Kees gets Iwer’s blessings

Introducing Neil “Iwer” George at his Tuesday on the Rocks concert at the Queen’s Park Oval on Tuesday, soca star Kees Dieffenthaller, frontline singer of Kes the Band, said Iwer's being there had nothing to do with any feud.

“I don’t believe that we should use soca music for war or fighting.”

Last weekend there was buzz on social media that Iwer wanted an apology from Machel Montano for blanking his hype man Sunny Bling from Montano's show last year, before he would consider performing at Machel Monday show this year. The two reportedly made up, but Iwer did not appear at Machel Monday this year, saying he had not had a chance to rehears with the band.

At Tuesday on the Rocks, Iwer ran out to the front of the stage singing Let Me See Yuh Hand, to a rousing welcome, and instantly thousands of hands went up in the air.

Iwer, dubbed the “Water Lord,” went on to sing Carnival Come Back, Come To Meh, then sprayed water over the crowd at the start of delivering Blessings to them.

During this song, Dieffenthaller joined Iwer on stage, saying: “Ladies and gentlemen, I want you all to know that this man, Iwer George, was one of the only artistes in this country who gave me advice when I started my career in soca, and I want to pay respect to him, because the things he taught me, I applythem to this day, 15 years later.”

In an emotional gesture, Dieffenthaller knelt before Iwer and told him: “I come for my blessings.”

Iwer opened a bottle of water and emptied it over Kees’ head. The crowd went wild.

Dieffenthaller repeated that there should never be feuds in the soca business, then launched straight into People, calling on people to support people and had a giant flag brought on stage that combined all the flags of the Caribbean.

“We don’t do soca music for war,” Dieffenthaller said at the end of his song.