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NEWS
• ELIZABETH 'LADY' MONTANO
MACHEL MONTANO CELEBRATES 40 YEARS AS KING OF SOCA
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Elizabeth ‘Lady’ Montano has written a biography of her son, entitled King of Soca. The story of Machel Montano will be on Trinidadian bookshelves and in online bookstores in June.
The book is one of the key elements put in place to celebrate Machel's 40th anniversary in music; it is accompanied by several significant events taking place around the world. The biography is also the debut publication of Lady’s very own EESM Publishers imprint.
King of Soca gives readers premium access to the professional and personal life of one of the biggest global soca artists, through the words of his own mother. It covers the evolution of man and artist over four decades, detailing uncommon elements of his journey in the world. To keep abreast of developments or pre-order, follow @kingofsoca across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, or email eesm@kingofsoca.com for more information.
NEWS
BARKING & DAGENHAM CARNIVAL IS BACK
After being physically absent for two Covid-affected years, Barking and Dagenham Carnival will be returning this year with both live and online elements. It will take place at the Barking Learning Centre and in Barking Town Square.
The carnival was created by Ukon Careers in 2014 as a children’s celebration, but has since transformed into a family event open to all, including senior citizens, children, young people and disabled persons.
Revellers can expect steelpan and soca performances, dance, performances from local and international carnival artists, African drumming, tamboo bamboo, samba and carnival craft-making workshops.
Volunteers are welcome, so if you’d like to get involved, contact Cleon at info@ukoncareers.com.
Barking & Dagenham Carnival takes place on Saturday 9 July, from 1pm to 6pm.
GOT A STORY? EMAIL US NEWS@SOCANEWS.COM GET UP, STAND UP!
If you haven’t yet, get yourself down to the West End to see Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical. Reflecting the life of the revolutionary reggae superstar, the production is showing now at the Lyric Theatre, London.
The musical resonates with the way Marley used his music to provide solace and resistance against oppressors. Masterminded by the multiaward-winning team of Lee Hall (writer) and Clint Dyer (director), performers tell an insightful story filled with passion, politics and resilient hope, from Trenchtown to the West End.
The Evening Standard said, "It isn’t just a joyful night out it’s a major and important cultural event”.
Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical is showing at the Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue and is booking now until January 2023. For more information and tickets visit https://getupstandupthemusical.com/about.
NEWS
TOBAGO CARNIVAL CONFIRMED FOR OCTOBER
After two years of enduring, Tobago Carnival is ready to unpack its bags and hit the road in full swing, from Friday 28 to Sunday 30 October.
Tashia Burris, Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Secretary for Tourism, Culture, Antiquities and Transportation, announced on Monday 4 April at the assembly's Mandate virtual forum that revellers can expect the full carnival experience - as compared to the modified version held in Trinidad in February.
THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine added that the committee formed to plan the festival and events is still under construction, but assured the public that there will be concrete news to share by next week.
Whilst information about the budget allocation is yet to be released, stakeholders, including Trinbago Unified Calypsonian Organisation (TUCO), Pan Trinbago's Tobago Region and the Tobago Carnival Band Leaders Association, are currently making plans for the carnival to be the best in Tobago's history.
KINETIKA 2022 FLAG HIRE BROCHURE
Kinetika has launched Spectacular Installations, a brochure showcasing the company’s distinctive, intricate and colourful hand-painted silk banners which may be hired for events.
For more than two decades Kinetika has created large-scale silks, which tell diverse stories and have featured in such high-profile events as the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The 20 hand-painted, 6m-tall scrolls from the Silk River Collection (2017) were produced to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Indian independence, and the country’s cultural relationship with the UK. In 2024 Kinetika plans to reprise its 2021 Beach of Dreams project, which took 500 pennants on a 500-mile journey along the east coast of Britain. To find out more, see https://kinetika. co.uk/hires
NEWS
KES AND MACHEL TO PERFORM AT ESSENCE FESTIVAL OF CULTURES
The Essence Festival of Cultures is taking centre stage in New Orleans, Louisiana, this summer, from 30 June to 3 July - and global soca icons Kes the Band and Machel Montano have been billed to perform on Friday 1 July.
