Blaxx and friends deliver taste of Carnival

Dexter "Blaxx" Stewart, his band and a selection of his friends in soca and calypso delighted patrons with a taste of Carnival at Queen's Hall, St Ann's, on Sunday night.

All covid19 protocols were in place, including hand sanitising, temperature checking, having patrons spaced out and wearing masks. But the restrictions did not prevent patrons from waving flags and wining in their seats.

The concert, Blaxx and D' All Stars presents Harmony III, was a mix of reflection and celebration on topics such as the cancellation of formal Carnival this year and the artiste's own health struggles.

The show began promptly at 7.30 pm and, after a brief welcome from hosts Jason Williams and Whitney Husbands, Blaxx came on stage in a shiny silver suit and was accompanied by energetic female dancers in short white dresses.

He opened his first set with his nostalgic 2020 song Canboulay and had patrons dancing in their seats and waving their hands. He then took things back to his 2011 collaboration with Kerwin Du Bois, Good Time. After singing about being blessed he thanked the audience for coming out.

"At a certain time in 2020 I wasn't sure I would be here...I thank God for giving me a second chance. And I'm not gonna waste it."

Late last year the 57-year-old had surgery for an undisclosed illness and fundraisers were organised by fans and fellow artistes to assist with his medical bills. His performance was somewhat subdued on the night, which may have been owing to his health issues. In his first set, he sang his 2017 soca Life over Death, which seemed apt.

He asked patrons not to laugh at him if he cried during the concert.

"It was a lot of emotions when I was sick. I was wondering if I would be able to do this again."

He also addressed the issue of the frequency of young women being murdered, likely a reference to the murder of 22-year-old Andrea Bharatt who went missing on January 29. Her decomposing body was found on February 4, down a precipice in the Heights of Aripo.

"It hurt my heart. We have to come together as a nation and do the right thing."

Later in the show, after performing his 2021 pandemic-inspired tune Hold Ah Strain, Kernal Roberts also commented on the issue.

"We have to do better than that. The ladies, we should lift them up. Love them up. Not pull them down. These senseless killings should not be happening."

Many artistes also paid tribute to late calypso icon Singing Sandra, who died on January 28. Calypsonian Karen Asche performed Sandra's hit, Voices From the Ghetto, in one of the more sombre moments on the night. Blaxx said Sandra was missing from the concert and said if she was still alive she would have been there. Also paying tribute was 13-year-old singer Theory Audain from El Dorado West. He gave an energetic performance in which described Sandra as his "grandmother."

Soca artiste Erphaan Alves bounced around on stage during his performance of his hit Overdue, and Swappi got the patrons off their seats with his vibrant performance of his 2021 release God Is Ah Trini.

"In a pandemic we still eating. We still eating, still living. We still looking good, still smelling good," he sang.

He then went into his cover of Baron's Feeling It and had the audience cheering when he brought out the Sweet Soca Man himself. After a brief stint as Baron's hype man, he left the stage to the soca veteran who delighted patrons with his classic hit Say Say.

Lyrikal with Happy Place and Jaiga TC, with On De Inside, had the audience pumping. Jaiga even joked that they were moving around too much in contravention of the covid19 safety protocols.

"Gary eh talk to allyuh? Don't move from yuh chair. But he eh say you can't wine."

Blaxx too reminded patrons that they should not be moving around.

"Don't make Uncle Gary come for me," he quipped.

When Farmer Nappy took the stage with Backyard Jam and Hookin Meh, the audience went wild.

"We might have no road but we can still party," he said.

Nappy was followed by Voice with Cheers to Life. But the show reached its climax when he brought on "the red man" Kees Dieffenthaller to perform their 2020 collab Dear Promoter. Kees ended his brief set with Savannah Grass.

Blaxx returned to conclude the show with a mix of old and new songs – Same Way, Gyal Owner, Hulk, No Getaway, Leh Go and Tanty Woi. He implored members of the audience to protect themselves "so next year, 2022, we could have Carnival."