SOCANEWS F ree
i132/ OCT 2019 ISSN 1464-7087
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CONTENTS OCTOBER 2019 | ISSUE 132
REGULAR
SOCA PEOPLE
07. News
16. Fya Empress 18. Sergie 20. Ms Desire
FEATURES 12. Hero 30. Know your independence 33. My pageant journey -
Lee-Ann Goddard
EVENTS 27. Event listings
Where to go and what to do.
GET LISTED If you’re a carnival organiser, promoter, mas band, steelband, soca sound, community group or other participant who’s feeling left out because we didn’t mention your event, or if you’d like to advertise in the magazine or online, the remedy is in your hands. Get in touch! Give us a call on 0333 012 4643. SN OCT 2019 5
EDITOR’S LETTER
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COVER IMAGE
NICKOLAI SALCEDO As Ulric Cross
ave you seen Christmas ads on TV yet? Well, we’re not far away, with only a few months to go until Yuletide - which really just means we’re heading into a new year, for the carnival season to once again take over our lives. The never-ending cycle of life, death and carnival. If you haven’t yet seen Hero, the docu-drama based on the extraordinary life and times of Ulric Cross, you really should seek it out; it’s truly gripping, informative, and a beautifully crafted piece of cinema. A series of UK screenings are taking place during October and November, a full list of which may be found on pages 12 and 13. October also heralds Black History Month, with a multitude of events taking place throughout the country. If you would like to contribute to Soca News, or have a story to tell, please email editor@socanews.com. Until the next issue. YOURS IN SOCA Joseph Charles EDITOR
PUBLISHER & EDITOR Joseph Charles jc@socanews.com CREATIVE Joseph Charles SUB EDITOR Katie Segal katie@socanews.com CONSULTING EDITOR Stephen Spark stephen@socanews.com
SALES & ADVERTISING Rodney Wilson rodney@socanews.com sales@socanews.com
PUBLISHED BY Joseph Charles Publishing 86-90 Paul Street London, EC2A 4NE
WORDS DRM Jones, Joseph Charles, Katie Segal, Lee-Ann Goddard, Lisa Williams, Nicole Rachelle-Moore, Sharon Buckley & Stephen Spark.
TELEPHONE + 44 (0) 333 012 4643
PICTURES Bampson, Lee-Ann Goddard, Rudolpho Louisy & Stephen Spark.
WEBSITE www.socanews.com
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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. © 2019 Soca News. All rights reserved. 6 SN OCT 2019
NEWS
THE GEORGE PADMORE INSTITUTE
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he George Padmore Institute is an archive, educational research and information centre housing materials relating mainly to communities of Caribbean, African and Asian descent in Britain and continental Europe. Its aims are to organise and sustain: • an archive, library, educational resource, research and information centre, to allow the materials in its care to be available for use by interested individuals and groups, both in person at the institute and through the use of modern storage, retrieval and communication methods; • educational and cultural activities including conferences, courses, seminars, study programmes, talks and readings; • the publication and dissemination of relevant materials. The institute was set up in 1991 by a group of people connected with New Beacon Books, Britain's first black publisher and bookshop. Since its establishment in 1966, New Beacon Books, led by its founder John La Rose, has worked closely with
and supported many educational, cultural and political initiatives in the Black community and wider society in Britain and abroad. The institute is located above New Beacon Books, at 76 Stroud Green Road, Finsbury Park, N4 3EN. Appointments may be made to visit the institute to carry out research, or simply to have a look at materials that may be of interest, by calling 020 7272 8915 between 10.30am and 4pm or sending an email to info@georgepadmoreinstitute.org. You may also visit the website at www.georgepadmoreinstitute.org.
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
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he month of October marks the annual Black History Month, adopted in the UK in 1987. A major event in UK diaries, the month offers rich and diverse expressions of black art, food, entertainment, education, discussion and debate.
