Rose: Women, don’t marry for money

CHOOSE a husband for love, not money, McArtha “Calypso Rose” Sandy Lewis advised women patrons at her “I Thank Thee” concert on Thursday at NAPA, Port of Spain.

“Ladies, never marry a man for money. Marry for love,” she said as she then sang her recent hit, Abatina, a sad tale of domestic abuse set against deceptively carefree party-like melody.

The concert’s highpoint was Calypso Rose singing Leave Me Alone, joined onstage by song-collaborator Machel Montano, their energy prompting patrons to dance at their seats and in the aisles, hands in the air. What a treat!

Montano launched into Soca Kingdom, then joined by Austin "Super Blue" Lyons appeared in shiny sequinned suit, rousing all to rise, wave and even jump, even more excitedly, when he went into the crowd. The crowd also enjoyed steelpan duo Johan Chukaree and Dane Gulston frenzield playing Patrice Roberts’ Sweet Fuh Days.

Great renditions came from Turner (She Bad), Neval Chetal (performing MX Prime’s 2017 Full Extreme) and Nailah Blackman (performing O’Lawd Oye, Bailar Mami and Ping Pong, and her grandfather, Ras Shorty I’s, groovy Endless Vibrations.)