Don't forget too that for a lot of Jamaicans, reggae is oldies music, the music of their parents or even grandparents. While they have more respect for those originals than Americans seem to have, those performers are not what the young want to spend their money on. Listen to the music in the kitchen of a large resort and it isn't Bob, Toots or Bunny they are listening to.

I'm afraid I'm part of the low attendance problem. Too many acts showing up late with a short performance to boot, has me buying CD's or MP3's at home rather seeing a performer live.

The final straw for me was at Belladonna watching the promoter's maybe 7 year old child doing cartwheels, handstands and backflips near midnight in a vain attempt at entertaining the crowd because the headliner hadn't shown up yet. No headliner plus child abuse equals a very bad time I choose not to repeat.

What made the night a total hoot was after it was all over. It was early am and taxi's were scarce. I scored a ride with a gypsy cab, an old beat-up Lada with seats missing. A young family of 3 from Boston MA begged to share it.
"Sure, no problem".
Their 6 or 7 year old daughter woke up and asked innocently, "Momma, no one's wearing their seat belt"!