Soca News Magazine - March 2023

SOCANEWS

COVER IMAGE:

EDITOR'S LETTER

Hello Soca People

Itrust your year is going well so far - and that those of you that have travelled to any of the pre-Lenten carnivals are fully recovered and ready for your next adventure.

Check out our roundup of Trinidad Carnival 2023, and some of the events we covered; you can see the full picture galleries at socanews.com/photos.

However, as we know, the fun doesn’t stop there. We have nine months of carnivals and festivals yet to come, beginning with Jamaica in April, St. Kitts Music Festival in June, Saint Lucia Carnival in July, and Crop Over, Antigua and Grenada carnivals all in August. So get those fingers a-typing and mice a-clicking, and start hunting down those flights.

We would like your help, so that we can further help you, in completing our survey on page 18. On completion, you’ll be eligible to win an Amazon voucher, so it’s win-win.

As always, we are looking for new writers. If you would like to put pen to paper and to get your words in print, please email jc@socanws. com.

YOURS IN SOCA

Joseph Charles

PUBLISHER & EDITOR

Joseph Charles jc@socanews.com

CREATIVE

Joseph Charles Lawson Lovell

SUB EDITOR

Katie Segal katie@socanews.com

CONSULTING EDITOR

Stephen Spark stephen@socanews.com

MARKETING marketing@socanews.com

SALES sales@socanews.com

WORDS

Dunstan Creavalle, Katie Segal Latoya Jones & Radeya Osman

PICTURES

Cleon Henry, Kevon Duke & Kola Grafix

PUBLISHED BY Soca News Ltd 86-90 Paul Street London, EC2A 4ND

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The views expressed in Soca News are not necessarily the views of the editor or the publisher. All material contained within this publication is the copyright of Soca News. No material, written or photographic may be reproduced in any way without the written permission of the publisher. No liability will be accepted for any errors which may occur within the magazine. © 2022 Soca News. All rights reserved.

Skinny Fabulous who has been confirmed for St. Kitts Music Festival 2023.

20 YEARS ON, DESTRA GARCIA REMAINS UNSTOPPABLE

It's still just the first quarter of 2023, but the Queen of Bacchanal, Destra Garcia, is already serving us back-to-back songs with her soon to be released 16th album, Unchained. The 15 track album includes songs such as Crazy Fetters, Fuego, Pump Like Blood, We Run It and Jubilation.

The album is also a celebration and testament to the success the soca star has chalked up in the industry since she came on the scene 20 years ago. For the first time, on this album she features tracks sung in Spanish to celebrate her Latin heritage and promote cultural inclusion.

Destra, whose first appearance on the carnival scene was with her anthem It’s Carnival, from her first album, Red, White, Black released in 2003, has earned her stripesand is clearly not going to stop carving out her legacy.

Unchained will be available for streaming and downloading from all major platforms.

FAY-ANN LYONS COLLABORATES WITH NIGERIAN RAPPER KENAH ON NEW SINGLE

Fay-Ann Lyons is working on strengthening the African and Caribbean bond through music.

The singer has collaborated with Down To Earth Productions, a Caribbean marketing agency and London-based record label, Just JoJo Ent, to produce an Afrobeats dancehall single with upcoming female Nigerian singer/rapper, Kenah.

The single, Do is accompanied by an animated music video that premiers on Friday 7 April on YouTube.

The track will be available worldwide on all leading digital music streaming platforms.

SKINNY FABULOUS GOES B.A.D

In case you missed it, Skinny Fabulous launched his album B.A.D (Beyond A Doubt) back in January of this year. The album includes 23 tracks, with songs such as Come Home, Sorry, Please Don't Call Me and No Relationship, and collaborations with artists including Nessa Preppy, Nailah Blackman, Viking Ding Dong, Problem Child and Charly Black.

This is five-time Soca Monarch winner Skinny's debut album, and incorporates a body of work that solidifies his legitimacy in the industry. The infusion of soca, kompa and dancehall showcases the diversity of Caribbean music.

