For some it was a night to whet their appetite for the upcoming 2010 Crop-Over season. For others it was a chance of an all too rare opportunity to attend a free stage-show in their rural Gall Hill, St John neighbourhood with family and friends. Whatever the reasons, those who came out to the first of the LIME HOTT F.M Fantastic Four Cavalcades series staged by the state-run National Cultural Foundation on Saturday night, appeared to have got what they were looking forward to. Under the theme Fire, the open-air concert kicked off at 7 p.m. with DJ Mikey Dread, whose job it was to get the growing crowd into the right festive vibe for the following four hours of entertainment. Strategy The Energy Band had a task before them getting the front row posse moving. Gradually over their near hour riddim-driven set, including a mix genre medley with MC Mac Fingall, the crowd of mixed ages eventually warmed up. Comical interactions between Fingall and each of the lead vocalists Kirk Browne, Tejay Montague and Dwayne Slimz Alleyne were to the roaring pleasure of the humour-hungry massive.After a brief intermission, Strategy took the stage againas the backing band for guest artistes Yannick, Queen T, Blood, Peter Ram, Adrian Clarke, Kid Site and Li’l Rick.The younger Yannick and Queen T showed much enthusiasm as debutantes in soca show business and with the right marketing package and material could eventually make a solid contribution to the local entertainment scene.Blood’s Boom Bam and Foot On Fire from his self-produced 2010 Soca Dons And Divas compilation album are already favourites online and are in this week’s Top Ten on bajantube.com Top 20 Crop-Over tunes.Much to the crowd’s delight he brought the two mid-tempo anduptempo tunes to life.Peter Ram and former calypso monarch Adrian Clarke introduced a few of their songs for the season, including Woodants, Faxx Machine and Tight Shoes (respectively), in essence three mischievous tongue-twisting, fun-filled double entendres that are set to have a few specials phrases coined throughout Crop-Over 2010.And the audience swallowed up every nuance and double meaning with appreciative laughter.Kid Site and Li’l Rick also introduced samples of their new songs at Gall Hill. For former calypso monarch Kid Site, the infectious Kartel And Mavadohad immediate impact, the audience only too familiar with the recent controversy surrounding the two Jamaican dancehall artistes, whereas for Rick his slower tempo What A Feeling showed promiseof one of the season’s sweeter songs.Appearances were made by participants from the NCF’s dance workshops, representatives from the Katchafya masquerade band and the Parish Ambassadors for St John, St Joseph, St George and St Thomas. Deejay Tammi from HOTT 95.3FM kept the vibes jamming until midnight. The second LIME HOTT 95.3 F.M Fantastic Four Cavalcade comes off at Checker Hall, St Lucy, on Saturday under the theme Stretch.
