By Tracy Moore
The sky was the ceiling—and when midnight struck, it lit up with fireworks as if the heavens themselves were celebrating. The crowd erupted into deafening screams, and there he was: Mr. Mikey Mercer, stepping into the spotlight at Reunion: The Ultimate Flag Party with the kind of commanding presence only he can deliver.
Held under the open sky, the outdoor venue at Kensington Mall pulsed with anticipation and patriotic energy last Friday night, every flag raised high and every waistline in motion. What began with a burst of new talent from artists like Lynchy, Ross, Chenise, and Cle Wood, a well-known dancer on the circuit, as well as Quon and Doe Jay, quickly exploded into a full-fledged celebration of iconic Bajan culture—past, present, and future.
From the moment the show opened to the final chorus, Reunion was a love letter to the island, wrapped in riddim, rain, and raw, unfiltered joy.
Mikey (right) performing with Mr Blood.
Mikey didn’t just perform – he owned the night. From his opening lines “Ah whole set of people from his 2025 release People to fan favourites like Enjoy Meh Life, and All Ovah, his every move fed the fire of the packed Flag Party crowd.
RPB (left) and Mac Fingall.
None other than the comedic titan Mac Fingall emerged to thunderous applause, as the first surprise guest singing his Big Belly Man. Then came cultural icon Red Plastic Bag, joining Mac on stage, treating the audience to hits like Ragga Ragga and Something in de Music, pausing mid-set to give Mikey his flowers before launching into Boat Ride.
From the legends came the next generation of soca stars: Junior Soca Monarch finalists – Niara, King K and the tiny but mighty AJ.
Mikey beamed with pride when talking about the young talents. “I think it is important to give them that platform—one, to give them some experience on a big stage, a big, big stage, yeah? And for that amount of people, I think that’s probably the biggest crowd that they would have performed for to date,” he said. “They’re extremely talented, and I really wanted them to get their shine, to get their time.”
The show also spotlighted Mikey’s role behind the scenes as he humbly noted that he penned the songs to two of those three artists who did well in Junior Monarch Competition.
In true Reunion fashion, surprise after surprise kept the energy sky-high with artists like Rickey Rich who burst in with Feel It, Imani with Bacchanal Road, Donella, Natlie who brought the sentimental feeling with some old dub and her vintage sweet soca and Marvay singing his new song Sweet Potato, along with fan favourites including Know the Face and Survive the Weekend. Others to hit the 246 star studded line-up included Mole and Salt who had the ladies screaming every word to their songs.
Nikita
Then came a moment of sweet, soulful power. It came in the form of Nikita and Alison Hinds who both took the mic and—true to form—did not disappoint. Their vocals soared through the night air. The Caribbean Queen herself was joined by Lil Rick to relive the golden days of Ruff Winers, the nostalgia hit like a tidal wave. Bruce Lee Almighty would have also step up with Lil Rick but as expected, Lil Rick, when left on his own – mashed up the stage in his signature style.
Veteran Don Trent took us on a love journey before Peter Ram reminded us why he’s one of the best live acts on the island with hits like Good Morning while teasing some old-school dub set before closing with his 2001 hit Rats.
SugahRhe and Verseewild took a stand against youth violence, urging for peace through music, while Barry Chandler sparked things up with Fireman. Stiffy followed with a comedic, wild ride that included Mavis, De Rose, and Garden.
Mikey kept returning to the mic, dropping gems like We Loose and Party Up, with the infectious Grateful Co, who then held his own with favourites like When Last, and Centre, locking in a top performance for the night.
Among the thousands who came out to celebrate were some familiar faces spotted vibing right in the thick of things. Dr. Allyson Leacock could be seen moving to the beat with a proud smile, while regional soca giant Skinny Fabulous was fully immersed in the moments. Their presence was a powerful reminder of Mikey’s influence across generations and borders.
And when the heavens opened mid-performance, not a soul budged. The rain poured—but the people danced in it, umbrellas aimed high, arms raised and waistlines rolling, like it was a blessing from above. “My heart is full,” Mikey said afterward. “I think it’s sending a message that people love Bajan music, they love the Bajan artists, and we can handle it.”
Just when you thought the guest list had peaked, Reunion saved two of its biggest guns for last. Showstoppers Saddis and Leadpipe brought a sleuth of fan favourites to close the night with absolute force. When Leadpipe dropped Tek Charge, the crowd—especially the ladies—nearly brought the fence down.
Before closing, Mikey took a moment to dedicate a part of his set to Alvin Toppin with his favourite song the unity anthem Feting Family. Blood joined him on stage to sing a number of their hits before the show came to a close with Mikey yelling to his thousands of fans: I Love You!
The post Mikey’s mayhem was filled with an all-local star-studded Reunion bash to remember appeared first on Barbados Today.