"This is fabulous! This should have been done before. They could bring back everybody from before and have it at night," exclaimed one festival goer.
"It's a more mature atmosphere," remarked another.
Head of trendsetter producers GMR Tours International, Gilbert Rowe, was satisfied with his entertainment coup. Indeed, of all the night concerts of this year's festival, Farley Hill enjoyed the largest audience.
Farley Hill was perfectly suited to headliner Erykah Badu.
The hour late start did not affect Badu's time on stage – beginning as it did at 10:45 p.m – and while she did not sing all the songs Badu fans would have her perform, she waited until the very last to sing her most popular, Tyrone.
Badu took a full minute after strolling most regally on stage before she acknowledged her waiting audience and started [ironically] with Don't Be Long. In true African tradition, she asked her elders for permission to speak before she proceeded to reveal ten other names by which she calls herself, and mesmerise her audience with either her mammoth hair, her huge earrings, her kimono style dress, her finger jewellery, her shoes, her sultry, sensual, political, affirming lyrics; or all of the above.
Her love of symbols was clearly evident in her stage design. She placed her three backing vocalists, as well as three instrumentalists in triangles behind her; and her specific hand movements during and at the end of each song, were very esoteric.
She also thanked the audience for letting her express herself in her own way of offering words of advice and affirmation, and went out into the audience, giving many fans even more reason to scream and reach out to her.
Opening act Nexcyx looked quite ready for the big stage. The one-year-old nightclub band won a new set of fans with their performance.
Lead vocalists 18-year-old Rochelle Griffith and 22-year old Mahalia Phillips impressed with their mix of neo-soul covers and one original called Like Fairy Dust that certainly is on par with anything they did by Jill Scott, India Arie, Lauryn Hill and Rihanna.
The audience also appreciated the musicality of the six-member group, augmented for the big stage by trumpet player Omar Azan and violinist/trombone player Dwaine Gill. The youthful exuberance and synergy of the young was refreshing. Refreshing too, was the segue into spouge of the Knarles Barkley hit Crazy.