B.A.D (Beyond A Doubt) is from the record label DSM Music Group, distributed by Monk Music Group.

Find the album at https://monk.smmlinkup. com/skinnyfabulousbad.

PATRICE ROBERTS GIVES TORONTO RAPTORS A TASTE OF THE CARIBBEAN

Patrice Roberts , the Mind My Business hitmaker, performed live at Caribbean Heritage Night, hosted by the Toronto Raptors during their game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Scotiabank Arena, Toronto.

The special half-time performance was a celebration of Black History Month, and the first time in the history of the NBA that a female soca artist had the opportunity to be a part of such a memorable night.

Kevin Lyttle, internationally recognised Vincentian soca artist and Cultural Ambassador known for his classic 2003 hit Turn Me On, was a guest performer in the show.

Speaking at the event, John Wiggins, vice president of Organizational Culture and Inclusion for the Toronto Raptors said, “I don’t think anyone in the NBA has had a soca artist perform at halftime, we’re about to set some trends tonight.

“Not only do we want to celebrate the Black

community but, let’s face it, we’re not one monolith, we’re a diaspora. I think we’ve done some great things with G.O.A. and Africa, but it’s time to bring the Caribbean and the islands into the building and heat up the place, you know!”

Patrice Roberts said, “The fact that I see Trinis, I see Jamaicans, Guyanese, so many different people from the Caribbean is here, it makes me feel like I’m home.” The heritage night was held on 23 February, also offering Caribbean fusion cuisine, music and activations, with 20 per cent of proceeds going to the Jamaican Canadian Association.

UK SOCA MONARCH RETURNS

The UK Soca Monarch Final will return on Sunday 20 August 2023. If you are an artist and would like to take part in the competition, visit socanews. com/uksm. Registration opens on 1 April.

NO HACKNEY CARNIVAL UNTIL 2024

In an announcement issued on 7 March 2023 by Hackney Councillor Chris Kennedy, local Cabinet Member for Culture, it was stated that a full Hackney Carnival will not return until 2024 – and then only every two years after.

The pertinent details of his twenty-seven second broadcast, which was shared on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, were as follows:

“In 2023, we’re delighted to once again be funding a whole host of organisations as they work with our population towards preparing to hit the streets again in 2024 for Hackney Carnival, and every two years after that.”

The published statement reads, “Like everyone in Hackney, we love carnival and always look forward to a chance to celebrate together with the whole community. However, the growing audiences mean we need more infrastructure, event staff, security, and communications every year to deliver a safe and successful event.

"The budget for carnival has almost doubled each year due to its increasing scale and popularity. Rising costs and challenging inflationary pressures mean it simply isn’t possible to hold a live carnival event every 12 months, so this year we look forward to working with our carnival groups and wider cultural and hospitality sectors on a reduced programme to keep Hackney’s

carnival traditions alive while we prepare for a full carnival event in 2024, and then every other year after that.

"This is a commitment the Council is making to ensure both residents and visitors to the borough can continue to enjoy Hackney’s culture and creativity.

"Carnival is for all, and we can't wait to join everyone in autumn 2024 for a full parade of spectacular costumes, vibrant dance routines and live music, to celebrate Hackney’s special carnival spirit in our own inimitable style."

Given that last year’s Hackney carnival was cancelled following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the last in-person event was September 2019. Understandably, carnivalists and fans have been very upset at the recent announcement, and have been venting their feelings across social media.

Mighty Hitman's Frontline Radio is 17

IT WAS HARD NAVIGATING AS AN ONLINE STATION

WORDS | RADEYA OSMAN

Frontline Radio may not be known to all, but the station has been pushing out soca since the early days, and turned 17 this February. We spoke to Mighty Hitman (Cleon Lord), the man behind the radio, about the station then and now.

What was your inspiration to start this journey and how has it been so far, navigating it?

