Calypso tents open on Sunday
The race is off and running as far as 2015 Carnival fetes are concerned. The first weekend of the year saw three mega parties in the north–Fantasy Blockbuster, Tribe Ice, Soka in Moka XI–each well-patronised and enjoyable.
Fantasy Blockbuster, held at the Queen's Park Oval on Saturday night, was headlined by Machel Montano, his entourage inclusive of new personnel. That same night, Tribe Ice was held at Jean Pierre Complex, with Bunji Garlin, his wife Fay Ann Lyons and The Asylum Vikings having star billing.
Sunday's Soka in Moka XI, held at Trinity College, Maraval, and hosted by JW and Nikki Crosby, fielded Dil-e-Nadan, Roy Cape All Stars and The Asylum Family, as well as a number of guest performers including Olatunji, Ricardo Drue, Farmer Nappy, Erphaan Alves, Shal Marshall, Lyrikal, Jaiga, Sekon Star, Chow Chow and Benjai. Kerwin Dubois also made a guest appearance.
The first of the schools all-inclusive fetes, it was a good opening to the season. The food court, stalls strategically erected on the perimeter of the school's spacious courtyard, offered a wide variety of delicacies with the fruit stalls being really over the top.
In the music department, Dil-e-Nadan didn't produce its accustomed tight, full-bodied performance and the band's horn section was somewhat reedy in sound. For a first outing, the other two aggregations held their own and can be expected to be in better knick as the season progresses.
The All Stars accompanied all the guest artistes but was special when Farmer Nappy performed Big People Party, embellished by a scintillating saxophone solo by Garvin Marcelle, who took the lead with Cape also on stage lending support.
On the night, all of the female frontline singers–Esther Dyer (Dil-e-Nadan); Darnella Simmons (All Stars); Fay Ann Lyons (The Asylum Vikings)–were of excellent voice.
People seem to be arriving at parties earlier than in previous years? Soka in Moka was scheduled to begin at 4 pm and by 4.30 pm the public car park, located on the sporting field, was almost packed to capacity. From as far away as the gas station junction leading to Paramin, the scalpers were already out in full force, hawking their tickets. By 5 pm, just over an hour before the first performance, patrons were already well into the fare in the food court with almost every available table occupied.
Apart from a couple sprinkles from the heavens, Soka in Moka was held with nary a hitch.
The parties continue unabated every weekend until Carnival Sunday. Tomorrow evening, Fete Royal will be held at Queen's Royal College, Hayes Street, St Clair at 4 pm. Music will be by Olatunji, Bunji Garlin, Fay Ann Lyons & The Asylum Vikings Band, Kes the Band, Karma, DJs Jus' Jase and Barry Perryman. Note that Roy Cape All Stars is not billed for this fete but will be at Hilarians all-inclusive next week Saturday, along with The Asylum Vikings and Dil-e-Nadan.
Also on tomorrow is Stumped, at the Queen's Park Oval, Elizabeth Street, St Clair. Victoria's & The Goodmen Crew are also holding their Soca Back-in-Times Animal Print Party tomorrow night, at De Nu Pub (The Mas Camp), Woodbrook, with music by DJs Sensational Noel, Special Delivery and Cutting Crew. Very early on Sunday morning, from 3 am to be exact, UP Soca and Sunrise will be held at Pier 1, Chaguaramas.
It is good to see the level of co-operation that is practised between the schools that seek to raise much needed funds through Carnival all-inclusive fetes. For instance, when St Mary's College Past Students' Union (PSU) holds Fete with The Saints at a new venue on January 24, QRC will assist by opening up its Hayes Street gate for secure parking for patrons.
With the 2015 Fete with the Saints fete being held for the first time at St Mary's grounds on Serpentine Road, there will also be parking at nearby Queen's Park Oval–entrance on Elizabeth Street; and the car park facility of the Nelson Mandela Tennis Courts of the Port-of-Spain City Corporation–at the corner of Hayes Street and Elizabeth Street. A free shuttle service is also available to take patrons from the car parks and back, but the driver must present an admission ticket to gain access to the car park.
Tickets for Fete with The Saints are available at the Past Students' Union Office (624-8468); South Trinidad from Felix Montenegro (684-5839); East Trinidad from Gregg Mannette (668-7555); Enrico Rajah, Trini Revellers Mas Camp (745-4391); Central Trinidad from Louis Ramdhanie (371-9193); and from all members of the Management Committee of the PSU, including John Allum, Joe Hadad, Brevard Nelson, John Hadeed, Matthew Leach, Rudy Balwant and Nestor Lambert. Tickets can also be purchased online at urbanisle.com.
There is a notable absence of the traditional public fetes this year. Normally, at the turn of the year, the Fire Services would have already erected its mammoth billboard on Wrightson Road to advertise its fete. We are already nine days into the new year and the sign has been conspicuously absent. The party's promoters confirmed this week that there will be no Fire Fete in 2015.
Also off the 2015 fete calendar are Customs and WASA fetes, as well as the ONE fete. However, one popular public fete that has remained is Army Fete, scheduled for February 6, at the Queen's Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain.
Calypso is also in the spotlight this weekend and on Sunday evening, at 7 pm, TUCO will premiere Kaiso House in South Trinidad, at the National Academy for the Performing Arts, corner of Todd Street and Rienzi-Kirton Highway. Star acts on this year's cast are reigning National Calypso Monarch Chucky, former national monarchs Singing Sandra, Karene Asche and Duane O'Connor, Twiggy, Explainer, Brother Resistance, Mista Shak, Black Sage, Snakey and Bro Valentino.
Also on Sunday evening, beginning at the same time, the National Youth Action Committee (NACC) will hold the final of its Stars of Tomorrow Competition.
Black Stalin speaks
One of the best gifts I got on the final day of 2014 was actually hearing the voice of Black Stalin (Leroy Calliste) on the phone, after almost four months of not hearing him. The former national calypso monarch has been convalescing at his southern home after being struck down by an ischaemic stroke on September 21, which affected both his speech and movement on the right side of his body.
"I am fine," assured Stalin. "My Christmas was nice and I am looking forward to 2015."
Speaking from his bedside, Stalin's wife Patsy said: "Leroy began speaking again about a month ago. He had a wonderful Christmas, especially as he was visited on December 28 by Brian Lara. He is getting stronger every day and his speech is improving. It's better you buy clothes than food for Leroy because his appetite is fully back."
Last Sunday, at Trinity College's Soka in Moka, it was announced that a benefit concert would be held for Stalin on February 22. Stalin's wife, though appreciative of the gesture, said on Monday, "Leroy will definitely not be appearing on any show in a hurry. He needs a lot of rest and time to regain his strength."