page 1 of 3

It was exactly two weeks after Machel & Xtatik left the KoolHaus on fire, that international Bajan superstar, Rupee and his Dot Com band came to Toronto on Sat 9th April to keep the fire blazing! This was his first full length performance in Toronto, all backed by his band, as well as, the first installment of the "Soca or Die" series promoted by Dr. Jay and the Soca Therapy crew... so you know Rupee came to represent for the fans.

Now, it's a Caribbean event we talking about here, and people were still making their way into the venue well after the carded showtime of Midnight, so you know Rupee and his band made their way to the stage well after scheduled showtime. However, the early arrivals were not bothered in the least, as some socialized at the bar, while the rest enjoyed the DJ's selection of music... which I must add was very impressive compared to the DJ's at Fire Fete. The crowd had a very nice mix of both locals and out-of-towners, and I must say, Rupee definitely attracts the females. As he always says, "Love you allll."

Dr. Jay made his way to stage to greet the crowd and introduce Rupee around one-ish, and then the action started as you heard Rupee's voice in the background singing... "I see a crowd out there that wants to raise their flags... I see a crowd that's got festival fever bad... whether Barbados, Antigua, Grenada, Jamaica or Trinidad... everybody jump... wave." Before you knew it, Rupee and the Dot Com band were in strong first gear. The Atlantic Recording artist nicely blended his older hits with his newer releases which kept the crowd in the swing of things. Big shout out to the talented and lovely sisters of 2Ntrigue, who are part of the Dot Com band. Somewhere, in the middle of the show, Rupee dedicated his song Woman I'll Always Be There [video clip] to his mom (who passed away), and the song and it's message genuinely touched the fans. This being the first time seeing Rupee in a full length concert, I will have to say, great overall performance. Being accustomed to seeing him in a guest performer role, this was a welcoming change, watching him in full control of his own band, and more so, his own crowd! Of course, there is always room for improvement for Rupee and his Dot Com band, which will come over time as they continue to perform and grow.

After a solid length performance, Rupee left the stage, but the fans were yelling out for more... and of course not having sung a couple of his most loved tunes, he made his way back on stage to sing classic (secret weapon) tunes like Jump, Ice Cream, and everybody's favorite, What happens in de Party. The ladies couldn't help themselves from singing out the response... "Stays in de Party!"

Rupee, being the humble entertainer, apologized to the fans before finally leaving the stage for the drama which occurred back in November 2004 at Fall Fest, where he was forced to cut his performance short (like after the 2nd or 3rd song I heard) as the show was locked off early. Now, with a solid three weeks of daily bookings, one would think that after the show, the band would quickly pack up and head back to the hotel to rest up. Not Rupee! While photographers and fans anxiously waited backstage to meet up with Rupee, he was busy front stage autographing for his fans. Music was turned off, and bouncers were asking everyone to make their way to the exits, but Rupee was still busy signing away, conversing and taking pictures with his admirers. He did not leave the building until every, and I mean every fan or person asking for his time was satisfied! His Dot Com band long left in the group's bus after the show, leaving the down to earth performer to catch a ride home with the promoters. Talk about an artist that knows were he comes from and truly appreciates his fans, and makes sure to let them know it.

Be sure to check out TriniJungleJuice.com's Interview with Rupee.