Rose Hill Sound Adds Flavour To Premier League
[Written by Patrick Bean]
What’s a local cricket match without a gigantic sound system blaring forth sweet melodies during breaks in action?
Likely a staid affair, lacking flavour and flair, two items customary when it comes to major competitions the world over.
The job of helping to raise the Bermuda Premier League [BPL] to true ‘event’ status for the five day tournament this week — September 6-10 — involving Bermuda’s senior men’s team, a Bermuda Select XI, Barbados and Grassroots Cricket Academy, has fallen upon the shoulders of Michael [Doughboy] Burgess, Shakir [DJ Fya] Jennings and DJ Shabba of Rose Hill Sound, both veterans of the local music scene.
Not a moment of on-field inaction is allowed to pass without Shabba or Doughboy dropping a short tease of a popular recording from a variety of musical genres, with conscious reggae, dancehall, soca and hip hop mixed with touches of old and new school R&B, keeping crowds swinging, swaying and mouthing lyrics.
It’s supposed to be work, but one would be hard-pressed to diminish the smiles and passionate enjoyment that exudes, no matter which of the trio is at the controls.
“We come to have a good time and to give the people at the game a good time as well,” said DJ Shabba, while bouncing to a reggae beat at the conclusion of Thursday’s matches at White Hill Field. “Our goal is to make memories of the event last forever through music.
“The music is a part of the whole social fabric and everybody comes together on the different umbrellas of music.
“Music brings people together no matter what genre it is.”
Even the players have found time to take in the atmosphere, with the Caribbean players made to feel at home, as they are all too familiar with much of the sounds on offer.
DJ Shabba refuses to restrict himself to any musical time period, noting that he’s simply a lover good music, no matter the period of production.
“We play everything,” he said. “The versatile ‘70s, we’ll go back to the ‘50s or ‘60s, whatever you want, all the way up to the present time.
“I’m 30 years old and I’ve been playing since I was 15 and Doughboy has been playing for at least 20 years or more.”
Emerging from another popular White Hill area sound system, Firestone, DJ Shabba did not hesistate in saying, ‘Yes’, when his friend asked him if he would assist in performing at the BPL tournament.
“Doughboy got a call, where he was referred, so he put me on and asked me if I wanted to come out and I just said: ‘Why not?’,” explained DJ Shabba. “So I just decided to come and show my skills to the people of Bermuda and the people of the world as well.”
The BPL and the accompanying sounds switch from White Hill Field to the National Sports Centre’s North Field on Saturday, as Bermuda Select XI take on Barbados and Bermuda plays Grassroots Cricket Academy in the last of the round robin matches, to be followed on Sunday by the Plate final and final.
Bermuda Premier League remaining Schedule:
Saturday, September 9
- 10:00 AM – Barbados National Team vs Bermuda Select XI @ NSC [North Field]
- 2:00 PM – Bermuda National Team vs Grassroots Academy @ NSC [North Field]
Sunday, September 10
- 10:00 AM – Plate final 3-4 @ NSC [North Field]
- 2:00 PM – Final 1-2 @ NSC [North Field]
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