Hindsight is said to be 20/20. Well for the organizers of the event known as Fantastic Fridays, that is the case, because if they had known then, what they knew now, the last Friday in the month social party at which Visage rocks the house would have been happening a long time ago and not just be into its fourth month.
The event principals, Visage, Star 106.5 FM and the British Colonial Hilton Hotel were pleasantly surprised at the crowd that flocked to the first Fantastic Friday event in February. And have been floored every month since as they've seen the event patrons increase tremendously ever since to the point where the people spill over onto the Hilton Hotel's outside lawn, unable to be contained in the Bullion bar.
At Fantastic Fridays you can dance to your favorite old-school Soca tunes and some of the most popular Bahamian hits while you release the work tensions from the past month.
"It's really become a wonderful event," said Visage leader Obi Pindling. "I think all of us are now looking back at each other and saying why haven't we been doing this all along. It's grown that big."
Fantastic Fridays was actually the brainchild of Pindling who had approached the hotel principals with the idea in December 2012 after they had played the Hilton's corporate Christmas event. Pindling said they received many compliments and comments from the people that attended about playing on a regular basis in the venue. He approached the Hilton with the idea of the happy hour event, an idea they liked, but at that the ducks did not line up all in a row. Visage played the Hilton's corporate Christmas event again at the end of 2013 and after the same response from patrons Pindling pitched his idea again. This time the stars lined up.
They discussed it throughout January 2014, Pindling contacted Star 106.5 FM programming director Tony Williams to see if the radio station would be interested in joining in on the event that would fill that entertainment void for "grown folks" who were looking for a nice, cozy, comfortable, classy venue so that they could go to have after-work drinks on a Friday and dance to good music -- old school rake n' scrape, and old school Soca -- and just have a good time. Williams loved the idea and Star 106.5 FM was on board.
The happy hour social event kicks off at 5 p.m. with Visage taking to the stage at approximately 6:30 p.m. and playing through 10 p.m. Pindling describes it as the greatest five hours every month in local entertainment.
"Fantastic Friday has really become the talk of the town. Everywhere we go people come up to us and talk about the great time they had. The one complaint they that they've been giving us is in reference to why we're finishing at 10 p.m.," said Pindling. They wrap at that time because of the hotel's regard for their in-house guests and strict no outside noise policy after 10 p.m.
Fantastic Fridays have even included elements of surprise for the hosts themselves and patrons. Previous events have seen surprise performances from people like Nehemiah Hield, former lead vocalist from Baha Men; and Johnny Kemp who happened to be in the house on different nights and hopped on stage to perform with the band to the delight of everyone.
If you have yet to experience the last Friday of the month social event, you've been missing out. Pindling said the relationship between Visage, Star 106.5 FM and the Hilton is such a good one that he has expectations of the event going on for a long time.
Fantastic Friday's host band is one that has evolved over the decades and caters to all age demographics, starting in their 20s, the band has been able to stay current because they play basically all genres of music.
"We cater to the young and the not-so-young, and of course, especially our grown folks," said Pindling of the band he has been led and managed as Visage for 33 years.
Comprising Visage as it is today is Pindling and Antoyne Hinsey, keyboards; Dyson Knight, Wendy Lewis and Shawn Ferguson, vocals; Colyn McDonald, guitar and vocals; Ian Young, bass; Carlos Dean, drums; and Jason Ferguson, programming.
Pindling formed Visage in 1981. He said they were still a relatively unknown band until 1994 before they became popular and played gigs at weddings, banquets, balls, and tourist events at the hotels. But they did not have a venue that the Bahamian public could go to on a regular basis to see the band. Isaiah Taylor from Baha Men and Obie Wilchcombe in 1994 partnered in a club called the Culture Club. Taylor, Pindling's good friend, came up with the idea of having a happy hour after work on Fridays and asked if Pindling would be interested in Visage performing at the happy hour and Taylor's band High Voltage (now known as Baha Men) performing the late set. It was at that point that Visage's popularity went through the roof as they gave the people the Soca sounds they were after.
"I had a bunch of wild, crazy guys and gals on the front line of the band doing all sorts of enjoyable, wild, crazy things, and people just thoroughly enjoyed the performances, and so it started to attract a whole new market of fans locally, who were coming every Friday to hear the band," said Pindling. After Culture Club closed Visage moved to Club 601 with High Voltage and the band's legacy continued to grow.
"It was at that point when we knew that the public came to see, hear, learn and understand who and what Visage really was as a band," he said of their history.
With the release of their new single "Happy Hour" in December 2013 and now playing Fantastic Fridays, the last Friday in the every month, Pindling said Visage has been extremely busy. They've also recently completed a video shoot for "Happy Hour" which Pindling said will be released soon.
Admission into Fantastic Fridays is $20 and includes one free drink. Free parking is included with proof of a one-drink purchase.

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