waved their hands in the air and sang along as British singer/songwriter Maxi Priest gave a vigorous two-hour performance at the National Stadium Sunday night.

Close to 800 fans screamed as Maxi Priest, sporting waist-long dreadlocks and backed up by the A-Team band began with In the Sringtime, blending dancehall, rhythm and blues and pop.

Close to You was the best example of the fusing of rhythm and blues, reggae and pop. It was the final song of the night, drawn from his Bonafide album, which was released in 1991.

Some female fans even got an extra treat.

In his second set, just after midnight, he asked for three women volunteers to display their dancing prowess on stage.

At first none were forthcoming.

Then, eight women seized the opportunity and one even stole a kiss from the singer as he walked by.

Teaming up with deejay and fellow British artist Tippa Irie, who was one of the opening acts, Maxi Priest pranced about the stage, sweat soaking through both his white shirt and pants.

It was a fitting end to a concert that was threatened by rain which caused it to be cancelled on Saturday.

The crowd welcomed Maxi Priest to the stage just before 11 p.m., at which time he sang 13 songs, including Wild World, which was originally released in 1988, Temptress, Sure Fire love and Best of Me.

Forty minutes into his performance he called Tippa Irie back on stage and they did a reggae version of Its Too Late to Turn Back Now.

Sitting on one of the speakers at the front of the stage, Maxi Priest turned down the tempo and crooned One More Try, and then picked it up again with his smash hit Grovin in the Midnight.

Just when fans thought he would do another song after Just wait a little longer, Priest darted offstage.

But he returned five minutes later for a three-song encore after steady chants of Maxi, Maxi, Maxi emanated from the audience.

He sang his number one hit Housecall, that he released with Shabba Ranks in 1991.

Apart from his obvious rapport with some female members of the audience, the concert lacked the driving, pulsing rhythm associated with other reggae acts like Buju Banton and Beres Hammond.

One of the reasons for this is that Priest wants his music to appeal to an audience that is too broad.

Mixing reggae, rhythm and blues and pop is a challenge in itself, trying to do them all sometimes means doing none well.

This was perhaps his most glaring flaw in an otherwise scintillating performance.

Earlier, Bermudian band Conscious opened the concert just before nine o'clock with two songs honouring Bob Marley and Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie.

It is clear that their recent exposure during Sunsplash '93 is doing volumes for their self-confidence as a group.

After a half hour set, Daddy Culture ascended the stage and was quickly followed by Tippa Irie.

Fans warmed up quickly to Tippa Irie, who was showing off the extra pounds he gained since his last trip. They moved toward the front of the stage as he began singing his first song Ragamuffin girl.

Dressed conservatively in a black short-sleeved shirt and black pants Tippa Irie mixed hip gyrations with his reggae lyrics and a little social commentary.

He asked fans to hold hands as he sang a song called Get Apartheid Out, and they complied.

But Tippa saved his best for last.

In an outgoing tribute to many of the Jamaican artists that paved the way, Tippa proceeded to chant their names with rapid-fire staccato precision. -- JOHN BURCHALL.