I always liked to entertain people, whether it’s DJing or putting on events; I love to make people happy. I like new challenges, and I wanted to have an online radio station - and I was inspired by radio personalities such as Smokey Joe. I wanted to create a platform where I could have my own radio personalities come and play music, and to give the up and coming DJs back then a chance to showcase their talents to the world. Also, for the unknown artists as well, giving them a place to showcase their work.

To begin with, it was hard navigating as an online radio. 17 years ago it wasn’t that popular for its time, and I had no idea where it was going. So it was hard to find your footing, as they say - but eventually it caught on, and technology evolved and made it so much easier. If someone had told me I would have an online radio station and that it’s going to last 17 years plus, I would have just laughed and said, you must be joking.

The pandemic hit a lot of businesses very hard, but some significantly grew during that period. How was it for you, as an online radio station?

For us, it really helped people to stay connected with their loved ones, friends etc, and we gave them that safe space of not feeling alone but still having some sort of connection. I really think that’s where zoom parties were born but, for us an online radio station, we provided the opportunity for people to talk to others and to share what they were going through. Not only that, but it took their minds off it, reassured them that everything was going to be alright.

You have stayed relevant in this space for 17 years. There must be a few things you're doing right. Can you let us in on some of them? Yeah: two simple things.

1) Stay focussed

2) Be innovative.

Where do you see Frontline radio in the next 17 years?

Oh, wow, if I live to see that long! I would like to see Frontline Radio as a central hub for the upcoming DJs who are looking to become good radio

personalities, and a good place to gain experience. The station has had a few well-known names come out of it, like Tony Tempo, DJ Stephen Intl & DJ Kaotic Intl, just to name a few, so I hope we can continue bringing out some more big names for the next 17 years. Also, a place for the new artists that are coming through; we focus on them and give them a platform to showcase their work.

Although your station plays soca music from around the world, you are UK based. What do you think of the UK soca market, and how has it changed - or not - since Frontline has been around?

17 years ago there wasn’t much of a UK soca market, and so the few UK artists we did have really didn’t get much attention. A lot has changed now, and I think it is because we have a UK Soca Monarch, UK Calypso Tent, which has really helped to bring out the talent we have here in the UK. We have really great producers now, which is a positive, and they are doing a fantastic job in producing great tracks that you can compare with the international artistsand I really think that is something the UK should be proud of. Artists like Scrappy, Triniboi Joocie, Batch, Terra Dan, Sundivas and MS Desire are really leading the way for others to follow, and once they continue to come together and do shows I think more and more international stars would want to perform with them, right here in the UK.

How did you celebrate 17 years?

We celebrated our 17 years in true Frontline style: back-to-back DJs on the day, from 10am to 4am. We had live guests such as Militant, College Boy Jesse, Sean Caruth, Shurwayne Winchester and big producer Perry Jack, Article One - just to name a few. They all came out, and we had a nice time. We are still celebrating, and hoping to do something for Notting Hill Carnival and other events that are in the pipeline, not only here in the UK but worldwide also.

Frontline Radio has a vast range of DJs all playing you a fresh mix of Caribbean Music especially soca and calypso, to listen visit www.flrradio.com.

You can keep up with Frontline on their socials: Instagram and Twitter @dfrontlineradio or Facebook thefrontlineradio.

"

17 years ago there wasn’t much of a UK soca market"

MUSIC

SOCA NEWS PLAYLIST

HERE ARE JUST A FEW FAVOURITE TRACKS CURRENTLY ON OUR PLAYLISTS. YOU MAY BE SUPRISED: MOST ARE TRINIDAD CARNIVAL 2023 RELEASES. GET FAMILIAR. THE TRACKS ARE IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER.

1. COME HOME

NAILAH BLACKMAN X SKINNY FABULOUS

2. DAP (DRINK & PARTY)

VIKING DING DONG

3.

