Let The Music Play

Jimmy Buffett? Who is Jimmy Buffett? That was the response of many Anguillians when they heard that he would be performing in concert at the Dune Preserve Retreat at Rendezvous Bay on Saturday 24th March. Most of them had never heard ‘bell nor market’ of him and wondered where the organisers of the concert had found him and why not bring in somebody like Michael Jackson. Then when our local new media began reporting that some 3,500 tickets (at US$100.00 each) had already been sold everybody began wondering what was so magical about Jimmy Buffett – and what was so great about his music.

Without a doubt, there is something magical about Jimmy Buffett because his presence in Anguilla, last weekend, resulted in an US invasion of our paradise island. It was a well coordinated attack. On three fronts. A first wave of executive jets swooped down on Wallblake Airport and hurriedly took it over. Having secured it, other jets landed at regular intervals and the invaders hit the tarmac running. They swiftly fanned out across the island in rented cars and taxis which they commandeered. Our car rental agencies were left carless.

A second front was opened up at the Blowing Point port. The invaders boarded our local ferryboats in Marigot, St Martin, commandeered them, sped across the channel and overran Blowing Point without a shot being fired. Dale Rogers, Port Manager, could not understand what the hell was going on so he fled without a trace. While all of this was happening, a third front was a direct assault on the Dune Preserve from the seaward side – the Rendezvous Bay Beach. The invaders swarmed ashore in droves at dawn on Saturday 24th March. They had landed from yachts and sailing craft of all kinds. By 12 noon the Dune Preserve, under attack on three fronts, had fallen into US hands. The Dune was US territory.

With the invasion forces in full control, Bankie Banx was taken prisoner and Jimmy Buffett was enthroned as King of the Dune. His first royal act was to fill the Dune with music. The opening salvo was Changes in Latitudes. It sent the crowd wild. They were deeply touched by the beauty of his music.

By this time the Dune Preserve was a sea of US citizens all swaying to the pulsating music of Jimmy Buffett, the internationally acclaimed singer, song writer, author and film producer. Having heard him for the first time, I fully understood why he has what I call a large spiritual following of lovers of his music. They call themselves Parrotheads. I asked John Peinert, one the Parrotheads who visited my museum the other day, what about Jimmy’s music he finds so appealing. His brisk reply was: “Its happy message!” He added that he came all the way to Anguilla because he wanted to hear Jimmy sing on a beach rather than in a big stadium in the USA. He was not disappointed. He enjoyed walking in the white powdery sand of Rendezvous Bay as Jimmy’s music wafted through the air.

Jimmy’s music is a mixture of pop, country and rock with a heavy Caribbean influence designed to carry the message that the purpose of life is to be happy and that music wipes away all tears – “washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” Jimmy’s music certainly does that. It is dynamic, soothing and relaxing thus reflective of his lifestyle which has endeared him to many.

Having seen him in concert at the Dune, Jimmy seems to be a people’s man. Down to earth. Unpretentious. Could easily be taken for one of our fishermen from Island Harbour. No big time jacket and tie. Simply Jimmy in green t-shirt, yellow shorts and two Rasta arm bands. People who know him better than I do have said that he lives “an easy going life” and that despite his phenomenal achievements he remains a humble person.

His music and humble demeanour definitely won the hearts of all those Anguillians who had the privilege of seeing him perform. They thoroughly enjoyed the concert. Priscilla Gumbs did not miss a beat. I can still see her chest jumping, gleefully, as she soaked up the music perhaps mindful that it is medicine to a broken heart. Beautiful Brenda Gumbs carried a permanent smile of appreciation. She could not hide her glittering white teeth with delight. And Linda Banks was bubbling with excitement. She had much difficulty controlling her emotions. I was fearful of her falling off the VIP stand but she managed to keep her balance.

The multitude of people, a few thousand of them, who filled the Dune Preserve to capacity enjoyed music at its best. They certainly got their money’s worth and more. Jimmy Buffett, unlike many other performers, did not sing two songs and then disappear. No. He sang some twenty or more of his great tunes to a highly appreciative audience. I can still hear him singing songs like A Pirate Looks at Forty, Margaritaville, Cheeseburger in Paradise, Volcano and Desperation in Sambo. My favourite was Volcano the chorus of which went like this:

I don’t know
I don’t know
I don’t know where I’m a gonna go
When the volcano blow.

