The Building Returns: Kartel leads dancehall back to the club

HUNDREDS poured into the National Arena on Saturday for the highly anticipated Return of The Building. Promising patrons a trip down memory lane, organisers transported eager partygoers back to an era when Kingston’s nightlife was ruled by its hottest clubs. Headlined by Vybz Kartel, the event leaned heavily into the unpredictability and movement that once defined places such as The Building, Fiction and Quad.

Instead of unfolding as a traditional concert, with one performance neatly following another, the evening was a mix of music, artistes, selectors, dancers and familiar faces, all operating inside a space transformed by disco lighting, liquor and a heavy dose of nostalgia. Ahead of the event, organisers outlined that today’s party scene is increasingly being driven by patrons following brands, promoters, and concepts from venue to venue. They argued that Jamaica’s entertainment landscape has shifted away from the era when the nightclub itself was the destination.

Still, Saturday’s event proved that though much has changed, Jamaica’s love for music remains unshakeable, and with that love comes unwavering support for an active nightlife, no matter the venue. For much of the night, music remained at the centre of the experience. Selectors moved patrons through a slew of dancehall hits, including a host of tracks from Kartel’s early days.

“When Building did deh bout, a lot of unnu inna fifth grade, sixth grade and seventh grade. You were in school when Gully/Gaza war did active,” DJ Escobar said as he riled up the crowd during his brief juggling session. “All who know say a Gully/Gaza make you know fi defend yuhself a school, buss a blank,” he continued, with the crowd willingly following his instructions.

Headline act Vybz Kartel thrilled the crowd inside the National Arena, taking them on a stroll down memory lane as promised by the promoters. ZJ Chrome, Ricky Platinum and a host of others also enjoyed brief juggling stints as they got the crowd ready for the man of the moment. Before long, Vybz Kartel had full command of the National Arena.

“Long time me nuh deejay fi me people dem from dem levels yah,” he said. Perched atop a raised platform overlooking the jam-packed crowd, Kartel served up songs such as Touch A Button, Send A Hell, Dumpa Truck, One Man, Was Dat Jah and others, catering to both his female fanbase and his ‘thugs’.