Nearly everyone who attended the inaugural Micoud Jazz at Vierge Point was in awe of the stunning venue – and the general consensus was that headliner Sanchez of Jamaica did not disappoint.
The event delivered unforgettable performances and a vibrant atmosphere.
For Micoud North MP Jeremiah Nobert, the event was deeply emotional. Speaking to St Lucia Times midway through the night, he reflected on the dedication of the young Micoud natives who organised the event. “I am lost for words. When I see what a team of young people from Micoud who are part of the planning committee could do – some would have left Micoud and live outside of the community – but their heart and soul reside here, and they came back and decided to take ownership of this event. Seeing what they have done here today is just amazing.”
Nobert compared the venue’s significance to Micoud as the Pitons are to Soufriere, hinting at plans to develop the area while preserving its natural beauty.
Celebration of Community, Talent
The venue’s layout offered multiple vantage points of the stage, along with a kids’ zone and local food stalls, making it a true family affair. The evening began with the sweet sounds of the Micoud Youth Steel Orchestra serenading early patrons and setting the tone for a night of stellar performances.
Local community acts like DJ Nai, Micoud Dance Academy, Heart and Soul, New Age Band, Jane Johnson, General Bakes, and Shayne Ross kept the energy high. Ross, hailed as a rising star, delivered an electrifying set, including his hit I’m in Love and a new track, Something Special.
The Invasion Band featuring Ti Blacks ramped up the excitement with soca rhythms, while Teddyson John and the TJ Project kicked off their performance with It’s a New Day, a fitting anthem for the groundbreaking event.
Sanchez Steals the Show
After a lengthy set change, screams from thousands of eager fans who mostly stuck to the all-white theme erupted as MC Donnerville introduced the legendary Jamaican singer. Dressed in a sleek green velvet suit with matching shoes, Sanchez delivered a masterclass in stage presence, blending originals and covers spanning decades with a “less talk, more music” mantra.
Accompanied by his full band, Sanchez had the audience singing along and dancing to songs like Brown Eye Girl, Anniversary, I Can’t Wait, Love One Day At a Time, Frenzy, Never Dis the Man, and many others. As if his own catalogue was not ammunition enough, he also paid tribute to reggae greats such as Gregory Isaacs (Night Nurse) and Dennis Brown (Love and Hate). Having released a full gospel reggae album in the past, the charismatic entertainer also included some classics in his set, including Amazing Grace.
After performing for about an hour, Sanchez ended his performance only to return to the stage for an encore with Goodness of God.
Officials Applaud Success
Saint Lucia Tourism Authority Chairman Thaddeus Antoine praised the event, calling it the realisation of Nobert’s vision.
“When I came down to look at the venue for the first time, I could not believe my eyes. I had seen this place many times from a plane, but coming here before and seeing what the committee was able to do was just amazing,” Antoine told St Lucia Times.
Antoine acknowledged that some things were not quite right the first time, but he expects Micoud Jazz to be even bigger and better next year.
“We want to spread Jazz throughout the country and to see community by community embracing the Jazz Festival, creating economic activity for the people of the community and those in the creative industry and suppliers,” he said. “So it was good to see Micoud people embracing the initiative.”
Tourism Minister Ernest Hilaire summed the event up: “Fantastic. What Micoud has done has set a standard [and] I am looking forward to seeing all the other events in the other communities.”
As the night ended, the crowd dispersed with nothing but praise – proof that Jazz en Vierge had not only met but exceeded expectations.
What an event we had inaugrally in micoud. I applaud all the members of the organizing comitee 4 a job supremely put together & executed. But my only bit of criticism is on why everything initiated has to be a political braincells. A simple domino completion,a football or cricket or sport competition has to be called the district rep competition
Jazz now has joined the band wagon,with ministers taking the praises 4 the success of the activity
A minister’s job is to get funding for the activity, put a comitee in place to plan,organize n execute the activity, & at the end of the day,they shouldn’t be the ones to take praise for neither success or failure. & the sad reality is,this happens on either side of the political device,let us discontinue that nonsense. It looks like campaigning, especially in this silly season we in
Congratulations lover boy,make your country great and the people having pride in you,keep going God is with you and stay bless ❤️🇱🇨
@Micoud eagle All of the above are true statements but nothing gets approved in this country if politics not involved
This is not the first activity at this venue. If my memory serves me correctly, I believe Morgee and his crew have successfully hosted shows there decades ago.
I think the government should fence the area and hire tour guides to see the map of St. Lucia over there. Like Pigeon Island and Sulphur Springs, some revenue should be derived from that.
My humble two cents