Carifesta X Gospel Concert... Organisers hint at ‘explosive’ evening

Carifesta X Gospel Concert… Organisers hint at ‘explosive’ evening

Aug 28, 2008 News

From left (sitting): Andrew Cartwright aka ‘Lynx’, Reverend Nicole Ballosingh-Holder, Calvin Williams aka ‘the Prodigal Son’, Pastor Kwame Gilbert, Pastor Marlon Hestick, Emrand Henry. Standing are Dominion Dancer Romel Siland and fellow local artiste Sean Sobers.

Expectations are high for the Carifesta X Gospel Concert slated for this evening at the National Stadium, Providence, which according to organisers is likely to attract in excess of 30,000 energised supporters.
At a press conference held at the Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal, yesterday, coordinators of the Gospel Celebration, Pastors Kwame Gilbert and Marlon Hestick unveiled the manner and segments in which the grand event will unfold.
According to Pastor Gilbert, the concert will be graced with an abundance of overseas talent, the likes of Reverend Nicole Ballosingh-Holder of Trinidad and Tobago, Emrand Henry of St Lucia and gospel chart-toppers such as Calvin Williams better known as ‘the Prodigal Son’ out of Jamaica and Andrew Cartwright aka ‘Lynx’ of the Bahamas.
Some of the overseas artistes, according to Pastor Hestick, can he considered as “road people” that have been converted to Christ.
As such he cautioned that their gospel and means of bringing the message of hope and peace may not be delivered in the traditional way which will be demonstrated through some contemporary performances.
The overseas talent will be complemented by some of the best gospel performers on these shores, presently, including artistes such as Kester Dean, Edward Neblett, ‘Solid Youth’, Sean Sobers, Miriam Williams and as Pastor Hestick puts it, “anybody that is somebody in gospel music”.
More than 400 artistes are slated to perform at the concert, presenting an ethnic fusion of the Christian denomination through genres such as reggae, soca, calypso, and bhajan to name a few.
A steel pan group of about 35 players will also be an instrumental part of the concert.
The organisers are optimistic that the concert will be characteristic of a tremendous time of worship and praise which will be effectively represented by the various artistes.
“Each of the artistes will bring a different genre… a different style to this whole celebration that I believe will provide for entertainment for the entire family. We were at some of the rehearsals last evening and if the concert is anything like the rehearsals it’s going to be explosive,” Pastor Gilbert asserted.
The entire event, according to the pastor, was met with unprecedented response from the local community pointing out that initially 20,000 tickets were printed and sold in two days.
As a result another 10,000 were also sold in record time leaving a vast number of persons requesting that more be printed.
“We have exhausted the maximum in terms of what we can print which is 30,000 tickets and we still have literally hundreds of people that are trying to get tickets to this event…”
It was noted, however, that unless persons are in possession of a ticket they will not be admitted to the concert, a plan which according to Pastor Gilbert will lend to the security setting as well as other logistical aspects of the event.
He pointed out to media operatives that the concert can be regarded as one that will be beyond the traditional gospel concert since it will not just be about singing, poetry and drama.
He disclosed that although the concert is slated to be the main attraction, it will by no means be the lone feature of the celebration.
In fact it was related that the Stadium will be transformed into a ‘Christian Village’ where booths of Christian publications, photographic displays, lines of fashionable wear, a focus on diet among other things will make up an exhibition segment.
The displays are scheduled to commence at around 13:00 hours and lead up to 18:00 hours when the concert is slated to get underway.
Meanwhile, organisers of the event are appreciative that steps were taken by Government to involve the religious community in the Carifesta event, a move which Pastor Gilbert believes is likely to pioneer a similar movement for the rest of the region.