Jan. 1, 2007 — Seventeen Plus is back! The band that rocked the islands will celebrate 20 years of music Jan. 5 at Elizabeth's at the Palms, formerly Comorant Resort in La Grande Princesse.
The 1980s were saturated with the sounds of Seventeen Plus. Now fans of the band can reminisce about where they were when they jammed to their music, because the original band is back for one night only to rock the house and bring back good memories.
"This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for many people," said Rashidi Clenence, also known as Rash on the Radio, the event's coordinator. The Isle 95 morning show DJ and owner of Sun Stroke Promotions teamed up with Mac Entertainment to reunite the band.
"We try to bring different things," Clenence said. "We don't like to bring typical things. We try to get the best-quality shows people could appreciate."
Band members have been scattered across the mainland and Caribbean for the past 20 years. They're known simply as Azik, Fredo, Funk, Dalton, Binxie and Joey. The band split in the mid-'90s, Clenence said.
In 1989, the Seventeen Plus song "Mary Jane" was featured on the soundtrack of a Denzel Washington movie, "The Mighty Quinn." This year the band would have celebrated 20 years together, Clenence said, so he decided to try to bring them together for a performance many never thought would happen.
Bringing the band together from different locales proved a gargantuan feat, Clenence said, but it's the kind of price he's willing to pay to make sure his events are memorable. "We do this all the time," he said. "Sun Stroke and Mac [Entertainment] took on expenses other promoters weren't willing to take on."
Seventeen Plus is the Virgin Islands' equivalent of the Beatles because of the cultural phenomenon they created, Clenence said: "Their music is timeless. They had a true cult following. They were able to get people to change their styles to mimic them."
Although it has been many years since the members have performed together, they have been ensconced in music for the past 20 years, according to Clenence. "Ultimately they are professional musicians," he said. "They are still among the best."
Mary will be jumpin', Goofy will be trampin' and Seventeen Plus will come "again just like acid rain, burning through your brain." Fans can experience the reunion at Elizabeth's Friday, Jan. 5, at 9:30 p.m. For more information, contact Rash on the Radio at 773-0995.
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