Incidentally, having been overwhelmed by the large number of US citizens who had filled the Dune to capacity, several of our local folk whispered in my ear that for the first time in their lives they felt like strangers in their own country, and as though they were not in Anguilla. Dale Carty, owner of the popular Tasty’s Restaurant, said he felt like he had just landed in Miami. And Breda: “It is like being in Disney.” I understood their feelings. After all, it was the greatest concentration of white people that we had ever seen in Anguilla. Never before had we seen so many visitors to the island at one time and at any one place.

But what was commendable was the exhibition of warm Anguillian hospitality which made our visitors feel welcome to our shores. The camaraderie and togetherness between them and our people were excellent. A contributing factor was that there was no language barrier. We all spoke the same language: the universal language of music. And we all danced to the same music, shoulder to shoulder, in an environment of peace and love. Music is a societal tonic – a healing tonic – and Jimmy Buffett poured it out in large portions.

His concert was in support of a noble cause. The proceeds are going towards three local institutions: the Anguilla Tennis Academy, the Stingray Band and the Anguilla Community Foundation. For that Anguillian people are most thankful. The organisers and promoters of the concert must be loudly applauded for a job well done. The level – the quality – of organisation and planning was excellent. The event was the first of such magnitude to be held in Anguilla and things proceeded smoothly. The concert has done Anguilla proud.

Anguilla has benefited tremendously from the concert. Apart from its proceeds going to charity, the days leading up to the event, and those following it, were days of heightened economic activity. Anguilla got a big economic boost. The hotels and villas all across the island were packed. There were no empty rooms. People had great difficulty finding places to stay, and even places to eat because most of the restaurants were crowded.

The ferryboat operators, car rental operators, bus drivers and taxi drivers all made money. I saw Dennis Mussington grinning from ear to ear as the visitors filed aboard his huge bus. So too were Stephen, Accelyn and others involved in the transportation of the many visitors to our shores. For sure, the Jimmy Buffett concert pumped a lot of money into Anguilla’s economy and the multiplier effect is expected to be significant.

Further, Anguilla has gotten some real good advertisement and this is extremely important for our tourism-dependent economy. In my view the concert will do more for Anguilla than all the money we spent on advertisement over the past ten years or so. With some 3,000 persons or more coming to our shores, and having sampled our warm hospitality and enjoyed our healthy climate and beautiful beaches, what better advertisement could Anguilla get? Feeling is believing and they have certainly felt and experienced firsthand the beauty of our paradise island – of tranquillity wrapped in blue. Most of them were first-time visitors and many vowed to come back for a holiday. Therefore we can expect increased visitor arrivals during subsequent tourism seasons.

Another benefit of Jimmy Buffett’s concert is its contribution to highlighting, and therefore marketing, the Dune Preserve as an international entertainment centre – a centre of high class musical performances. Bankie Banx’s annual Moonsplash (musical extravaganza) at the Dune has long put Anguilla on the world map of centres of good music and the Jimmy Buffett concert will go a long way in making sure it stays there. Anguilla is now in a position to host other concerts of international acclaim. The Dune Preserve is the preferred venue. And we must applaud Bankie for his vision and for his perseverance in bringing it to fruition because his efforts were not without obstacles.

Now that the Jimmy Buffett concert has ‘big up’ the Dune Preserve it is expected to boost numbers attending future shows including Moonsplash which gets underway on Thursday evening 29th March. Friday 30th March is Reggae Night featuring Kingayah, the Better Band, Junior Lion (of St. Maarten) and Bankie Banx and Roots and Herbs. Saturday 31st March is Legends Night. Included in the line up of top performers are Rude Boy Earth Light and the Crew; Corey Stoot (featuring Omari Banks); Benjy Myaz, Junior Jazz and All Star Band; and Bunny Wailer and the Solomonic Reggaestra.

Moonsplash is getting bigger and better year after year. It continues to be a prime visitor attraction which tells us that music is an important component of our tourist-oriented economy. Jimmy Buffett’s concert has given much credence to that notion. While music may mean different things to different people, in Anguilla it is a critical ingredient in our recipe for a vibrant tourism industry. Let the music play.