Young artists set New Fire ablaze

MUSIC festivals are a constant theme in the summer months across Europe. These three-day fetes take place in rural locations and are notable for their above-average quota of white Rastafarians, Pink Floyd T-shirts, Wellington boots, tofu burgers, high-strength cider, pills and pop-up tents.

A similar scene (minus the cider, pills and wellies) unfolded at the Ortinola estate in St Joseph, March 23-25, at the New Fire Festival. Now in its third year – the first two were held in Freeport in 2016 and Santa Cruz in 2017 – New Fire is as close to an authentic folk festival as you’ll ever see in Trinidad. If you like that kind of thing – arts and crafts, workshops about herb gardens, pony rides for the kids, acoustic music under a samaan tree, body painting, henna tattoos, vegan food, chakra balancing and good vibes – you should turn on, tune in and drop out next year at New Fire 2019.

While ostensibly aimed at hippies, eco-warriors, families, musos and arty types, it was good to see the festival attract a mixed crowd of all ages and ethnicities. It wasn’t exactly a cross-section of Trinidad society, the audience being mostly middle class, but it felt like a haven for people looking for an alternative way of living and thinking, or just a break from daily life, in a politically stagnating society preoccupied with mindless feteing, drinking, eating and consuming.

Wandering around this bohemian Shangri-La on an undulating site decorated by cocoa trees, nestled in the Maracas valley, were lots of smiling people.

It was a happy place, away from the urban madness of Port of Spain and the traffic-congested East-West Corridor. As the grass dried after an early-morning shower, artists painted murals in the sunshine, yoga enthusiasts listened to instructors in a teepee, children twirled ribbons in front of the old estate house and middle-aged beatniks practised weird dance moves by the music stage.

Later in the evening, 3canal and Freetown Collective played the main stage, but the real stars of the show were the new and upcoming artists who performed during the day. They included Vireen Neel, who got a rousing reception for his cover of Bob Dylan’s 1964 classic The Times They Are a-Changin’, Akile Aqui whose treacle-like vocals worked magically on Aretha Franklin’s Say A Little Prayer For You, and Aisha Noel with her own blissed-up composition, Sunday Morning.

Newsday caught up with all three for a Q&A, after the event:

Viren Neel

Age: 18

Hometown: Arouca

Musical inspirations? Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Otis Redding, Tracy Chapman, Peter Tosh, Bob Marley and Chronixx.

Where can we hear your music? On my YouTube and Instagram (@virenneel) and I have a gig at Dianne’s Tea Shop, April 6 for a St Joseph’s Convent, St Joseph charity event.

What makes you happy? Sitting in my hammock with my guitar and harmonica.

Where would you like to live? In a boat in the middle of the sea with a grand piano.

What’s your favourite word? Peace.

Who would play you in the film of your life? Johnny Depp.

What keeps you awake at night? My future.

Akile Aqui

Age: 23

Hometown: Tunapuna

Musical inspirations? Lianne La Havas, Jill Scott, Jazmine Sullivan, Anita Baker, Barbara Streisand, Lauryn Hill.

What do you think of the music industry in TT? A lot of opportunities in terms of showcasing talent but very few with regards to extending out to the rest of the world.

The jazz industry gets little recognition in our country. They favour soca and calypso above any other genre really.

Where can we hear your music? Soundcloud.com/akile-aqui

What makes you happy? Rain, reading and mellow music.

What’s your earliest memory? Sitting on my father’s shoulders at an outdoor event. I love my parents both very much.

What’s your most treasured possession? My voice.

Where would you like to live? Bali, temporarily. I’d like to visit the moon. But I remain loyal to Trinidad

What’s your favourite word? Intrinsic.

What keeps you awake at night? Heartbreak, because it won’t leave me until I write it into a song.

Aisha Noel

Age: 23

Hometown: San Fernando

How long have you been making music? All my life. I needed a means of expressing myself as a child who was shy and sensitive.

Musical inspirations? Bob Marley, Sister Nancy, Rihanna and Dido. I am inspired by authenticity.

What do you think of the music industry in TT? Soca dominates our industry and more support should be provided for artists that sing outside of this genre.

Where can we hear your music? At Kaiso Blues Café on April 14. Also check out my Instagram @aishaofficial868

What’s your most treasured possession? My heart.

Where would you like to live? I love the island life in Trinidad and Tobago. If I had to choose another country it would be Colombia.

What’s your favourite word? Yes. I think we all like to hear that word.

What keeps you awake at night? Writing new songs.

Who would play you in the film of your life? Can I say Beyoncé?