Rousing send-off for Carifesta

THE enthusiasm was so great at the Carifesta Closing Ceremony at the Grandstand on Sunday that at times it all seemed a bit too much.

At times, too many performers were on stage at once, especially for the initial smoke ceremony. Too many reporters were packed shoulder-to-shoulder at the media table. Too many youngsters gushed in to the already full grandstand at 9.20 pm to jump up with Iwer George. Too much smoke obstructed viewing and photography.

Patrons no longer had the wide space of wooden floorboards available at the country nights, nor the outdoor turf at Saturday's Island Beats. On Sunday, every inch was packed with chairs, so constraining the audience to a concert to be viewed rather than a fete to be danced.

That said, the event was well-paced with each performance smoothly moving on to the next, all ably emceed by Wendell Constantine and Jason Williams.

It began with performers each in a costume portraying a large
lily flower, plant leaf or banana leaf. This all together depicted
a tropical rainforest which symbolised the idea of Carifesta being an event to be sustained through past, present and future.

These leaf figures supplied a backdrop for the Santa Rosa First Peoples to perform their smoke ceremony. They were joined by two choral groups also wearing outfits to symbolise the Carib community. Skits were acted out variously by mud-caked individuals and performers portraying birds.

Clearly much effort went into this, but the stage got a bit crowded. Perhaps the leaves should have been thinned out, and the smoke cleared by resting up the constant fog machines to help onlookers view and photograph the event.

Some focus was restored to the stage when much-loved veteran singer Mavis John came on stage with rocker Nigel Rojas for a wonderful duet of Bob Marley’s Natural Mystic, with a supporting saxophonist. John, in sparkling white, and Rojas, in drab black, complemented each other wonderfully.

Blaxx, on next, had a commanding presence to serve as a focal point, with his rousing hits Let Go and I Am Blessed.

Danielle Williams, adorned in headdress like some Caribbean forest goddess, sang Baba – backed by choir plus dancers holding orbs.

Performers gave a bird sculpture to a sashaying Culture Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, who passed it to her Antiguan and Barbudan counterpart Daryl Matthew, to show the night was not just the end of Carifesta XIV but a pre-launch for Carifesta XV, due in 2021.

Antiguan and Barbudan artistes took to the stage. Wearing his nation’s flag, diminutive powerhouse Ricardo Drue belted out Vagabond, followed by compatriots Dennis the Menace and Claudette Peters.

Dignitaries made speeches, after which interlude the festivities continued, all suitably transitioned by Mavis John’s singing Carifesta Rising (an adaptation of GB’s Calypso Rising), with choir, pannists and dancers.

Destra Garcia, in all black, stepped up the tempo with high-energy soca hits Fly and Stage Party.

Chutney Soca Monarch Nishaard M offered up a very polished performance of Adesh Samaroo’s mysterious and pulsating hit Rajin and the late Sonny Mann’s celebratory Lotay La. His East Indian dancers incorporated the ribboned streamers seen in the costumes of Dominican Carnival characters last Tuesday.

The crowd loudly screamed when Olatunji Yearwood came on stage, likely appreciative of his X-Factor efforts. His high-energy singing and dancing livened up the crowd.

Calypso Rose was also loudly cheered as she was escorted on stage, to sing Calypso Queen to a cool and ecumenically Caribbean beat, plus Leave Me Alone in a duet with Constantine.

Rikki Jai offered an energetic Mor Tor, he and his dancers making full use of the space of a now cleared stage.

In place of scheduled Bajan star Allison Hinds, who had performed at Island Beats the night before, came rapso pioneer Lutalo “Brother Resistance” Masimba, urging all to “Ring de bell for justice.”

The crowd went wild for Voice, real name Aaron St Louis, three-time International Soca Monarch, with Cheers to Life. He was so joyous, with words so carefree, yet thankful, that the crowd sang along with gusto. His jolly and grooving performance had one of the best uses of backing dancers, clad in all-white dancing with white orbs. He let the audience sing unfettered.

His next song, the rousing Far from Finished, was really worth the wait, with him backed by leaf dancers and enhanced by confetti and fireworks.

Well, the Grand Stand exploded when Iwer George came on stage for Carnival Come Back Again and Savannah, his frenzied songs and lively back-up dancers whipping up the crowd.

"Madness, madness! On the road! Mash up de Savannah stage!" he instructed.

Maybe he can’t kick up his knees quite as high as he could yesteryear, but boy oh boy, Iwer could still pump up the crowd.