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NEWS
THE WAILERS AWARDED A BLUE HERITAGE PLAQUE
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ob Marley, Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer were together The Wailing Wailers, later known as Bob Marley and the Wailers. The Wailers' 1973 inaugural album, Catch A Fire, heralded the then new sound of reggae. The trio have recently been commemorated and celebrated by the instalment of a blue heritage plaque on the former Island Studios building in Basing Street, London, W11. The installation ceremony was held on Friday, 4 October, with special guest and celebrated personalities in attendance. Dr Jak Beula CEO of the Nubian Jak Community Trust, said: “In October, 2006, with the support of Rita Marley and the Mayor of London, we unveiled the first blue plaque to Bob Marley in Europe. At the time I said about Nubian Jak that “this could be the second trumpet”. 47 plaques later, 2 statues, a board game series with app, and a new groundbreaking documentary in the offing… it still might be!” 8 8 SN SN OCT AUG2019 2019
SHARON D CLARKE
INAUGURAL BLACK BRITISH THEATRE AWARDS
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n Sunday 27 October the first Black British Theatre Awards (BBTA) will take place in Islington, London, at a venue yet to be announced. The awards aim to recognise and celebrate the contributions of Black people in the arts. Out of hundreds of nominees, only a few could be selected; you can view the shortlist at www. blackbritishtheatreawards.com/vote. Those up for an award include Sharon D Clarke, Lenny Henry and Arinzé Kene. For more information about the awards, please email: info@blackbritishtheatreawards.com.
RUDOLPH WALKER CELEBRATES 80
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any of you will know him as Patrick Truman from Eastenders, but Rudolph Walker OBE has been gracing our screens for quite some time now. Early in his career he appeared in shows such as On The Buses, Doctor Who, Love Thy Neighbour, Empire Road, Black Silk and The Thin Blue Line, just to name a few. Rudolph turned 80 on September 28, but will celebrate at the Hackney Empire on Sunday 20 October alongside celebrity guests, with entertainment by singers, dancers, actors and comedians. Host on the night includes Eddie Nestor & Robbie Gee, with Richard Blackwood, Glenda Jaxson, Slim, Curtis Walker, Axel Blake, Kat B, Tobago Crusoe, London Community Gospel Choir, Jermain Jackman, Lurine Cato, DJ Lewis Mastermind Benn confirmed so far. Proceeds from this event will go to The Rudolph Walker Foundation, a charity established by Rudolph 10 years ago to nurture and develop young people’s creative and technical skills and talents. The event will be held at the Hackney Empire, 291 Mare Street, London, E8 1EJ, on Sunday 20 October from 6pm. More information may be found at socanews.com/events.
RUDOLPH WALKER
ARE YOU THE NEXT MISS BARBADOS UK?
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he call is on for contestants to take part in the Miss Barbados UK 2020 competition, as the event enters its fifth anniversary. It’s simple to enter once you meet the following requirements, which are: age 18-30, single (never been married), must live in London, proof of Barbadian citizenship/descent and must have a flexible schedule from January 2020 to June 2020. If you meet all the above criteria and believe you can be the next queen, apply now at www. missbarbadosuk.com, deadline to submit your application is Saturday 30 November 2019. Don’t miss out on an opportunity of a lifetime.
FOR MORE NEWS
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NEWS
SHE WHO WEARS THE CROWN
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WORDS | SHARON BUCKLEY
or 35 year old soca lover Shona MuraldoParks, the sky is definitely not the limit - as she reaches for the stars in more ways than one. Descended from a Jamaican father and Trinidadian / Grenadian mother, and hailing from Hackney, East London, the busy flight attendant is preparing to win the crown of Ms Galaxy UK at the final next March. Shona's pageant career began in 2011, when she represented Flanagan Town in the Miss Trinidad & Tobago UK contest, thinking it would be a great way to learn more about her Trinidadian background. Although she did not win on that occasion, Shona was awarded the ‘Miss Elegance’ and ‘Miss Carivog’ titles. In 2012, Shona again 10 SN OCT 2019
represented Trinidad & Tobago, at Miss Commonwealth International, this time proudly winning the title. Miss Galaxy is a well-established, international pageant and, if she wins the crown, Shona will go on to represent the UK at the international final in the USA the following summer. Leading up to the event, Shona will be doing a skydive, amongst other things, to raise money for the pageant’s official charity, Christie and Sunshine Foundation. Supporters can make donations through the following link www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ mseastlondongalaxy20? There is also a charity soca event called 312 Soca scheduled for Friday 17 January 2020 at Bar 512. Soca News wishes Shona all the best at the upcoming pageant, and with her hard work promoting Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean.
