An appreciative audience assembled at De Nu Pub (The Mas Camp) last week Wednesday night, as The Mas Camp celebrated its 30th anniversary. Many seemed amazed that three decades have already gone by since this iconic Woodbrook showplace was opened by Mac Ward and his family after Peter Minshall ceased using the venue as his mas camp.
Show emcee Sprangalang drew laughs when he told patrons he was just six years old when The Mas Camp opened. In the audience were visitors from Cuba and Jamaica, including Marlene Peterkin from Ocho Rios.
Many in the field of culture continue to be amazed that, as the 54th anniversary of Independence approaches, none of the Ward brothers or The Mas Camp has never received a national award for its consistent and sterling contribution to the nation's indigenous arts, especially calypso and pan. The Mas Camp has hosted live calypso shows every Wednesday night, showcasing almost every calypsonian of T&T for three decades.
Opening the programme, veteran bard Bro Superior dedicated his first item to Maha Sabha's Sat Maharaj, singing We Are On The Same Side, followed by Black Coffee in the White House, a ditty which earned him an audience with US president Barack Obama. For Democrat presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, Superior sang Women On Top.
Former National Calypso Monarch Luta won much applause when he sang Woman And Man, Ras Shorty I's Who God Bless, Black Stalin's a A Better Day and Kaiso Kaiso.
A past Calypso Queen, now a member of Tuco's executive, Twiggy opened her performance with GB's Calypso Rising, Black Stalin's We Can't Turn Back Now and her own Man Up Under Mih. Encored, she returned for another verse of this 2000 hit, accompanied by her husband and son.
National Calypso Monarch 2012 Duane O'Connor dedicated Duke's How Many More Must Die to one of his relatives who was murdered in race killings in the USA. He also sang Nursery Rhymes.
Three national monarchs (Singing Sandra, Chuck Gordon, Cro Cro) performed in the show's second half. Sandra sang Sparrow's Witch Doctor, Voices From The Ghetto and Dignity; Chuck Gordon's set included Fixing Time and Red, White & Black; and Cro Cro ended the programme singing Black Identity, Still The Best and Chop Off Dey Hand.