This little girl was enjoying the action from the best vantage point: her father's head.

by KATRINA BEND

THERE WAS NOT that much excitement at the Banks/Cable & Wireless Cavalcade at the Speightstown Playing Field, St Peter, on Saturday night. And the mainly lukewarm response from the large crowd in attendance was testimony to that.

Following four performances which yielded some appreciation, Nard was the icebreaker. His antics, wearing strange clothing like Steve Urkel mixed with Dr Seuss' Cat In The Hat, certainly woke up the crowd as he slid, shimmied and did splits on the stage.

Besides the popular Tempo from Crop-Over 2007, Nard gave patrons a taste of the new Nah Let Go which he penned and Darron Grant produced. Nard, a student majoring in psychology at the University of the West Indies, said the ragga soca song would be released sometime in June.

Sankofa Productions did a cultural presentation which went down well with the audience as soon as the bacchanal and wukking up got into full swing. It was a market scene that involved stick licking and dancing. They brought a bit of dancehall to it with the latest music from Jamaican Mr Vegas.

Of interest too was Waynie the Clown who wined on his unicycle when he performed Do Bad with Linskee of You Paying Fuh Me fame. Linskee penned the song while Darron Grant produced it.

Peter Ram, a favourite with the Cavalcade posse, delighted patrons with some of his old songs and his two backup dancers, Falanta Watts and Keishadon Blackman.

Kimberley Inniss was in the mix too, with Sweat and Hips. She has grown into one of the most popular female entertainers on the island.

Pong and Contone also had the crowd in stitches with their new songs Offset and Hard Times respectively. Both were produced by Andy Blood Armstrong.

Getting things started were two South Central entertainers, Buggy and Ayana John. Both had a strong stage presence but the crowd still needs to familiarise themselves with them. John offered her new self-penned song, Just The Way I Like It, which was produced and arranged by Darron Grant. Big Red followed sometime later with Que Sera Sera (Whatever Will Be Will Be) from
Crop-Over 2007.

Donella Weekes saluted mothers by wishing them a "Happy Mother's Day" during her signature song Jouvert Party from 2002, and Out Of Control which led her all the way to the Party Monarch Finals last year.

In addition, Timmy performed his old songs such as Courvoisier, Worser Than That, Bumper Catch A Fire and Sauce, while Hypa Sounds performed his hit Sunshine Girl.

All artistes were backed by the RDX Band.

DJ Bubbles of HOTT 95.3 FM revved up the crowd with the latest tunes from dancehall artistes Sean Paul, Movado and Mr Vegas, then delved into the calypso music of Patrice Roberts, Edwin Yearwood and Li'l Rick. He had the crowd singing and dancing along.

Juanita Rock and Kevin Stuart, the St Peter parish ambassadors for 2008/09, were introduced.

Patrons who had no business inside the barricaded area gained free access, which created a problem backstage.

Moreover, emcee Carl Alff Padmore complained that parents brought young children to the cavalcade and they got lost. He warned the audience that the next time lost children were brought to the stage, they would be taken to the police station.

This was the second of 11 Cavalcades, which continue next Friday at the Belleplaine Playing Field, St Andrew, and Saturday at the Charlie Griffith Complex, St Lucy. Showtime is 8 p.m.