Chaka Demus & Pliers To Headline Third Coveside Concert
It’s not often that Jamaicans get to experience the wonders of Chaka Demus & Pliers live, all the more reason for the platinum-selling duo to headline the third Coveside Concert at Plantation Cove in St Ann on April 29.
“Jamaican people need fi see we; a long time dem nuh see we,” Demus told DancehallMag. “It’s such a wonderful feeling fi someone reach out to us to perform on a show like that. We definitely couldn’t turn down something like this.”
Themed after their boundless 1992 hit Murder She Wrote, the appeal of the event is amplified by the rostering of Dancehall Queen Carlene, who performed in the music video. Will the dancehall trendsetter be gracing the stage in a gold costume and her signature blonde hair during the duo’s set?
“I don’t know weh fi tell you other than on the show night, me know seh me a go mash up Carlene,” Demus joked, though he could never have been more serious. “Just know we’re going to have a lot of fun.”
Chaka Demus (John Taylor) and Pliers (Everton Bonner) were successful soloists before joining forces in the early 90s. It was their 1993 album All She Wrote/Tease Me that catapulted them to international stardom through chart-topping tracks like Murder She Wrote, Bam Bam, Tease Me and She Don’t Let Nobody.
With the album turning 30 this year, concert creative director Vonni Koromanti couldn’t imagine a better time to have Chaka Demus & Pliers headline the event.
“The duo represents the winning fusion of reggae and dancehall: the combination of Chaka’s edgy, deejay style coupled with the smooth tones of vocalist Pliers has created one of the most successful acts in the history of Jamaican music,” she told DancehallMag.
Koromanti added, “(Choosing them also came from) the desire to hear dancehall in its authentic glory; to catch the riddim and hear the bass. To experience the performative elements of swag and style that has been missing from our music scene for a long minute. I also wanted to be reminded of the time when reggae and dancehall went hand in hand; how the marrying of them served Jamaica well on the international scene.”
Complementing the latter is the full line-up comprising Tanya Stephens, who Koromanti hailed for her stage mastery and lyrical prowess; Richie Spice whose vocal virtuosity and quality catalogue were deemed most fitting for the concert; and Leroy Sibbles, whose longevity and diverse repertoire across ska, rocksteady and reggae will add greater depth and texture to the show.
“Patrons can expect VIP treatment all the way. Smooth traffic operation, good parking arrangements, ease of entrance to Plantation Cove, first-rate production from our technical team, seamless run of the programme, a true concert with in-depth catalogue from a star-studded cast delivering hit after hit, and entertainment galore with a few surprises.”
Patrons are encouraged to arrive early for the 7pm showtime start. Get tickets here for JMD$12,000, or at outlets including Fontana Pharmacy islandwide, Genus Pharmacy in Portmore, St. Catherine, and Shazz Gas Station and LFA Country Store in St. Ann.
Coveside Concerts series is a curated sequence of classic Jamaican creative offerings with a focus on home-grown internationally renowned talent. The fourth staging is already set for May 20, themed Life is Just for Living, featuring Ernie Smith, Gramps Morgan and Pluto Shervington.