Calypso reigns at Monarchs

GARY CARDINEZ

MONARCHS on Ariapita Avenue in Port of Spain continued its run of showcasing calypso every Wednesday with a shortened show on March 27 to the delight of the few calypso lovers in the audience. Two members of the advertised cast did not perform.

Despite being at the venue, Abbi Blackman did not perform because she was not feeling well. Blackman took the microphone and apologised to the audience saying she was not 100 per cent. She also promised to come back to the Monarchs to do a show. Heather Mac Intosh was a no show.

Even Kaiso Blues Cafe proprietor Carl Jacobs popped in as a show of support to the venue and the performing calypsonians.

The evening started off with the beautiful Sasha Ann Moses who shocked everyone in the audience with her version of Etta James’ At Last. This prompted MC Eunice Peters to tell the audience about boxing calypsonians into one category. "She even shocked me also,the girl could sing,” said Peters. Moses went on to perform The Main Witness, a song which won her the Calypso Queen title in 2017.

Backed by Cummings and the Wailers, Ras Kommanda was up next and he performed Trinbago is Mine and First Time. He also paid tribute to Black Stalin with Black Man Feeling to Party during which the entire audience was singing.

Brother Alpha was the toast of the night with his rare brand of humour. He had the patrons rolling with laughter with his performance of Ah Jump and Wrong Funeral.

Alpha was followed by Bally who took patrons down memory lane with Shaka Shaka, Me Eh Fighting, Party Time and two very special songs, Merchant’s One Super Power and Sparrow’s The Queen’s Canary.

Also in the audience were Crazy, Contender, Marva McKenzie, Devon Seales, Justice Malcolm Holdip, Sean Blackman, Larry Harewood and Earl Biter Edwards.