The calypsonian in De Barbados Public Workers’ Cooperative Credit Union Ltd Big Show are not here to play this year as demonstrated by their social commentaries that prick the collective conscience in a way that is more than a highlight reel of issues which came to the fore between Crop Over Festivals.
Opening on Saturday night at the Roy Marshall Teaching Complex at The University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus, the cast offered patrons a solid and entertaining package of calypsos and socas from veteran and emerging calypsonians all backed by the Lowrey Worrell led band.
There was an added treat of a performance from cultural icon The Most Honourable Anthony
Mighty Gabby Carter who sang Horn, Boots and Gisela, the wit and antics of MC Ishiaka McNeil and sponsors’ giveaways which combined, made it a good night out.
Most of the social commentaries are delivered in melodious mid-tempo or bouncy beats that had listeners humming, nodding or singing along. Some of them are witty, not the fall out of your
seat, double over laughter kind but elicited full out laughter and chuckles from the audience.
Some people tend to use the number of encores as a gauge of how good a tent’s offerings are. The show had eight in all but if you think it was only the veterans such as Mr Blood, Biggie Irie, Chrystal Cummins-Beckles, Classic, and iWeb, whom the people wanted to hear more of, just know the young brigade came out swinging.
Sakarah, the 2023 and 2024 Scotiabank Junior Calypso Monarch, showed she is not afraid to be in the big league with her commentary
Our Current State which examines some of the anti-social and negative behaviours that are happening and offers a solution to rebuild Barbados. She got an encore as did Tae, who along with Raanan, sang about the year-long We Gatherin’ celebrations, juxtaposing it with some of the things they think Barbadians should be gathering for.
Whereas, Raanan’s Gatherin’ looks at coming together and tackling crime, violence, rallying around victims of domestic abuse and rebuilding the family for example, Tae’s We Gatherin’ takes a deeper dive into more political and societal issues such as youth unemployment, the high cost of living, and calls for regional integration. Tae sang her party song True Colours in the second half.
Honoured legends
Mr Blood’s petition in Don’t Wait is simply to honour entertainment and calypso legends while they are around to receive the accolades. After opening the show with this song for which he got an encore, he returned in the same segment with a catchy soca tune Best Time.
It wouldn’t be surprising if Biggie Irie’s witty How You Get In Dis gains momentum as the season progresses and he continues to get encores in the tent. He heads into the political arena with this tune that’s an observation of the opposition Democratic Labour Party leader Ralph Thorne’s political career to date in a way that resonates with people. He also sang his sweet soca Kool It in the second half.
Classic’s Spot the Light also contains humour, innuendo, and hot button issues that vex people as he suggests where people should spot their lights and investigate. This one, in which he also highlights a bugbear for many motorists who find the glare of LED vehicle lights untenable, could also garner more encores as the season continues.
Cummins-Beckles is Partying locally, regionally and internationally as she examines political events, machinations, and dance partners that people (leaders) party with often in a way that negatively effects others, in her calypso. She seemed to enjoy herself performing this song that is engaging and hard hitting and so did the audience.
And in Twisted, iWeb in his typical style is laying bare hypocrisy “in this twisted society” in a way that gives pause. He got an encore for the calypso which is not merely listing issues but examines the possible causes of the social decay threatening to undermine the fabric of Barbados while providing workable solutions to stem the tide. The 2025 Junior Monarch semi-finalist Bit Bit ( No Sympathy), Skung Yung ( De Best Song), Mary E. who is singing both social commentary ( Games) and soca ( Handle It for which she got an encore), Mistah Dale (Somebody), cultural icon Mighty Grynner ( Up In Dey) and Mikey, who closed the show minutes before midnight with
Doctor’s Orders were the other equally good performers. (GBM)
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