4. HARD FETE BUNJI GARLIN

5. ENGINE ROOM OLTUNJI

6. MAS

MICAL TEJA X FREETOWN COLLECTIVE

7. LONG LIVE SOCA VOICE

8. TANTRUM

KERNAL ROBERTS & ZAN

9. SPIRIT ERPHAAN ALVES

10. EGO JAM

GBM NUTRON

11. LIKE YUH SELF

PATRICE ROBERTS X MACHEL MONTANO

12. SHAKE THE PLACE

DESTRA GARCIA X MACHEL MONTANO

13. MENTAL DAY KES

14. BLIND HEY CHOPPI

15.

NADIA BATSON

PORT OF SPAIN PORT OF SPAIN RIDDIM SEKON STA

LIFT UP OUTSIDER RIDDIM

MUSIC

RADIO SHOWS + STREAMS

LISTENING TO THE RADIO IS NOT WHAT IT USED TO BE, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO SOCA MUSIC. THERE ARE A MYRIAD OF STREAMS AVAILABLE. BUT WE’VE LISTED ONLY THE MORE PERMANENT SOCA SHOWS.

Wednesday 9-11pm GMT

The RDR show

DJ CREDABLE

Bakahnal Radio

bakahnalradio.co.uk

11pm-1am GMT

The BankRoll

D'MONEY

The Frontline Radio flrradio.com

Thursday

7-9pm GMT

The Breakaway Show

DJ DIGGA D

Bakahnal Radio

bakahnalradio.co.uk

8-11pm GMT

Soca 2d World

DJ ROCKSHUN

I Chunes Radio

tun.in/se22k

1-3am GMT

iMove

DJ REE

The Frontline Radio flrradio.com

Friday 6pm GMT

The French Soca Connection

DJ DUTTY FREAK

The Frontline Radio

flrradio.com

8-11pm GMT

Soca and Cocktails

DJ LOKDWN

I Chunes Radio tun.in/se22k

Saturday

12-2pm GMT

The Super Soca Show

AAA BADBOY & DUB BOY, ATKI2 (AT KEY TWO) AND JONSEY WALES

Ujima 98FM

ujimaradio.com

12-2pm GMT

Soca is We

DJ PIPER

Roots FM 95.4 ukrootsfm.com

2-4pm GMT

Soca is We

DJ PIPER

Flo Radio floradio.co.uk

5-7pm GMT

The Mighty Hitman Show

D’MIGHTY HITMAN

The Frontline Radio flrradio.com

6pm GMT

JAKK RUSSELL

Bakahnal Radio bakahnalradio.co.uk

7-9pm GMT

The Check In

THE VIBES CURATOR

The Frontline Radio flrradio.com

Sunday

12-2pm GMT

The Caribbean Affair

DJ MARTIN JAY

Bakahnal Radio

bakahnalradio.co.uk

3-5pm GMT

Easy Sundays

NEIL MATTEI

The Frontline Radio flrradio.com

4-6pm GMT

DJ TORO

Bakahnal Radio + Team Soca bakahnalradio.co.uk & Teamsoca.com

5-7pm GMT

Lush Soca Sundays

CHÉ IN THE MIXX

Robbo Ranx Radio

robboranx.com/listenlive

5-7pm GMT

Hightown Showdown

D'RANGER

The Frontline Radio flrradio.com

7-9pm GMT

Sunday Skool

D'MIGHTY HITMAN

The Frontline Radio flrradio.com

9-11pm GMT

Krooshal Factor

KROOSHALL

The Frontline Radio flrradio.com

NOT ON THIS LIST? SUBMIT YOUR DETAILS TO INFO@SOCANEWS.COM

SOCA PEOPLE

BRAFF

ISHMAEL BRAITHWAITE

WORDS | SHARON BUCKLEY

It's been almost a year since we lost Braff, who left us on 13 May 2022. Soca News lost a retired editor and true pioneer of soca. Ishmael Braithwaite, warmly known to many as ‘Braff’, Ishmael passed away peacefully with his family on the eve of what would have been his 80th birthday. He had been battling with a number of ailments, including Alzheimer's and dementia, for a number of years.

