Toots Hibbert has an infectious smile, and plenty of reasons to wear it tonight: his home nation celebrates 50 years
of independence this month; a weighty haul of Olympian track medals
has further boosted national pride; and to cap it off, Hibbert was
awarded the Order of Jamaica earlier in the week, in recognition of a
remarkable, near-five-decade career.
Not that these milestones are overtly referenced tonight (a nod to Bolt’s trademark victory pose from the backing singers aside). The evening has a sharper focus, on the here and now: indeed, from the opening Pressure Drop to a closing call-and-response-stacked 54-46 (That’s My Number), the ABC is animated and united in song and skanking.
Clad in leather and shades and skilfully backed by the whip-sharp Maytals, Toots is a magnetic stage presence, with energy levels that put performers half his age to shame. As he presides over highlights like the tempo-raising Monkey Man, he personifies ‘crowd-pleasing’ and transfers that aforementioned smile from his face to everyone else’s.
Not that these milestones are overtly referenced tonight (a nod to Bolt’s trademark victory pose from the backing singers aside). The evening has a sharper focus, on the here and now: indeed, from the opening Pressure Drop to a closing call-and-response-stacked 54-46 (That’s My Number), the ABC is animated and united in song and skanking.
Clad in leather and shades and skilfully backed by the whip-sharp Maytals, Toots is a magnetic stage presence, with energy levels that put performers half his age to shame. As he presides over highlights like the tempo-raising Monkey Man, he personifies ‘crowd-pleasing’ and transfers that aforementioned smile from his face to everyone else’s.
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