Charles to launch 2018 Carnival band

After a successful debut last Carnival, We the People, Etienne Charles’Carnival Monday band will return to the streets in 2018.

The band titled Street Party will be launched on September 30 at the Government Campus Courtyard on Richmond Street, Port of Spain.

Charles, an acclaimed jazz trumpeter dedicated to preserving our history through music, decided to bring live music back to TT’s streets after observing that such music no longer ruled the road on Carnival Monday and Tuesday.

He assembled his musicians and singers Lima Calbio, the soca artiste formerly known as Designer and David Rudder to lead a 1,000-member band that included Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and his wife Sharon. The band performed music from Shadow, Kitchener, Sparrow and a range of soca classics. The overwhelming response reinforced to Charles that there was indeed a void that needed to be filled.

“It lifted me just to see people lifted. People say people don’t want live music on the road and they come up with all these excuses as to why people don’t want live music on the road. When we started playing Rainorama that was one of the high points, everybody started singing – from the Prime Minister go down,” Charles said in a media release.

The launch of Street Party will see performances from Etienne and Friends, with special guest David Rudder. In addition to food on sale, patrons will be served complimentary corn soup and doubles. Secured parking will be available at The Parkade at a cost. Charles will also stage a concert titled Folklore at Queen’s Hall, St Ann’s on October 22. Tickets are available at Queen’s Hall Box Office.