When Intence stormed the stage at Amazura on Monday morning, marking his entrance with his blockbuster single “Yahoo Boyz,” the crowd greeted the headliner with a roar of excitement. The suspense had been building; it was, after all, his first-ever live performance in the U.S. The “Gift from God” show had been making good on its promise to bring the thrilling sounds of modern dancehall to New York, and at that moment, the climax had begun.
Following a venue change, Intence’s debut U.S. concert went ahead at Amazura in Queens, NY, and as early as 5 pm on Sunday, guests began trickling in. DJ Shampoo, Concord Sound, and Prestige Sound propelled the evening, juggling reggae-dancehall hits through a first-rate sound system as they prepped the audience for the night ahead.
Just after midnight, Roze Don, the first of the billed performers, leaped onstage, bringing career highlights “Spain Town Badness” and “Mood” with him. Shaneil Muir followed, gripping the crowd, which seemed to have her entire songbook memorized. Fans also swooned over 450, the exciting upstart behind the runaway hit “Journey.” His performance climbed to new peaks as he brought out surprise guest Deno Crazy for “Thunder” and had Shaneil return for a duet of their recent single, “Crawsis.”
The audience erupted as Intence launched into his set list, closing out the night with favorites like “Clutcha,” and “DEEDS.” Cell phone lights glowed and lighters flickered below the stage as the deejay cycled through his hits, eventually making room for another surprise guest, Pretty Pretty, to step into the spotlight. By the show’s end, the concertgoers buzzed with excitement, their faces adorned with smiles even as they began to file out into the chilly New York morning.