Anglicans search for a 'Cure'

Marcia Rowe, Gleaner Writer

Whether it is a secular or a religious concert, the audience for each has a specific reason for supporting an event.

The popular reason is to see their favourite artiste perform. So it was on Saturday when the last two acts of 'The Cure Gospel Extravaganza', Sister Scully followed by DJ Nicholas, took the stage almost four hours after the show started.

It was evident that those who braved the wind chills to the end came to see the two vocalists. And they were not disappointed.

Both were contrasting in their use of the stage, but produced similar reactions from the audience. Sister Scully used a 'rent a tile' performance, where she remained in the centre of the stage. From there her raspy, powerful voice began with Jesus Hideth my Soul. Then she ignited the audience with a medley of popular choruses which included Walk Those Streets of Glory, Rock Holy and Move Satan Move. Her scintillating stint ended with I am Going Home on the Morning Train.

Commandeered the audience

Contrastingly, DJ Nicholas provided a burst of energy - vocally and physically. Moving from the left to right of the stage, he commandeered the audience to stand with his opening line "Can we have some church tonight!" He then launched into Holy Ghost Church, before singing You Can't Stop It. Prior to singing his moving song titled I Could Be a Sad Story, he told of his story, in part, as an explanation to the host congregations from the St Luke and St Philip Anglican churches.

The story describes a life of anger and substance abuse. From a stooped position, Nicholas explained that he was a Jamaican and that meant reggae and dancehall were the music he had been exposed to. According to his testimony, that was why he chose those genres for his musical ministry.

But before Scully and Nicholas performed, there were some wonderful performances from Carlene Davis, Omari, George Nooks, Judy Mowatt and Ann Marie Laing. Each gospel vocalist (except Nooks, who asked the audience to pray for him as he was brought up in the church) performed their popular songs to the delight of the audience. All in the lengthy post-intermission segment.

While the second half of the programme was reserved for Christendom's musical stars, pre-intermission belonged to the choirs. Three in total, there was the youthful NEXUS of 10 years, the 85-year-old Diocese and Festival Choir and the Kencot Seventh-day Adventist Chorale. They all gave creditable performances, though the Diocese and Festival Choir and the Kencot Seventh-day Adventist Chorale at times, seemed to have forgotten that their voices were amplified.

The Cure was held on the West Kings House Lawns, and was organised by St Luke's, (located on Slipe Pen Road) and St Philip's (on Maxfield Park Avenue) Anglican churches. Proceeds will go towards their outreach programmes. At St Luke's, the money will go towards their six-year-old feeding programme and to start a halfway house programme, whereas at St Philip's, the money will be used to help with starting a homework and a sport development centre. The already established St Philip's Children's Home will also benefit.

In a post-concert interview with Father Patrick Cunningham The Gleaner learned that choosing the title "Cure" was not just about being creative. Generally, the word is in reference to the term used by the Anglicans to designate geographical areas that a priest is in charge of. But in the case of the concert, it meant otherwise.

"For the concert, the cure refers to the fact that it is the gospel that will cure Jamaica of the ills that it is experiencing," he said.

Cunningham also said, that they are thinking of making the concert into an annual event. Next year's event, it is hoped will provide more variety.