Bermudian artists? locked down the Culture Shock stage during Reality Check outshining to the two Jamaican acts ? Chuck Fenda and Junior X Friday night at Snorkel Park.

Mr. Fenda with his energetic performance failed to impress a tough Bermudian crowd while Junior X with only two songs didn?t come close to leaving a great impression.

The show was filled with Bermudians tired from the hot sun and drinking that goes hand in hand with the two-day Cup Match holiday.

Nico Bam Bam formally of Stone Love played reggae tunes until the show began. DJ Donnie was the host of the evening singing and dancing the whole night.

Jah Youth and Little Jade opened up the local portion of the show. By the way, this had to be the most locals I have ever seen perform at a show featuring imported artists.

Following the children, Home Grown performed their regular set of songs including ?I Live My Life?, ?Welcome to Home Grown? and many more cover songs.

Mac ?Mr. Mox? Cassidy lead all the songs with his usual high energy performances.

The Home Grown band remained on the stage to back all the local artists. Corbin Melody and Ali followed. Ali sang Luciano?s song ?For The Leaders? and pleaded with the youth of Bermuda to stop all the violence.

Stevie Dread & Toro followed with a great performance including three back-up singers and Rastafarian flags waving from left to right. Their songs included ?Just Reality?, ?Hot Out There?, ?Rise Up?, ?Children Of The World? and ?Mirror Mirror on the Wall?. The energetic Ninja Cutty came on stage jumping up and down and running around to his original songs ?Gombey?, ?Murderer?, ?Chronic?, ?Freedom? and ?Johnny Barnes?.

During ?Gombey?, Cutty had a Gombey dancer onstage along with Alikhan dancing to his song.

Cutty called Sweet Sess on stage for an impromptu performance of India.Arie?s ?The Truth? to a reggae beat and danced with her.

Sweet Sess also encouraged Bermudians to stop the violence.

Singing T also came on stage during Cutty?s performance and sang a song about smoking marijuana.

Bermuda?s superstar Collie Buddz was the final local act. He opened his set with his hit song ?Come Around?. He was joined on stage by two other artists? C?Day and Roach Killa who sang beautifully.

Collie Buddz also sang ?The Way You Move? and ?Mamasita? which he remixed over the Smash riddim.

Junior X opened the next segment with a new song called ?Freedom?. He also sang his hit song ?Plead My Cause? but failed to liven up the crowd.

Chuck Fenda was introduced as ?The Poor People?s Defender? and came to the stage with high levels of energy dressed in all black with a white blazer and white hat.

He sang songs like ?Murderer?, ?Mama?, ?All About the Weed? and a ?One Love? remix with Bermuda inserted into the lyrics.

Mr. Fenda sang a passionate ?Cry For My People? where he pleaded for everyone to stop all the violence against one another.

When he performed his new hit single ?Guess Dem and Like Dem?, he had the crown jumping to the upbeat song. Mr. Fenda jumped all over the stage as he felt the music and lyrics of his song. The final song of his performance was ?Oh My Lord?.

I don?t know what it was but for once the local acts had the upper hand to the featured acts.

In his third performance of the summer, Collie Buddz did his thing once more and impressed his fellow Bermudians.

Even though this was my first time seeing Ninja Cutty perform, I was impressed by his energy on stage an obvious love for reggae. I also enjoyed Stevie Dread & Toro?s strictly conscious reggae style. And I am always impressed by Home Grown so I don?t even need to mention that.

Overall, I enjoyed the local line up because it excites me to see Bermudians finally stepping up to the plate and having success in what they love to do. Thanks for entertaining us.