Braff was born and raised in the parish of St. Michael, Barbados, where one of his first jobs included working in a soft drinks factory, inputting sodium benzoate. After arriving in England in the 60's, as many Caribbean immigrants of his generation, Braff's passion for Barbados and its music continued to run deep. He had a love like no other for soca and calypsos, and he became a promoter of many soca artists in the 80's, including Red Plastic Bag. He organised concerts, fetes and parties, bringing the essence of the Caribbean to London.

Braff's talents were vast. His way with words and literature led him to become a great poet, with a large compilation of unpublished poems and stories; something he had to prematurely cut short as his eyesight began to rapidly deteriorate. Also a great mentor and philosopher, he touched the lives of many with his inspirational beliefs and words. I had the pleasure of being one of those people; Braff was a true friend and colleague. I particularly loved his no-nonsense approach to life and dry, witty sense of humour. I could be sure of a long laugh and a cackle with Braff.

Braff's favourite song was Pump Me Up, by no other than Barbados' Krosfyah. In accordance with his wishes, that song was the poignant, final piece of music played at his funeral.

Soca News has lost a true icon. We pay homage to Braff, may he rest in heaven in eternal peace.

2023 SURVEY

Soca News would like to express heartfelt gratitude for your ongoing support. As we continue to improve and evolve our services, we want to gain a deeper understanding of our readership. With that in mind, we are conducting a survey to gather information about your interests, activities, likes, and dislikes. Your responses will help us tailor our content to better meet your needs and preferences.

We kindly ask that you take a few minutes to complete the survey, below. As a token of our appreciation, each completed survey will be an entry into our £25 Amazon voucher prize draw.

Thank you for your continued loyalty and feedback. We look forward to serving you even better in the future.

Best regards,

The Soca News team

TO COMPLETE OUR SURVEY VISIT SOCANEWS.COM/2023SURVEY OR SCAN THE QR CODE

PREMIUM CHOCOLATE AND RUM

CARIBBEAN SPICES

LOW SUGAR AND CALORIES

OF FUN summer

Where summer’s warmth shines brighter, burns bolder—new and exciting adventures promise to spark an appetite for adventure. St. Kitts’ lineup of events offer the chance to explore and excite, from savoring the region’s cuisine to dancing to soca and reggae under the moonlight. Send your clients to St. Kitts this summer—where every day is a priceless memory, waiting to be made.

JUNE 22-24

St. Kitts Music Festival

JUNE 30 - JULY 2

Nevis Mango Festival

JULY 13-23

St. Kitts and Nevis Restaurant Week

JULY 27 - AUGUST 8

Nevis Culturama

AUG 31-SEPT 30

Caribbean Premier League Cricket

St. Kitts Music Festival

CELEBRATES 25 YEARS WITH THE FIRST 10 ACTS REVEALED

WORDS | LATOYA JONES

The St. Kitts Music Festival is back, and organisers say this year promises to be bigger and better than ever.

The first slate of artists scheduled to perform at the three day festival, which runs from 22 to 24 June was revealed at a launch event, hosted at the Eco Park on Sunday 5 March. Amongst those already rostered to perform are:

• Skillibeng

• Skinny Fabulous

• Chronixx

• Valiant

• Air Supply

• Grand Masters

• Byron Messia

• Patrice Roberts

• Govana

• Koffee

The rest of the performers will be announced in the coming weeks. Speaking at the launch event, Minister of Tourism, International Transport, Civil Aviation, Urban Development, Employment, and Labour, the Honourable Marsha Henderson, boasted that the weekend of events becomes more spectacular each year, delivering a "tremendous positive impact" to the local economy.

