Throughout the Garfield Sobers Gymnasium Saturday night, from the front row to the back row, including the media and the production crew operating the equipment, all were blessed in some form or fashion during the four-hour-long Barbados Gospelfest’s LIME Ultimate Gospel show.
The Gospelfest Dancers opened the show and did a great job of setting the energetic worship tone of the night. They were followed by locals Noreen Norwood, group Endless Praise and The Barbados Gospel Fest Mass Choir which also accompanied headliner Bridget Blucher in her performance.
The barefoot Blucher blessed all in attendance as her powerful voice filled the auditorium. Belting out some old Caribbean gospel songs along with her original music such as I’m Still Here, she brought the crowd to its feet and in front of the stage. Many seemed to be moved by the Spirit as even the cameramen stopped what they were doing to skank and shake with her.
Grammy Award nominee and multiple DOVE award winner Nicole C. Mullen seemed to be just as excited to perform as the audience was to watch her do so, as she ran on the stage before MC Mark Harewood could finish announcing her name. She brought humour, high energy and high praise to the show, showcasing not only her vocal ability but physical fitness as she danced to almost every rendition.
Many people were visibly surprised when she stated that she was the “mother of four”, the oldest being 19. She then went on to tell the story behind her next song Black, White,
Tan which she and her husband “wrote for their bi-racial daughter and the body of Christ”, declaring that love was colour blind.
“God created the rainbow with bright colours because he liked variety,” said Mullen, who also compared how she felt as a Christian to a frail Clarke Kent going into a phone booth and coming out as Superman. “We alone are nothing special, but when we call on God all things are possible,” she said.
This statement was followed by her hit, Call On Jesus. She ended her set with many calling her back for an encore.
With Blucher’s old spiritual warrior words and Mullen’s more contemporary style, this year’s show had the ability to heavily impact the audience because of the line-up’s versatility.
A special offering was also collected for the Joseph Niles Legacy Fund, which has been formed to assist Niles, now ailing, and the patrons were urged not to forget the man who blessed the nation tremendously with his music.
The show was well patronized by an audience which included a notable number of young people and Minister of Social Care Steve Blackett.
