A timeless time was enjoyed by all attending the ‘Timeless’ concert, starring reggae icon ‘Maxi Priest’ and soca sensation ‘KES The Band’, on Sunday, March 31 in Manhattan, New York. Presented by New York City’s haute nightlife tastemakers ‘Big & Strong’ and ‘Tryst Experience’, this rare fusion of reggae and soca took centrestage at the ultra chic Stage 48 in midtown Manhattan, which was filled to capacity with reggae aficionados and soca revellers, who braved the elements and packed into the venue hours in advance on a rainy New York wintery-Spring day.
With two internationally-acclaimed bands on stage, the promoters and artists had a treat in store for Caribbean music fans and party-goers. Maxi Priest opened the show just after 9:30pm with a smooth, reggae-dancehall-pop mix, and KES The Band closed the event in style, belting groovy then up-tempo signature soca tunes that drove the audience into a frenzy, with many not wishing to leave when the concert wrapped up just after midnight.
With almost an hour-long set that showcased his biggest hits, Maxi Priest was at his best, singing tunes for the lovers and ladies, including “Wild World,” “House Call (Your Body Can’t Lie To Me),” and culminating with his international pop blockbuster, “Close To You,” backed by Brooklyn-based dancehall deejay/rapper, ‘Beniton The Menace’. ‘Red Fox’ was a special guest during Priest’s set, hitting the stage for duet with Priest before segueing into his own smash single, “Bashment Party” much to the crowd’s delight, before turning the mic back over to Beniton The Menace. Priest introduced each member of his band and thanked the crowd and New York City for having him.
During the band change, soca producer-turned-artist ‘Nutron’ introduced some new fans to his sound, then the crowd was ready for KES The Band. The dancefloor filled up as frontman Kees Dieffenthaller hit the stage with his band and back-up dancers, immediately sending all hands and flags up in the air. The energy and momentum continued as KES flowed flawlessly through their catalogue, from their monster breakout hit “Wotless,” to signature singles “Where Yuh From” and “Ah Ting,” and also showcasing their new groovy tunes like “Rum And Soca” and reggae vibes such as their new anthem, “Tuesday On The Rocks” KES also covered classic soca and calypso tunes, fusing them with reggae beats, and had their fingers on the pulse of audience members, who were reluctant to leave when the band wrapped up the concert, after being on stage for well over an hour.