SKINNY FABULOUS HEADING TO THE ST. KITTS MUSIC FESTIVAL

"For more than two decades, the St. Kitts Music Festival has anchored our island’s position as a music centre of the Caribbean. Our mix of internationally-renowned artists and exceptional regional and local talent draws visitors from around the globe to St. Kitts,” said Henderson. Widely regarded as one of the most successful, in-demand and diverse musical events in the region, the St. Kitts Music Festival draws A-list musicians, island visitors, and locals for an on-your-feet celebration of exhilarating live music.

This year, the event moves to the Warner Park Stadium and and activities extend over six days, with organisers promising island-wide experiences such as lunchtime concerts featuring local artists, beach parties, boat rides and much more.

“We look forward to welcoming visitors back for the top musical event in the Caribbean,” said Ellison ‘Tommy’ Thompson, CEO of the St. Kitts Tourism Authority. “Summertime in St. Kitts is full of celebrations and events that showcase the island’s welcoming spirit, local culture and vibrant energy. There is no event better than the music festival to jumpstart our ‘Summer of Fun’.”

The St. Kitts Music Festival kicks off this ‘Summer of Fun’ for the two-island federation, and features programs across culture, cuisine, music, and adventure.

Beyond the scheduled events, St. Kitts offers exceptional eco-adventures, from hiking and diving to horseback riding; a new Kittitian RumMaster rum tasting, history and theory program; farm-to-table dining and a wide range of culinary experiences; cultural excursions; historic sites and more.

UK travellers seeking to soak up the action in St. Kitts can enjoy free three-night festival tickets when they book with Sackville Travel. Prices start from £1,065 per person, based on travel 21-28 June 2023, including seven nights’ accommodation at Timothy Beach Resort on a bed and breakfast basis, return flights from London Gatwick with British Airways, and return transfers. To book, call 020 7274 2242 or go to www.sackvilletravel.com

TO THE SUMMER BEAT Sway

FREE 3-NIGHT TICKETS

TO THE ST. KITTS MUSIC FESTIVAL

22 - 24 June 2023

Over the years, the St. Kitts stage has welcomed global icons Lionel Richie, Ashanti, Aswad, Maxi Priest, Goo Goo Dolls, and more—and this year’s lineup is sure to be just as impressive.

Join us in St. Kitts for three irresistible summer nights of calypso, soca, R&B, and reggae. Travellers arriving for the music festival can enjoy free 3-night festival tickets, return flights from London Gatwick with British Airways, 7-nights accommodation from 21 -28 June with daily breakfast, and return airport transfers from £1,065 pp* when booking with Sackville Travel.

TO BOOK, CALL 020.7274.2242

EVENTS

DON’T KNOW WHERE TO GO, OR WHAT TO DO?

Our events listing is all you need to keep you in the know. We cover predominately London, but whenever or wherever we hear about a soca fete or Caribbean related event, we’ll list it. If you’re a promoter, then to ensure you get listed please send your event details and a copy of your flyer to events@socanews.co.uk.

FOR OUR FULL AND UP-TO-DATE EVENT LISTINGS, VISIT SOCANEWS.COM/EVENTS

MAR 2023

FRI 10 MAR

SOCA PARTY UK

I LOVE SOCA UK MEETS BACK IT UP

@ Scala, 275 Pentonville Road, Kings Cross, N1 9NL. Time 11pm5am. Price £11-£22.

SAT 11 MAR

DEWINERY UK

TWO FOR ONE COCKTAIL FETE

@ Cottons Shoreditch, 45-47 Hoxton Square, N1 6PD. Music By Abz Houdini, Candy Pop, DJ Courtz, DJ TFR & DJ Trini. Time 10pm-2:45am. Price £10- £25.

BUSSPEPPER PROMOTIONS CARNIVAL TABANCA

@ The Alice, 133 Houndsditch, EC3A 7BX. Time 9pm-3am. Price £20-£25.

