Left: Moses preaches the gospel through music at Genesis 2009. Right: Goddy Goddy in the spirit at Genesis 2009. - Ricardo Makyn photos

Genesis Festival 2009 culminated early Friday morning with an altar call, just after Goddy Goddy sang two rounds of his controversial Courts ad, a remix to his popular 'Chakka Chai Chai'.

Kingston's Genesis, held at the National Stadium on New Year's Day, was the anchor leg of the three-show festival, which included shows in Mandeville and Montego Bay earlier that day. The well-organised show boasted an impressive line-up, with each artiste delivering what their name promised. Emceed by Omar Letford and Nadine Blair, among the performers were Praise Academy of Dance, Chosen Vessel, Jason Mighty, Kevin Downswell, Jermaine Edwards, Moses, DJ Nicholas, Prodigal Son and the 'madwoman' of gospel, Judith Gayle.

Highly anticipated

Living up to her name, Gayle gave an exciting performance as she belted out strong notes and scriptures and possessed explosive energy onstage. The duets, Things Already Better and Can't Stop it, with DJ Nicholas, were the highly anticipated climax to both their performances. The talented DJ, along with backing band, On The Shout, were on fire for Christ. Prodigal Son and Moses also had the crowd railing, dancing and waving, while Edwards and Downswell sang love songs to the Lord.

Testifying

It was after 11 p.m., when the gates were opened to all patrons and a prayer had been said for the country, that Pastor Howard 'Goddy Goddy' Reynolds started his set with Move Satan Move. Though he said he would be short since he was tired after doing all three shows and wanted to see his wife, it was everything but.

The minister belted rounds of Hear My Cry, Stand Up and Tell Me and I am Going Home on the Morning Train before calling Jason Mighty onstage to perform. Goddy Goddy then spoke about sin.

"A sin mek some girls say dem hot like matches an a step like when john crow a walk pon hot ashes," he sang. The crowd roared as he continued to drop lyrics after lyrics, testifying how God changed him from a life of women, guns, and hatred for the Church.

His brother, Ryan Mark, was the next artiste onstage. They performed their songs: My Yute Mi Nuh Sure, Satan Mek Mi Do It and Tears Fall From My Cheek - their new single about the abuse of children in Jamaica. Between tracks, Mark did many of his own songs before leaving the stage for what was supposed to be the high point of the evening.

"Can you imagine seh a pastor who supposed to know de Word a God say a devil ting we a deal wid. Me do one likkle Courts ad an dem waan kill me. Chrsitans nuh use furniture? Gi me de riddim mek me go a me yaad," Goody Goddy said before launching Chakka Chai Chai. He then told the now-dwindling crowd that almost 1,000 persons had been saved because of the advertisement, as they sought prayer and salvation when they visited the stores. "Unu waan hear de remix?" he asked. After doing a line from the ad, he made a plea to those who wanted to accept Jesus as their saviour and prayed.

DJ Nicholas (right) and Judith Gayle perform together.

These fans shout their approval as Goddy Goddy performs onstage.