JUNO Award winning Reggae star Kirk Diamond as well as
Dancehall veteran and performing artist Hawkeye shine at the 2019 staging of
Summer Soulsa held in New Brunswick, Canada.
Held this past weekend at Fredericton’s Officer Square, Kirk
Diamond, backed by The Movement of Ahryel, brought authentic Reggae vibes to
fans of the genre. Covers of Bob
Marley’s classics such as “Turn Your Lights Down Low” and “Wait in Vain” were
included in the spirited performance, as well as a cover of popular Rock n’
Roll group, The Outfields, and their song “Your Love” which received the Kirk
Diamond treatment. “Fans were amazed
that Rock can be turned into Reggae” said Kirk reflecting on his
performance. “Music is universal and can
be interpreted in other genres which is what helps bring all walks of life
together.”
The Movement of Ahryel added to the performance with Nicole
and Nate singing songs from the neo-soul genre, and band members performing
solos. The audience was impressed by
Joseph aka Stretch on the guitar whose rock solo had the crowd wanting more,
Corden’s tickle of the ‘ivories’ earned an ovation, Joseph Warrior playing bass
became so sweet, he had to play front and center alongside Kirk while adding a
Gospel tune in the mix, and Denver, the groups Drummer confirmed what onlookers
quickly figured out – The Movement of Aryhel is an above average band. Musically, the audience experienced why Kirk
and his band are rated as being one of the best top live performers in the
Reggae genre, in Canada. Performing
“Greater,” the song for which Kirk earned a 2018 JUNO for Best Reggae
Recording, heard fans singing the chorus as if they’ve known the song for
years!
In addition to covers, Kirk performed his own material
including his JUNO award winning song “Greater” which heard the crowd singing
in unison. One fan reacted to the
positive vibes of the music by saying “we don’t get shows like this down here
very often and we want more!” Not only
did Kirk sing, he interacted with fans by calling them onstage for a dance
session.
Dancehall artist Hawkeye closed the show with an energetic
delivery of his hit records. Corralling
fans musically, the veteran entertained with hit songs “Bad Long Time,” “Go
Rachel,” and “Money Makin’ Guy.”
Acknowledging that fans may not be familiar with the music, Hawkeye said
“our job is to make sure you get the proper introduction to Reggae and
Dancehall. Welcome to your first class!”
Fans Melissa and Terry were visibly thrilled with the music,
especially when Hawkeye left the stage and performed in the middle of the
crowd. After his performance the two
said “we are going to buy all of Hawkeye’s songs so when he comes back, we can
singalong word-for-word!”
Proving true to his reputation of leaving a memorable
impression, Hawkeye made sure to teach attendees the punchlines to his
songs. By the end of his hour-long set,
fans could still be heard singing ‘who ah-ah,’ ‘bubble and wine’ as well as
‘e-yah, e-yah oh!’ Backstage, Hawkeye
was greeted by handshakes and hugs and a few thank-you’s for bringing a great
show to the eastern part of Canada.
Hawkeye is one of Dancehall’s most prolific artistes
boasting innate musical skills, witty lyrics, charisma, and of course,
style! The DJ, born Christopher Smith
has released multiple Dancehall hit smashes including “Who Ah Ah,” “Yuh Nuh
Beg,” and “Bubble & Wine.” His numerous underground hits and loyal fan base
has earned him a permanent place in Dancehall music’s ever-growing fraternity
and fans new to the genre.
About Summer Soulsa:
Summer Soulsa is a carnival and live performance event
celebrating Caribbean culture in Fredericton, New Brunswick. Produced by Starlight Entertainment, the
newly formed festival has been deemed the jewel of eastern Canada.
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| Corden (Keyboards) - Joseph (Bass) - Hawkeye - Kirk Diamond |