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feature
Hero – the extraordinary life and times of Ulric Cross, returns to the UK
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ntil now, Ulric Cross has been an unfamiliar name to most – but this is a man whose life story already sounds like a film. Hailing from Trinidad, Cross migrated to the UK to fly in the Second World War. He went on to work for the BBC, before becoming involved in the Pan-African movement as a lawyer for several African governments. In making Hero, Frances-Anne Solomon, British/Canadian/Trinidadian film-maker and director of the Caribbean Tales film festival, fulfilled a dying wish made by her mother to a family friend. But after she’d begun to research the story, it’s clear that the project became a passion for her too; why else would someone spend nine years striving to bring one project to fruition? Written, directed and produced by Solomon, Hero tells the story of the life and times of Ulric Cross, spanning three continents and three perspectives – first-person interview, historical footage and dramatic scenes – to form a work of seamless depth and significance. Solomon fulfilled a promise to first bring the work to its three homes, Trinidad, the UK and Ghana, as well as Canada where some scenes were also filmed. She’s currently taking the movie on a world tour. The film had a limited UK distribution back in June of this year, and returns for Black History Month with several screenings throughout the UK. You can see a full list of screening dates and venues on the following page.
Hero UK Nationwide Tour Screenings www.heroulriccross.com Thurs 3 October
Sat 19 October
@ Peckhamplex, 95a Rye Lane, Peckham, SE15 4ST. Time 7.30pm
@ Hackney Picturehouse, 270 Mare Street, London, E8 1HE Time 6pm
Sun 6 October
Sun 20 October
@ Black Cultural Archives, 1 Windrush Square, London, SW2 1EF Time 4pm
@ West Norwood Picturehouse, 6-7 Norwood High Street, West Norwood, London, SE27 9JX Time 4.30pm
Mon 7 October @ Home, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN Time 5.50pm
Tue 8 October @ Showroom Cinema, 15 Paternoster Row, Sheffield, S1 2BX Time 6pm
Wed 9 October @ Hyde Park Picture House, 73 Brudenell Road, Leeds, LS6 1JD Time 6.20pm
Sat 12 October @ Broadway Cinema, 14-18 Broad Street, Nottingham, NG1 3AL Time 5pm
Wed 16 October @ Stratford East Picturehouse, Salway Road, London, E15 1BX Time 8.30pm
Thurs 17 October @ Genesis Cinema, 93-95 Mile End Road, London, E1 4UJ Time 8.30pm
Fri 18 October @ Cameo Picturehouse, 38 Home Street, Edinburgh, EH3 9LZ Time 6pm @ Picturehouse Central, Corner of Shaftesbury Avenue, Piccadilly Circus, London, W1D 7DH Time 6.30pm
Mon 21 October @ Crouch End Picturehouse, 165 Tottenham, Crouch End, London, N8 9BY Time 8.30pm
Wed 23 October @ Harbour Lights Picturehouse, 5 Maritime Walk, Southampton, SO14 3TL Time 6.15pm
Thurs 24 October @ Picturehouse @ FACT, 88 Wood Street, Liverpool, L1 4DQ Time 8.30pm
Fri 25 October @ Catford Mews, 32 Winslade Way, Catford, London, SE6 4JU Time 7pm
Sun 27 October @ Ritzy Picturehouse, Brixton Oval, Coldharbour, Brixton, London, SW2 1JG Time 4.30pm
Mon 28 October @ Derby QUAD, Market Place Cathedral Quarter, Market Place, Derby, DE1 3AS Time 6.45pm
Tues 29 October @ Arts Picturehouse, 38-39 St Andrew's Street, Cambridge, CB2 3AR Time 6.15pm
@ The Odyssey Cinema, 166 London Road, St Albans, AL1 1PQ Time 7.30pm
Wed 30 October @ Phoenix Picturehouse, 57 Walton Street, Oxford, OX2 6AE Time 6pm @ ODEON Luxe Lee Valley, Pickett's Lock, Edmonton, Lee Valley, London, N9 0AS Time 6pm
Fri 1 November @ October Gallery, 24 Old Gloucester Street, Holborn, London, WC1N 3AL
Sun 3 November @ The Cripps Hall and Theatre, Billing Road, Northampton, NN1 5RT. Time 5pm
Wed 6 November @ Chapter Arts Centre, Market Road, Canton, Cardiff, CF5 1QE Time 5.30pm
Thurs 7 November @ Lexi Cinema, 194B Chamberlayne Road, Kensal Green, NW10 3JU Time 6.30pm
Sat 9 November @ Mac, Midlands Arts Centre, Cannon Hill Park, B12 9QH Time 5pm
Sun 10 November @ Brixton Town Hall, 1 Brixton Hill, Brixton, London, SW2 1RW
Sat 16 November @ Tyneside Cinema, 10 Pilgrim Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 6QG Time 5.45pm
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soca people
Fya Empress
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IS IN EXCESS...
oca singer Lornette ‘Fya Empress’ Reid has been a resident of Tobago for over 15 years, but stays true to her Vincentian roots. Her talent and versatility mean that, although she is primarily a soca-ragga artist, she was also able to snag the title of T&T Calypso Queen - for I Am Woman in 2012. That same year she took the award for best female soca artist at the Trinidad International Soca Awards, for No Money No Wuk.