FRI 17 MAR

ASSOCIATION OF CALYPSONIANS & SOCA ARTISTS UK (ACASA) WOMEN IN CALYPSO AND SOCA SHOW AND

CELEBRATION PARTY

@ The Tabernacle, 34-35 Powis Square, W11 2AY. Time 7-10pm. Price £8-£10.

SUN 19 MAR

ONE PARADISE PROMOTIONS FANTASY LONDON 2023: ARABIAN NIGHTS

@ Golden Bee, Singer Street, EC1V 9DD. Time 6pm-12am. Price £20- £25.

SAT 25 MAR

CIRQUE PARTIES VICE ISLAND

@ House Of Ryker, Epping Lane, Stapleford Tawney, RM4 1ST. Time 2-10pm. Price £5.

KARNIVAL MANIA KARNIVAL MANIA BAND LAUCH

@ EartH Hall, 11-17 Stoke Newington Road, Dalston, N16 8BH. Music By DJ Bajie, Mr Mention & Twin T. Time 9pm-3am. Price £15- £25.

TOUCHDOWN SECTION THE SOCA LINK UP

@ Orleans Wine Bar, 259 Seven Sisters Road, N4 2DD. Time 10pm4am. Price Free-£5.

SUN 26 MAR

JUST INCARNIVAL JUST INCARNIVAL 2023 BAND LAUNCH

@ Yaa Centre, 1 Chippenham Mews, W9 2AN. Time 4-8pm. Price £5. Free for kids.

DJ TRIPLE M SOCA KARAOKE

@ Floripa London, 91-92 Great Eastern Street, EC2A 3HZ. Hosted By DJ Triple M. Time 4-11pm. Price £10.

EVENTS

FOR MORE EVENTS

SOCANEWS.COM/EVENTS

FRI 31 MAR

CARIBBEAN'S IN LONDON ZOUK LOVE LONDON

@ Adulis Lounge, 44 Brixton Road, SW9 6BT. Music By DJ Gatress, DJ Wally. Time 10-3pm. Price £13-£18.

APR 2023

SAT 01 APRIL

ROYAL MUSEUMS GREENWICH CARIBBEAN TAKEOVER

@ National Maritime Museum, Romney Road, Greenwich, SE10 9NF. Time 11am-6pm. Price Free.

RELEASE D RIDDIM

CORKS MEETS EPIC

– START OF SPRING –TOUCH OF YELLOW CRUISE

@ Festival Pier, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XZ. Music By Big Business (Cappachino & DJ Dukes), Credable (Release D Riddim), DJ Bliss, Mr Redz, Mr Way Back When & Shaker HD. Time 2-6pm. Price £25-£35.

SUN 02 APRIL

M2K MAS BAND M2K BAND LAUNCH

@ Yaa Centre, 1 Chippenham Mews, W9 2AN. Time 5-10pm.

SAT 08 APR

THE DIVETTES THE DIVETTES EASTER SPECIAL

@ Sussex Bar/Pub, 139 Marlborough Road, N19 4NU. Time 8-11pm. Price £9- £10.

SIP ‘N SOCA SIP ‘N SOCA

@ The Glitch Bar, 2-4 Paul Street, EC2A 4JH. Time 9pm-2am. Price £10-£15.

SUN 09 APR

MINGLEUK MINGLE ALL WHITE PARTY

@ La Royale Banqueting, 819-821 High Rd, N17 8ER. Time 3-11pm.

MON 10 APRIL

COCOYEA LONDON COCOYEA – THE REUNION EASTER MONDAY FETE

@ Scala, 275 Pentonville Road, Kings Cross, N1 9NL. Music By Bambino, ChéInTheMIXX, DJ Fats, DJ Markee, Lyrical Louix, Martin Jay, Mike Forbes, Mr Mention, Smokey Joe, Soca Massive, Vinny Ranks (Soca Mafia) & Zoomer D. Time 5-11pm. Price £10.

WED 12 APR

ASSOCIATION OF CALYPSONIANS & SOCA ARTISTS UK (ACASA)

YOUTH CALYPSO & SOCA

WORKSHOPS:

WORSHOP 2

@ The Tabernacle, 34-35 Powis Square, W11 2AY. Time 10am-4pm.

