“Guilds The guild. Guild!”
This repetitive chant, roared by a demanding audience covered in mud, is by far the prominent image of Tobago’s carnival.
Trinidad Killa (Kern Joseph) is the artist they were calling. The venue was the Mud is Life Jouvert party at Crown Point at noon yesterday. Hundreds of guests poured into the venue after Jouvert’s official parade.
An excited Killa raised both hands in victory to his fans on the sister island. The Arima-born entertainer broke down in tears on social media last week after he failed to secure a Tobago Carnival booking and blamed a group of artists for “suppressing him”.
Yesterday, a calm, confident and boastful Killa said the Carnival had just begun and there was much more to offer.
“I’ve started performing yet because they say time is of the essence, so ah, I just do something in the space of five minutes. Juh cyah stop the greatness, yuh know. Whom God bless not curse,” Killa told the Sunday Express after his performance.
Coincidentally, he was introduced by DJ Akeem (Akeem Newton) – one of the same people he had accused of not wanting him at the carnival. Newton, who plays for soca star The Voice (Aaron St Louis), made sure to give Killa an elaborate introduction, calling him “the greatest artist in the world”.
A disgruntled Trinidad Killa said that no matter the entrance, it is the people who spoke loudly to ensure his appearance.
“The people want meh, the people are the voice, and the voice of the people is the voice of God. Like I say, yuh cyah stop the greatness, so I just keep doing my thing cause I know my heart clean and pure,” Killa said.
Pan & Powder
in Scarborough
The action began in earnest on Friday night in Scarborough with Pan Trinbago’s Pan & Powder Parade featuring Massy Trinidad All Stars, BP Renegades, Hadco Phase II Pan Groove, Desperadoes, NGC Couva Joylanders, FC Supernovas and Nutrien Silver Stars, among others.
Pan lovers on the island joined their visiting Trinidadian counterparts to support their favorite bands, showing up with their respective band’s branded ghosts, lining the street and watching from high vantage points in bars and residential balconies.
Pan Trinbago president Beverly Ramsey-Moore called the scene “a movie” and commended the Tobago wing of the group’s body for producing a high-quality and well-organized production.
Minister for Tourism, Culture and the Arts, Randall Mitchell, was among the hundreds who made their way through clouds of dust to vintage calypso and sweet steel socas.
“It was a movie. We held it (Pan & Powder) in Trinidad for a pan month (August) and it was a good opportunity for the Tobago region to execute the talent and music for the Tobago Carnival. It was a pleasure to have our line minister, Randall Mitchell, in the parade, along with some NCC officials,” noted Ramsey-Moore when speaking to the Sunday Express yesterday evening.
There were concerns that officials from both islands would have to work together to put on the show, Ramsey Moore admitted. Although they may not always agree on the way forward, she said the event’s success is a testament to the “unifying force” of the pan.
The pan boss says she plans to channel the moment into the launch of Panorama on November 6 and the launch of the Single Pan competition on November 11.
“It is the first time that we have so many officials in a pan parade and it proves that pan is a unifying force. There were concerns about Trinidad and Tobago relations having to make this show, but we saw the unifying forces of our leaders coming together and celebrating panman; Long live the Tobago Carnival,” added Ramsey Moore.
The voice that causes good trouble
A few steps away at the nearby Shaw Park Cultural Complex, three-time International Soca Monarch (ISM) Voice hosted the Tobago Carnival edition of its popular Vibes with Voicey concert series.
The Voice wisely moved the show from its originally advertised venue of Pigeon Point due to weather concerns after witnessing the scene that unfolded on Thursday night at the Burna Boy concert in Plymouth.
Concertgoers were soaked to the bone after being forced to stand outdoors during a three-hour rain delay that delayed the start of the concert. Footage of the drowned site at Pigeon Point, shared on social media on Friday night, proved the verdict was right.
When The Voice took the stage just after midnight to an almighty cheer, changing venue was the last thing on anyone’s mind. The San Juan native took his audience on a euphoric journey through his growing catalog of hits that include “Peace of Mind,” “Far From Finished,” and “Year For Love (Fire Go Bun Dem).”
“Anyone from Trinidad? Leh meh ask a subtle question, anyone from Tobago?” A strange Voice asked, inspiring another scream from the audience.
When the Voice switched up the tempo on its “Taste of Carnival 2022” anthem, “Out and Bad,” pure darkness erupted. Lord Kitchener’s sample tune did what it has done all year, creating a buzz and declaring the Carnival open.
Young Tobago is coming out to Carnival. However, most of the faces of the adults are Trinis, but as a taxi driver pointed out yesterday morning on the way to Jouvert in Crown Point, the youth of Tobago, many of whom would not have had the opportunity to come to Trinidad for carnival before, are making full use of a full carnival experience on their home island.