Fya Empress was also crowned Ragga Soca Monarch Queen in 2013, International Soca Monarch Finalist 2013 and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Calypso Monarch 2017. She's known for soca tunes like True Vincy, Ah Ketch It, Earthquake, Country Meets Town and Rum Please (the latter with Fay-Ann Lyons), Under Meh, soca-zouk number Batty, Soca Calling, Fire in de Hole featuring Shaunelle, So What and Fya Empress in D Center (on the Dennery Segment Mabouya Riddim). Her songs for 2019 include In Excess, Solidarity, Own It and Speaking In Tongues. You can find Fya Empress performing in London on Saturday 26 October at the Wally Foster Community Centre, in celebration of St. Vincent & the Grenadines 40th anniversary of independence. Follow Fya Empress Facebook @fyaempress Instagram @fya_empress
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soca people
Sergie
SOCA IS IN HER DNA... Where does the name Sergie come from? My Christian name is Sergia. My family and friends would always call me Sergie, and I felt it was a good stage name for me as an artiste. So who is Sergie? Are you a soca artist or a Lucian first? I was born and raised on this beautiful 238 square miles of paradise, so I am definitely a Lucian first, but soca is in my soul and being a soca artiste doesn’t fall far back. What are your musical offerings for Saint Lucia Carnival 2019? Have they all been released, or are there more to come? I had two releases in 2019. The first was a groovy on the Legacy Riddim called Alive. The second was my first attempt at a bashment soca called Blame De Whine. It was featured on the Jolly Roger Riddim. Who are your musical influences? I was influenced by Saint Lucian soca artistes QPid and Teddyson John but I also love Trini artistes Patrice and Fay Ann Lyons as well as my 2019 favourite Nadia Batson whose 2019 So Long track is just amazing. What year was your first foray into soca music, and how did it come about? Music has always been a joy to me. In 2011, I became the first and only female winner of the Piton Soca Starz competition, and used that as the springboard to become a 'professional' artiste. Will you be taking part in any carnival competitions this year? My groovy and bashment soca were chosen for the preliminary round of competition, but unfortunately I wasn’t selected for either final. Do you see yourself still making soca music in 5 years’ time? The way I’m in love with my SOCA, I see myself making music 'til I'm old and grey like Patrice said…lol. Soca is in my DNA. How can fans connect with you? Fans can find me on Facebook @Sergie758Music and on Instagram @sergie25 Is there anything else you would like to tell our readers about Thank you for the opportunity to connect with your readers, and see you all soon at Lucian Carnival – Nothing Sweeter than Dat! Follow Sergie Facebook @Sergie758Music
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soca people
Ms Desire
AFTER A THREE YEAR BREAK, BARBADIAN SOCA ARTIST MS DESIRE RETURNED TO THE GROOVY SOCA MONARCH COMPETITION STAGE AT THE LONDON CALYPSO TENT, ROCKING THE AUDIENCE WITH HER NEW SONG SOCA RAISED ME. THE SONG CLEVERLY INTERWEAVES PAST HITS AND REMINDED SOCA FANS OF SOME OF THEIR FAVOURITES. IN AN INTERVIEW AFTER ONE OF THE EARLIER NIGHTS OF THE TENT SHE SHARED HER MUSICAL BACKGROUND, HISTORY AND FUTURE AIMS. WORDS | DRM JONES
How are you, Ms Desire? Good evening [singing]. How are you? Your set tonight was wonderful. But I think the audience and performers tonight will be wondering where you've been. [Laughing] I've been around. You know I haven't done the Tent for maybe two or three years. So I'm going to jump back in this year, and the song's kinda cool. But you know it's good to be back! What was the name of the song? You know the music was so infectious; it moved me, it took me, it had me... [laughs] It's called Soca Raised Me. It's literally about how I grew up in soca music. You grew up in soca music - and is it a family of musicians you come from or... [Cutting in] You know what? It's funny you should say that because my father is from Jamaica and my mother is Barbadian, and he is more into the music side but he does more reggae, but growing up, going home to Barbados every summer I picked up the soca [laughs].
