I was also proud to have had an opportunity to meet Capleton. Not that I ever doubted it, but I can say of a certainty now that he is a King of the highest order, full of kindness, humility, wisdom, and strength. I can't say enough about the fire man in terms of pure niceness, and the show itself...well, there are simply no words that can do it justice, especially considering the circumstances under which the show went on. The hostile environment of a place that cancelled Capelton in 2004, for all intents and purposes, banning him by the overshadowing movement that has been trying to stop him and other culture artists ever since, was soundly defeated in its own back yard last Thursday, February 8, 2007. This show was on the under. There were no posters, no radio announcements, no big marketing campaigns at all, aside from a few little flyers sparingly handed out to those who needed to know. Subsequently, there were no gay protests and no gay community activists out to try and spoil it for us, at least not that I ever heard or saw.
Capleton took the stage at about 12:20am and stayed there for over two hours straight and all the while dazzling us all with his trademark high-energy, jump-up style. I mean he burned all kinda fire up in that place that night. And we were loving every single minute of it, even stood there waiting for more when it was really over and done. It was an overflow turnout so everyone was packed in as tight as sardines, and it was difficult to even move from one side of the room to the other, let alone in your own space. I know there must have been some kind of fire code violation going on. It was too packed and it was HOT!!! But nevertheless, by some mystical force beyond the super integrated crowd's control, there was only peaceful coexistence going on in the room. It was like a dove had descended on the place despite the extremely limited personal space available to everyone and just brought down peace and unity. The vibe, like the artist himself, was just pure oneness. By the end of it, my mental was so over stimulated, you know how Capleton drops that serious knowledge, I was left speechless, completely absorbed in my thoughts about the way he put things. He reminds me of another West Indian who does that to me also with his poetic stingers, Leon Damas. They have a way of droppin bombs directly on your soul and moving you to somehow respond. Capleton had us all under that kind of spell the whole set as he ran straight through hit after hit, both old and new mentally challenging us to consider our world all the while.
I think the people were just so greatful to get a chance to take in Capleton live that they dealt with the overcrowding and the heat in the place just because they didn't want to mess up their one and only chance to experience Capleton again for god-only-knows how long. We had already waited for this show for at least three years now. Capleton was in full regalia, you know his trademarked phenomenal fashion sense that coordinates everything from the head wrap to the shoes, and his set was tight like a noose. What was cool too was that it was all him. No filler acts beyond the short opener, whose name I don't recall. I, as well as everyone else, went out in the cold pouring rain for only one reason, and the promoters knew that and didn't waste our time. It was packed and hot and uncomfortable inside, but we all stood our ground and waited for the man of the hour. And Capleton, for his part, did not disappoint. After the show, I got to meet this wonderfully intelligent and powerful artist who, by the way, is my all-time favorite in Reggae - bar none, and tell him what I thought. I have never witnessed this kind of proud humility in any world-renowned superstar. He was being true to himself. It was truly uncanny. He has a regal air about him, a grace and style and wit that is beyond impressive. One can see in him that he is truly blessed on many different levels. He is a special human being, and of this I am sure. I am convinced of that fact, despite what I heard from a fellow Reggae journalist who said her experience with Capleton was, well, let's just say...suspect. But I can't say this was a most reliable source either.
In any case, I enjoyed Capleton the man and the artist and have to admit being changed by the experience. I feel somehow empowered to know that there is a Capleton in the world who WILL NOT BOW. I love him to pieces for that and for being real, down-to-earth, grounded, and secure in himself. I haven't stopped listening to Capleton since the show, and it will probably be a long while before I come down from the space he elevated us all to that night. For me at least, the show was just that powerful. I know it was an accomplishment for all of us to have Capleton play again in San Francsico, the place that explicitly banned him a few years earlier, but I had to rep my side of the Bay and asked him to play in Oakland next time, where many of our folks live.
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