AFTER the much-publicised dust-up at the No. 1 Shed concert last weekend, promoters Magnum Force Productions and Apache held court with the Mid-Ocean News to praise the police for their response and to condemn the actions of a few disruptive patrons.

Norman (Maggy) Godwin of Magnum Sound Force said: "We need to thank the patrons for keeping their cool and letting the police do their job.

"We're sympathetic towards the three policemen who were injured in the line of duty. We hope this doesn't adversely affect our business, since after the potentially volatile situation was defused, the show went on incident-free."

Another member of MF Productions added that while members of feuding gangs from around the island were present during the show, the vast majority of potential trouble-makers had abided by the terms of an unofficial truce and had simply turned up to enjoy the music.

"The youth were coming together and that is unusual to have dozens of people coming together who don't get along, but they enjoyed themselves at the show."

Mr. Godwin reiterated the patrons were told there was going to be security on hand and a strong police presence.

"That particular night we beefed up security and our advertisements strictly said 18 years and over and the security was tight. I hope that one unfortunate incident will not spoil future events.

"Dozens of underage revellers were denied entrance to the show and there was even a uniformed policeman present at the gate when we turned away those people. This is the first time we have had an incident like this happen in decades at one of our shows."

A spokesman for Wild Apache said his company, along with MF Productions, had always enjoyed a smooth relationship with the police.

"We have a good track record playing at the No. 1 Shed and other venues and we have a good working relationship with the Corporation of Hamilton."

Both Wild Apache and MF Productions have vowed to tighten security even further if that's what it takes to ensure the safety of their patrons and staff.

"The security will be tighter still and frequent trouble-makers will be banned from future functions," they added.

The pair of promoters sought to set the record straight in regards to the incident.

"Contrary to rumours, nobody was stabbed, no glasses were thrown, let alone tables, and a fire extinguisher was taken away from a trouble-maker before it could be used to inflict further damage. Things escalated when the police took the offender down the stairs. We must thank Rory from Stone Love for keeping things under control and playing the music until the session was finished."

As for the fracas, four men have appeared in Magistrates' Court this week to face charges stemming from the melee between the alleged offenders and the police.

Wild Apache's spokesman explained after the incident that both promoters went to the police station to report the incident in addition to leaving a message with the Docks Manager's secretary. "She came to my job and recorded the sequence of events surrounding what happened on Saturday."

Both promoters admitted to feeling "a bit discouraged" over the incident and the negative press surrounding the matter, but vowed to press on and not let "a few hotheads" spoil things for the rest of the island's dancehall fans.

The spokesman mentioned a full slate of acts appearing throughout the year and asked for the public to continue their support.

"We work for them (the public), they don't work for us and we have to ensure their safety. We want to continue, but if people are reluctant to rent, the number of venues will become smaller and neither party will generate any business. Then where will the youth go?"

Walter's World - see page 6