October 13, 2008

I READ with interest DJLT's review of the Bermuda Music Festival, in which he took "issue" with what he perceived as a preponderance of guest workers, "mostly British (read Caucasian or white) of course", in attendance at the UB40 concert.

Apparently he believes more of them should have gone to the Beyoncé and Alicia Keys concerts, in order to "get more fully engaged and assimilated into Bermuda, Bermudian culture, history and traditions". In fact, he continued, if they had attended, they would be "far better equipped to speak about Bermuda than they would have been otherwise".

I am at a complete loss as to how attending concerts by American performers could possibly achieve this. Frankly, I think this kind of stereotyping, currently rife in Bermuda, is harmful and unproductive.

And taking our guest workers to task for going to see a British band instead of American singers, on a British island, is just plain silly. The assertion that "most of these people can afford tickets to a music festival" is positively offensive.

Our guest workers are not all employed in high-paying international business jobs ¿ many are teachers, chefs, hairdressers, waiters, police officers, secretaries and so on.

I would guess that at those prices many of them could afford to attend only one concert, and would venture to suggest that soft reggae as performed by the multicultural band UB40 is at least as relevant to Bermuda's culture and history, if not more so, than American R&B.

I was at the UB40 concert, and my guess is that if DJLT had caught sight of me he would instantly assume "British guest worker".

I am, however, Bermudian. This was my second UB40 concert ¿ I attended my first in the mid-1980s while in Boston during my university years. Which should make it obvious that I am in my 40s, as I suspect many others in the audience were.

I was thrilled to have the opportunity to take my children to see a fantastic concert by a band whose music I have enjoyed for more than 25 years. Attending the concert also afforded us the opportunity to hear the work of a number of excellent local performers ¿ surely all contributors to the island's "history" and "culture".

While I admire the beauty and talent of both Ms Keys and Ms Knowles, I have very little interest in seeing them perform.

And I make no apologies for bypassing their concerts, leaving tickets available for those who truly appreciate their music.

MICHELE LAWRENCE

Pembroke