The women came to dance and dance they did. - Winston Sill

There had been previous announcements that the volume of the music was to be reduced in accordance with the police's instructions but when the sound started to go down for good at Saturday night's Stir It Up, there was no warning for the party people jamming to Louis Culture's 'Education'.

So while a few people started drifting away, most people continued dancing at the Louise Bennett Garden Theatre, Hope Road, St Andrew, catching what would be the last strains of music for the night, Terror Fabulous encouraging the ladies "when you lef a man you no tek him back".

extreme anger

Soon enough, though, there was nothing to dance to and it was a wrap for the night. While The STAR did not see exhibitions of extreme anger, there was general disgruntlement, one woman announcing "me did waan dance some more an go home go dagga!"

Up to the shutdown, Stir It Up had had its moments, but did not go over the top in the hour or so before the end. The party attracted sufficient persons to party on the flat area just inside the entrance, the slope around the selectors' booth and the stage which those playing the music overlooked. (And one selector instructed a willing young lady in wining to the beat he had on the CD player to the delight of the crowd.) However, it could not be called a bumper crowd.

music twists

These two were obviously enjoying the night's proceedings at Stir It Up '80s, '90s Party at the Louise Bennett Garden Theatre, Hope Road, St Andrew, last Saturday. - Winston Sill

Typically, the retro party worked its way to a hard grinding session to '90s dancehall songs which appeal to the ladies, the intensity of the climax depending on the pace of the progress to that point and unexpected music twists that delight. However, Saturday night's Stir It Up may have jumped the gun, Terror Fabulous' Position and theBackshot combination of Lady Saw and Spragga Benz hitting the audience at about 1 a.m. In addition there were points where the music was not thematically cohesive, so soon after the sexual energy of those songs came Capleton's Tour, then Beenie Man's Blessed and World Dance before a switch in beat to Electric Boogie.

The laid-back hip-hop of Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur delighted the audience and when the hands went up for all the currencies called for, from $100 down. The hip-hop remix of Spragga's No way and the Bounty Killer segment of It's Tha Party were embraced happily and, coming up to 1:30 a.m., Stir It Up had one of its better patches wit the Bug rhythm, leading into No Time to Gaze and *lo**stain.

"Big up all the girls with the tongue ring. Big up all the freaky ladies," the deejay said, the women leading the way in shouting "lick e back" along with Beenie Man.

The enthusiasm dipped a bit coming up to the end of the round, Number Two among the songs that were played. There was a change of disc jocks and pace, some ladies showing that they did not need a partner to enjoy slow jams like Guilty. The Independent women, real or imagined, proclaimed what they bought (real or imagined) and there were cheers when the beat changed with Admiral Bailey declaring himself God pickney.

But the end of Stir it Up was not far away.

Beenie Man's Blessed and World Dance before a switch in beat to Electric Boogie.