With tickets costing $10,000 and $2,000, patrons certainly got their money’s worth as the ISSA Trust Foundation delivered a night of world-class entertainment on Saturday.
Although there were only three artistes billed for the night, they were enough to satisfy the musical craving of the huge audience that converged on the lawns of Couples San Soucci Resorts in St Ann. Djani served as the evening’s opening act and did well to whet the appetites of the growing crowd. After delivering a crowd-pleasing set, he made way for songbird Tessanne Chin.
Chin took the concert to a whole new level and had the entire venue dancing and singing along to her selections as she wowed with each song. Delivering hits from singers like Whitney Houston, No Doubt, and Pink, in addition to a few of her own original songs, the Voice Season 5 winner had the audience totally captivated. Closing out a superb set with her breakout single Hideaway, Jamaica’s songbird proved to be just what the audience needed to get them amped up for the night’s main act, Air Supply.
After a brief band change, the Australian powerhouse made their way to the stage. They were met with screams and a resounding round of applause as they opened with Sweet Dreams. It was a singalong from start to finish during their set as the audience participated in every song the duo performed.
The audience was so enthralled that not even the threat of rain could force their attention away from the stage. As the heavens opened up, patrons got out their umbrellas or raincoats. Those who didn’t have those got up from their seats and used the chairs as cover, determined not to miss a second of the show.
Luckily, the rains did not last for long, and soon, things were back to normal. Air Supply went on to deliver hits such as Even The Nights are Better, Every Woman in the World, Here I Am, Making Love out of Nothing at All, and All out of Love.
As they made their exit from the stage, the band thanked patrons for coming out, stating that the contribution would go a far way in improving the quality of health care offered at the St Ann’s Bay Hospital. Air Supply also challenged guests to visit the ISSA Trust Foundation’s website and make further donations, stating that they would match each pledge made.
The night ended with an after-party at the beach, hosted by DJ Bambino.
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AUSTRALIAN soft rock band Air Supply brought out throngs of fans to the Lily Pond Lawn at Couples Sans Souci resort in St Ann on Saturday evening.
The outdoor concert, dubbed An Evening with Air Supply, was organised by the Issa Trust Foundation. It raised funds for the paediatric ward of St Ann’s Bay Hospital.
Guitarist Graham Russell and vocalist Russell Hitchcock had patrons singing along during their 75-minute set.
“Air Supply did a marvellous job. They’ve always been popular in Jamaica. They’re really a hit, and the audience was really into them. Their songs are kinda love anthems of the 1980s and 90s and they still sound fresh today. I even saw young people singing every word,” Paul Issa, chairman of the Issa Trust Foundation, told the Jamaica Observer.
Air Supply, who emerged in the 1970s, sang all their major hits including Making Love Out Of Nothing At All, Just As I Am, Even The Nights Are Better, and Here I Am. The band also performed We Are Here, with students of Free Hill Primary School from St Mary.
“They (Air Supply) wrote We Are Here for the Foundation, and it was the first time they were performing it. That was a very nice touch,” said Issa. “Air Supply came on board as Goodwill ambassadors two years ago. They’re just down-to-earth guys.”
The inaugural occasion also saw performances from Tessanne Chin and Djani.
“Tessanne was good. They all put on a great show,” said Issa.
In-between sets there were presentations of works from the Issa Trust Foundation.
The chairman said, while the final figures are not yet in, he thinks they surpassed their $15-million target.
“I’m now thinking that the concert should be a yearly event. Hopefully, going forward, it will,” he said. “Jamaicans are generally kind people; if you give them an opportunity to support a worthy cause with great entertainment, they will support it.”
The Issa Trust Foundation is pleased to announce the 13th Pediatric Medical Mission to be held in Westmoreland and Hanover. Over the last 13 years, hundreds of volunteers have been involved in the program impacting the lives of thousands of children. We deliver sustainable, quality and impactful results with integrity, compassion and dignity for all.
This year we have a team of 40 volunteers including pediatric pharmacists, intensive care physicians, hematology oncology physician, general pediatricians, neonatologists, and pediatric nurses. Children will receive, at no cost, complete pediatric exams, labs if needed, pharmaceutical medications, fluoride treatments and eye exams, with glasses if needed for children ages birth to 18 years old.
In addition, a team of biomedical engineers will also be partnering with the local maintenance team at Sav La Mar Hospital. The team will work side by side with the staff providing hands on training, repairing equipment and conducting maintenance on incubators, warmers, ventilators and other selected equipment. The biomedical engineers will also bring parts to help repair as much of the equipment as possible.
The Issa Trust Foundation was established in 2005 by Couples Resorts as a nonprofit organization. The mission of the Foundation is to provide a system of prevention, health promotion and education, community health improvement and other services to promote well-being and development for the people of Jamaica.
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