FRI 14 APR

SOCA FRENZY

SOCA FRENZY – TRÈS BLEU

– EASTER CARNIVAL JAM

@ Scala, 275 Pentonville Road, Kings Cross, N1 9NL. Time 11pm5am.

SAT 15 APR

CHOCOLATE NATION

CHOCOLATE NATION MAS

BAND LAUNCH

@ 229 The Venue, 229 Great Portland Street, W1W 5PN. Music By Danny D, Deejay Paulie, DJ Guff Nuff & DJ Tate. Time 10pm-3am.

SOCANEWS.COM/EVENTS

FEATURE

CARNIVAL 2023

DOES IT DESERVE A PASSING GRADE?

WORDS | LATOYA JONES

The curtains have closed, and the dust has settled on Trinidad and Tobago Carnival 2023, but the debate rages on: did it live up to expectations? After a two-year hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, this return was dubbed ‘The Mother of All Carnivals’, and promised to be bigger and better than ever before.

Sadly, for many, it did not live up to the hype and has been described as underwhelming. One

frequent observation that left many stumped was the low spectator turnout in downtown Port of Spain, and at the Queen's Park Savannah on Carnival Monday and Tuesday. Scores of food vendors are still reeling from their losses; the dismal attendance of onlookers lining the streets meant there weren't the usual crowds to feast on their delicacies.

Trinidad and Tobago has earned its reputation as the Mecca of Carnival, but what went wrong

this year? Whilst thousands attended the scores of events on the carnival calendar, many have reported that it just wasn't the same.

"It was off. Something was definitely off," one feter told Soca News. This sentiment was endorsed by countless others, who felt that the energy this year was different. Even so, the return of Carnival was a symbol of hope for countless others.

We caught up with a group of friends who travelled from the US for the tail end of the highly anticipated festival. "It was different," the group’s spokesperson said, "But better to have a Carnival that's a little different, than to have none at all. The last couple years was torment, we didn't know when we would be able to do this again or if we would have been able to at all. I'm just happy that we've been able to come here and enjoy this."

Did the National Carnival Commission overhype the return, do little to manage expectations and fail to deliver? Many seem to think so, and took to social media to share their views on the matter. The general consensus: yes.

The party in opposition, United National Congress, said that Carnival 2023 was a wasted opportunity. Moruga/Tableland MP Michelle Benjamin said the failure of Carnival 2023 to live up to people's expectations could be attributed to poor planning and poor management. "The ‘Mother of all Carnivals’ did not showcase the greatest show on earth. Instead, it exposed PNM incompetence and disregard for our culture," she said.

On the flip side, the Panorama competition was one of the highlights of Carnival 2023. It was impossible to miss the proud presence of many of the nation’s youth in the annual competition. To many, the larger-than-usual proportion of young people competing in Panorama 2023 was proof that, at the very least, the future of this facet of Trinidad and Tobago culture is in safe hands.

Despite the hiccups, Carnival 2023 signalled a return to normalcy and a welcome reprieve in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. We're already looking forward to and planning for Carnival 2024. How about you?

EVENTS

COVERED

• SOCA FOR HER

• ARTFORM

• SOCA BABY BOAT CRUISE

• ARMY FETE

• STINK & DUTTY!

• IZWE

• MENTAL

• I AM WOMAN

• BEACH HOUSE

• VIBES WITH VOICEY

• TRIBE IGNITE

• SCORCH _UCK WORK

• MACHEL ONE SHOW

• SOCA BRAINWASH

• SOCA TAKEOVER

OUR TRINIDAD CARNIVAL 2023 PHOTO COVERAGE IS POWERED BY

PHOTOGRAPHERS | CLEON HENRY + KEVON DUKE

THURS 16 FEB PHOTOGRAPHER | KEVON DUKE