Let Soca Monarch reign again

THE EDITOR: I went to the Machel Montano show with my family in Chaguaramas many years ago and the stands fell down and many patrons were injured.

Machel 40 – One Show on Carnival Friday was on my bucket list this year. Although I was eager to see the Panorama final, I opted to go and see this great artist perform after the pandemic.

Friends from Toronto bought tickets online for themselves and our friends here in TT as a surprise gift. However, we were all in for a surprise, compliments of the promoters of One Show.

On Carnival Friday our friends were busy, so they skipped lunch but took their meals to the show. We all waited many hours in a packed, crowded setting for the gates to open. We felt like lambs waiting to be slaughtered.

When we finally got in one person in the group was almost slaughtered by the female guard who wanted to take away the precious lunch rotis. She fought and got in with her rotis. You can’t fight a Trini for their roti!

We got through the protocols and sat down. The screens were too small, so we could hardly see the stage. The acoustics were bad and we could not understand what those on stage were saying. The DJ music went on too long, as if there were no other artists available that night to cover that slot and to keep disgruntled patrons happy. The lines to get food and drinks were too long. We really got slaughtered.

And to back it all up Liz Montano sat a few rows in front of us with her hands in the air when Machel presented himself at 1.30 am. Machel, you should have been at the start of your show. It was your show.

Everyone who paid $600 for general, $800 for platinum and $2,000 for diamond tickets felt cheated. This is a lesson for all of us to learn. So, put $500 each next year into a Soca Monarch fund to keep that show alive. Montano can have his Machel 41 show any other Friday night in 2024. Let us give all the vendors and all those who make their money on that particular Friday night a chance also.

We cannot expect the Government to do it all when we want all the potholes repaired and also the Hasely Crawford Stadium. Like-a-boss Machel tried something on Carnival Friday and forgot that his name is his brand. He did not do it like a boss, although he went smiling all the way to the bank. An apology to the public would be graciously accepted, because everyone loves Machel.

People, wake up and let Soca Monarch reign again come 2024. Give all the other artists a chance also.

Kudos to all the women who were all beautifully dressed in their lovely, sexy outfits.

CAROLINE WILLIAMS

via e-mail