Ronnie, SuperBlue in virtual concert

GET your barbecue pits out, rearrange the living room furniture, if needed, and get the coolers out. Ronnie McIntosh and Austin “SuperBlue” Lyons intend to put on a show like no other for Trinis at home and abroad on August 30 – the eve of Independence Day.

The WACK 90.1 fm and FundMe TNT event will feature the songs of the legendary artistes many once considered to be rivals.

This is no clash or Verzuz battle, McIntosh said, but rather an Independence celebration “between two top artistes who people back-in-the-day considered rivals based on soca monarch.”

While many felt they were rivals, McIntosh said most of the time, behind the scenes, they were cool.

McIntosh’s discography includes songs such as Ent, How It Go Look, Hold On Tight, Come For Carnival and The Donkey Dance.

SuperBlue’s catalogue discography includes the popular hits Ethel, Soca Baptist, Signal For Lara, Jab Jab and Fantastic Friday.

McIntosh added that the event is geared toward Trinis abroad and was made for people to feel the Trini energy.

“Even though we have all these situations of the economy. We still have to celebrate our 58 years of Independence and based on the situation with corona we still have to celebrate life,” he said.

McIntosh said the event was his idea. He and SuperBlue have done individual concerts as part of WACK’s ongoing Up Close and Personal series. McIntosh was featured on May 17 and SuperBlue on May 24.

McIntosh said the idea of a joint series was in the making since June.

“I basically mentioned the idea to Kenny (Phillips) from WACK… I mentioned it to Super before and basically confirmed the date with him after mentioning it to Kenny.”

The virtual event will begin at around 5.30 pm with an interview with McIntosh and SuperBlue.

“We will go down memory lane and tell some stories...because we have a lot of stories. By 6 pm, we will start.”

He said at the 6 pm start of the concert, he and SuperBlue will go song for song only up to a particular point since he is personally aware that he "cannot go song for song with Super."

He added that after the battle, SuperBlue might sing three songs and he might even sing some of SuperBlue’s hits as he used to when he was one of the frontline vocalists for soca band, Chandelier.

“We will make sure and get all of the hits out of there.”

He said funds will be raised through FundMe TnT because at the end of the day “that is one of the only platforms artistes have a chance to get some kind of income.”

McIntosh sees virtual performances will become a major part of the music industry because of the covid19 pandemic.

“Performing virtually for donations, I think that will definitely be part of the new normal, even when things presumably settle.”

He said while he has not been performing much over the last few years, he always misses being on a stage before thousands of fans.

“But at the end of day, you have to realise in this case (performing virtually) could be millions.”

He said his approach to the virtual and online performances is “not to pull a chair and sit down.”

McIntosh added the event’s organisers are trying to create “a big screen event.”

“Put it on your big screen and if you have access to a barbecue pit and you have some room in your backyard, we suggest you take it outside,” he said.

If there isn’t a backyard, rearrange the furniture in your living room, he said, promising the concert will be one not to miss.