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Carnival beat gets real hot
Posted: Monday, February 3, 2003
by Peter Blood
The 2003 Road March is already at high intensity. With radio stations favouring some tracks with irritatingly frequent rotation, plus the weekend dosage of the music performed live, it's anybody's guess who will mount the throne as "Boss of the Road."
As I have been saying, there are some truly beautiful melodies around this year, especially those recorded by Shadow, David Rudder and Carl Jacob, Gail Ann and Benjai, Destra, Militant, Iwer George, Sean Caruth, Roger George, Sean Daniel, Dereck Seales, Duke, Blackie, Anslem Douglas, Denyse Plummer, Kenny J, De Fosto, Shurwayne Winchester, and Starr of Triple X.
The non-nationals are also contributing to some of the infectious tunes, like "Tempted to Touch" - Rupee; "Something's Got a Hold on Me" - CP Francis (Da Bhann); "Still Need a Man" and "Independent Ladies" - Sonovia Pierre & Visage; and, "Turn It Up" - Square One.
But, to get back on the road, the race is still wide open and, having heard nothing thus far from last year's champion, Naya George, the frontrunners are clearly Rudder and Jacob, Militant and Iwer.
Outside my top 10 runners so far, among the others to watch are "Snake Oil" - Bunji Garlin; "Rock Back" - Machel Montano; "Puddy Tat" - SW Storm; "Wine on Somebody" - Explainer; "Choo Choo" - Destra; "Mad Ants" - SuperBlue; and, "The Count" - Dereck Seales.
The Road March Derby
1. Trini to the Bone - David Rudder
& Carl Jacob
2. Passion - Militant
3. Home - Iwer George
4. Is Carnival - Destra &
Machel Montano
5. Kick It Way - Maximus Dan
6. Display - Faye Ann Lyons
7. It's All
About the Money - Starr
8. Tiefing ah Wine - Sean Caruth
9. Jumbie - Scrunter
10. Mash Up - Sean Caruth
To Watch:
Snake Oil - Bunji
Choo Choo - Destra
Rock Back - Machel
Puddy Tat - SW Storm
Mad Ants - SuperBlue
Wine on Somebody - Explainer
The Count - Dereck Seales
Island People's Amnesia brought out all the gorgeous women on Sunday at Pier 1, and they had a delightful time.
The vibrant crowd at Outta de Blue IV, consisting mostly of beautiful Trini women to the bone, with hands in the air, waving something blue at QRC Grounds on Saturday night.
Photo: ANDRE ALEXANDER
Last Monday, I needed a weekend to recover from the previous one. The madness began as early as the Thursday with Calypso Rose Day in Port-of-Spain, and the opening of the Custom & Excise Sport & Cultural Club at Bengal Street, St James. If you're looking for a nice place to make a lime, especially for a Friday-evening, after-work lime, or to get some tasty cow heel soup on a Saturday, the C&E Club is just the right place, with just the right people and ambience.
The Friday evening opened on a hectic note with Tidco launching its Carnival 2003 programme and Web site at the Hilton, and Petrotrin Phase II Pan Groove launching Koskelle's We Roots mas band at its Woodbrook panyard. Leaving the panyard and thinking I would be in bed my midnight, I was sidetracked and ended up at Flour Mills' Fete; a leggo experience if ever there was one.
That night established in my mind that Machel Montano is in a class all by himself. It was my first experience of his Xtatik Circus, something I was not prepared for. The performance included a stunning display of fireworks, fire-eaters, clowns, moko jumbies and minstrels who soaked the crowd with a powerful fire hose, with Machel, Farmer Nappy and Peter C Lewis keeping the masses in sheer musical ecstacy.
In addition to Machel and the Xtatik Circus, patrons, most of whom were dressed in white, the Flour Mills Fete was also well served by Roy Cape All Stars, Atlantik, Blue Ventures and a host of popular soca artistes.
All roads led to Queen's Royal College grounds for Outta de Blue IV on Saturday evening, and they were all jammed with cars, as far away as Havelock Street.
Roy Cape All Stars was "da bomb" on Saturday night. Vocalists Esther Dyer, Dereck Seales and Blaxx were at the top of their game, ably supported by some tight, well-rehearsed accompaniment, especially bareback bassist "Bassie" Boynes' one-man show.
The novelty of having two champion steel orchestras (Trinidad All Stars and Exodus) perform at the fete also paid dividends, as the sweet pan music even moved Prime Minister Patrick Manning to venture from his well-secured tent on the playing field to the heart of the fete on the basketball court.
The only people overheard grumbling at Outta de Blue IV were the "pork-mout'" patrons who were tardy in securing a taste of the gheera pork which ran out in no time. As far as drinks went, Angostura proved to be the toast on the night, as its new blue-bottled XS (vodka and citron) found the approval of all who sampled it.
Another talking point on the night was Black Stalin's performance of "Black Man Feelin' to Party," accompanied by Exodus. If you won't there, well, you just missed one of the sweetest renditions of this song ever.
I solicited a six o'clock wake-up call on Sunday morning so that I could partake in what has been a tradition for me, attending the T&T Marathon, sponsored by Clico. By the time Vincentian Pamenos Ballantyne ran past my Cocorite flat, on the Western Main Road, on his way to victory, just after 7 am, I was already perched on my front stoop, armed with an overdose of steaming, hot, black liquid caffeine.
After a delicious Sunday lunch, it was off to the preliminary of the NLCB International Soca Monarch Competition at Club Caribbean. By the time I'd listened to 125 of the almost 200 participants vying for a place in the semi-final, I was near brain dead.
While there were a few good items, the majority were hilariously unbelievable to say the least. I was very impressed by the showing of 12-year-old Young Marcel when he rendered "Bridging the Gap."
For a night cap, I ventured to Angostura Woodbrook Playboyz panyard where Stephen Dereck was launching his mas presentation. As usual, this event was attended by some vivacious looking women, a norm at any launch Dereck's Midas Associates hosts. It was nice seeing Dereck's peers, including Richard Afong, Peter Samuel Jnr and Earl Patterson, supporting his venture.
The craziness of Carnival 2003 continues this weekend, with almost every calypso tent now open as well. The much talked-about, sold-out Hilarians all-inclusive fete is on tomorrow Saturday evening, at Bishop Anstey High School, as well as the Licensing Fete on Wrightson Road. Sunday's agenda includes the annual McLeod's all-inclusive fete at Pier 1, Chaguaramas, and a similar function by the Diabetes Association, across the street at Mobs2.
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