Headliner Nicki Minaj and supporting acts Beenie Man and Mickey Guyton will also thrill the crowd with their performances on the same day.
Other headlining artists will include Kevin Hart, Janet Jackson, New Edition, The Isley Brothers, The Roots & Friends, Summer Walker, Jazmine Sullivan and, D-Nice & Friends.
Sponsors for this year's festival include CocaCola, AT&T, Ford and Black & Positively Golden.
To learn more about the festival and to buy tickets, visit www.essence.com/essence-festival-2022.
GOT A STORY? EMAIL US NEWS@SOCANEWS.COM
• KES (AKA KES THE BAND)
PHOTOGRAPHER | SUICIDAL SHOTZ
WOMEN IN CARIBBEAN CARNIVAL: POWER, PERFORMANCE AND PLAY
In a recent lecture, Dr Emily Zobel Marshalls spoke about the historical and cultural context of Carnival, giving a glimpse into her research on women in Carnival. She spoke extensively about the famed mythological trickster, the symbolic meaning of Carnival to Caribbean people and the many roles women play in Caribbean carnivals.
Dr Marshall is the author of Anansi’s Journey: A Story of Jamaican Cultural Resistance (2012) and American Trickster: Trauma Tradition and Brer Rabbit.
A video of the lecture is available on YouTube.
NEWS
MANCHESTER CARNIVAL SCORES HALF A CENTURY
The organisers of the 2022 edition of Manchester Carnival are calling for mas and steel bands to participate in this great annual event, which will be back on the road after two years lost to Covid restrictions.
The carnival began between 1970 and 1971, when a group of Nevisians and Trinbagonians started a procession; it has now developed into a much-loved Manchester tradition.
This year, the carnival runs from Saturday 13 to Sunday 14 August – and it will finally be able to celebrate (a little later than expected) its 50th anniversary.
To take part, for sponsorship opportunities or for more details about what’s planned, send an email to Manchester.CarnivalTC@outlook.com.
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The Reading Caribbean Cultural Group (RCCG) has announced that this year's Reading Carnival, which was scheduled to take place from Friday 26 to Sunday 28 August, has been cancelled. The carnival cancellation is a casualty of the difficulty in securing funding to host the free event, and the challenge of securing volunteers.
RCCG is currently partnering with Reading Borough Council, Thames Valley Police, local businesses, and local community organisations to focus on providing a safe, family-friendly community carnival in 2023. There will be a fundraising event for Reading Carnival 2023 on Friday 3 June at The Atrium, Scours Lane, Reading, RG30 6AY.
For more information, or to support the carnival as a volunteer or with a donation, email rccg.cic@gmail.com.
NEWS
JUST INCARNIVAL T-SHIRTS GIVEAWAY
The organisers of mas band Just INCarnival will be giving away free Queen's Jubilee T-shirts as they invite revellers to come and experience the vibrancy of Caribbean culture on 2 June at Golders Hill Park.
The band will be there as part of a Jubilee fun day celebration, sponsored by the City of London and the London Borough of Barnet.
There will be music, entertainment, food stalls and a funfair, all culminating in a fireworks display.
The Jubilee Fun Day takes place in Golders Hill Park, NW3 7HE, on Thursday 2 June, from 2pm to 10pm. For updates and more information, visit, justincarnival.com.
WATFORD CARNIVAL
Watford has plans underway to celebrate its first Watford Cultural and Musical Carnival this summer. It is scheduled to take place on Saturday 30 July at the Radlett Road Playing Field, Watford.
ATLANTA DEKALB CARNIVAL 2022
After a postponement last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic and its attendant issues, the Atlanta Dekalb Carnival, organised by the Atlanta Carnival Bandleaders Council and Atlanta Carnival Entertainment, will return in 2022.
The festival promises to be ‘The Hottest Carnival in North America’, and is described as a familyfriendly event filled with international and local artists, food, drinks and other side attractions.
This year's carnival will take place on 28 May, Memorial Day Weekend, at Stonecrest, Georgia.
For tickets and more information visit www.atlantadekalbcarnival.com.
