the past but the post is quite current.
Cyan tek us no place I tell yuh! C’mon Jamaican people!! C’mon!!! *Singing* - One Love! One Heart! Let’s Get Together And…Feeeeeeel Awwwwritteeee!”
Hahahaha!
sounds like the whole show is badly organized to tell you the truth. I think if you are in the VIP section you do deserve special treatment after all you paid more for the experience. Wont get involved in the whys of the VIP compared to regular sections but Why charge a VIP price if you not getting something extra?
jdid….thank God for Globalisation….that way we can give our money to the whomever we wish and not necessarily support the local market….the delivery of a bad product didn’t really surprise me….but this is something you do once and never again!
I clicked on our link weary hearted thinking that I was going to see your old post of I shall return.
Well Well–Jamaican dawta is right “Did I come at the right time?”
As always you are too funny.
Welcome back!
Suggestion: set up a feed for subscription so that your readers will get an email when you do a new post– I certainly will pop by to read
No nonsense….I am not really a “techy” but I do know that I subscribe to my own blog on Viigo on my Blackberry….each time it’s updated it automatically updates by RSS feed on the cell. However, I think you can also subscribe to my RSS feed once you are on my page, you see the RSS icon at the top of the window. Let me know if that works..I hope to update at least once a week
Nicale is what we call a “hater.” She is part of a culture that will never get ahead because they will not allow themselves to do so. They try so hard to hold others down, but to no avail. Sad situation.