De Pepper Dam Buss!

A Busspepper fete in London used to be a classy affair. Like-minded professionals converging together to enjoy themselves in a safe ambience, within the elegant bars of the City's favourite hotspots. Food was provided -Caribbean style, the music was an eclectic mix of soca, reggae, dancehall and rnb but to be honest, all I can say is that as of late, the Pepper Buss!

I took my "good self" and went to Busspepper's anniversary party the weekend before last. I did not deign to post this review before now because what I could have probably said was good to forget. I was also temporarily placated by Mateen and team's apology but since, more than one week later, I have not been offered a refund or any type of consolation measure, I have decided to open my big mouth. As The Guardian say- comment is free!

First of all, I invited over 7 people to this event who had never been to a soca event before, because I believed that it would be value for money and we would have a good, uneventful, enjoyable night out.  We were promised no queuing if we purchased tickets in advance. I therefore spent the grand sum of £105 to ensure that my guests would not be queuing at all, as I am not able with parties where I have to feel like I am begging to get in. In grander clubs like Mahiki and Movida, I do not even pay so at least if I am paying, let me have the privilege of walking in with dignity. In a complete breach of pre contractual representations, when I arrived, there was a line that was as long as the steups on my mouth, serpenting its way (not even snaking!) around the entrance. I was advised that there was no separate queue. Two of my guests turned back. The rest of us waited for one hour to get in.  I do not like seeing trouble for my money. If there was an issue, I expected the organisers to be there facing the heat, explaining the situation to patrons. Instead Busspepper management were inside (in the warmth) leaving the crowd control to the management of Sway and me, in the cold. No fair. I almost started to cuss then but I remembered that I was a professional woman and the Jamette-Fierce inside me should be restrained.

One hour and a half later, when we finally got in, the venue was packed. The place was hot as a room built for sweating cocoa. The rooms were sweaty and stinking. Not what I expected.  There comes a point at which the organisers need to stop selling tickets to ensure that the venue has the ambience that is desired. Instead the party was very "wash you foot an come" and as long as patrons were paying, money was being accepted.  I am not an elitist and everyone has the right to have a good time but the guestlist should have been closed from the first 800! Instead 700 tickets were sold and monies were being accepted at the door. The result? An overcrowded, packed out venue where no one had a good time.

I always have a problem with Busspepper music and this fete was no different. If you gone to one fete, you gone to all. The DJ mix is that predictable. The soca features only Trinidad soca. The reggae features the same old time tunes. Not when we have such a rich catalogue! Where is the Vincy soca, the Grenada soca? Where is bouyon and zouk? Jamaica had a really good reggae season. Gyptian's Hold Yuh was not played. Neither were hits like Busy Signal's One More Night and Night Shift. These songs are mashing up the Caribbean. Are these DJs really in tune with the music scene? Lazy Lazy Lazy.

I am really disappointed about the experience I had and the lack of redress and unless something is done, I would not be attending their fetes again. Sorry!