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So did you start your singing there? Yeah, I started singing in Barbados when I was like 18-19. In Barbados, we have this event called the Cobbler Pot. It used to be like the stage show before Cropover. I went there when I was like very young and I saw Alison Hinds and I was like, "I wanna do this." And now I'm doing it [laughing]. Did your parents encourage you to sing? My mum was always like, "if you want to get into it just do it, it's fine." But I started singing in musical choir, I attended Sylvia Young [Theatre School]. I used to do BBC stuff, so it was all of that but it wasn't until I got to teenage years that I was like, "Yes! I want to do soca!" So what was your first song? Do you remember it? Yes. It was in 2008 and it was actually Blood from Square One; he produced the song and he sent me the riddim. He sent it to me and he was like, " I think this will fit you fine." That was literally how we came about, but I didn't think that Blood would actually notice me, but yeah, he's the one that gave me my start.
"If you want to get into it, just do it’."
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Discography SOCADDICTION RUFF IT UP FT PETER RAM GIVE IT TO ME COME HANDLE IT WHOLE DAY GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN DO WHAT YUH WANT NICE TIME PARTIER MY TEAM READY FA DIS WORK IT
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Did you perform with him? Yes, I used to go around and perform with [Square One] but then I started to perform with Kirk Brown and Strategy the band, in Barbados, and then I broke off and kind of did a solo thing by myself. How did you meet DeeVine? Oh she's my friend. In Barbados we just grew up, we're both from Barbados. She lives here and we both do soca so it was just like a thing of just seeing her out and we just met [laughing]. And we're cool! Are you signed to any labels or did you release any tracks in Barbados? Yeah. I previously was writing [songs] for Universal Records, and I travelled up and down back and forth from Atlanta to New York to write for them - and I also have my distribution deal with VP Records. So my last album two years ago that I'd done came out with VP; currently, I'm writing and working on new stuff to bring out next year. What was your last album's name? It was self-titled; it was called Ms Desire. And it was a really great album. It was an amalgamation of a lot of my new stuff, some old stuff and it was really, really cool. Any reggae tracks in there? I know VP do a lot of reggae releases. [laughs] You know what, I have this kind of Afro-pop [song] with a bit of reggaeton that I do, but they were cool, they were like, "If you wanna do the reggae go ahead, if you wanna do the soca, you can do the soca." What do you think of the blend of reggae and soca? I really love it. I'm from Barbados and we champion bashment-soca, ragga-soca, like that's our thing, so I definitely love the fusion of it. When did you start singing in the UK? Was your first appearance at the Tent? My first appearance wasn't at the Tent actually. In 2008, when I was performing in Barbados, I came back straight here and I was introduced to the soca scene; everyone was like, come and do this and do that. I had loads of gigs here, in the underground soca scene.
You're back at the Tent now. Was it because you were abroad that you took a break? More so because it usually falls when I'm in Barbados, so it doesn't really make sense because I'm never here to do the fullness of it. I'm here because I'm currently on tour with my band, One The Band. We've done Bonfire Festival in Germany, we've done Trinidad, so far. Are you competing in the Groovy Soca Monarch competition? Yes, I'm doing the Groovy Soca Monarch. I've never done it before, so I don't know what to expect. From the sound of things you're probably going to push the whole competition all the way. Oh! Thank you. Is there anything you're working on at the moment, because your music has this retro-soca feel to it? Funnily enough, this is the most retro soca I've done. When I wrote [Soca Raised Me] last year November, I said, “This is for the Tent�. I was gonna do it for Cropover, but I said, let me run it by the Tent and see how it feels. But I haven't released the song, so I might see how it goes. I'm working on a lot of stuff with Precision, and I'm working on a lot of things for Trinidad Carnival next year. So where do you take your inspiration from as far as your music is concerned? I'm sure I heard a little Calypso Rose in that song tonight. [Laughs] I do love a lot of calypso , but I love a lot of the New Skool stuff and I have a lot of good mentors, like Kes. He always has something to tell me about my music, and he's always got a great ear. Alison Hinds is always listening and talking; I send my music to her back and forth, so I've got a lot of cool heads in the game that are able to give me a lot of advice like that. Good luck with the Groovy Soca Monarch. Your performances are going down really well. Thank you! Follow Ms Desire Facebook @msdesire.artist Instagram @msdesireartist
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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 us your event details and a print copy of your flyer to events@socanews.com. For full event listings, please visit socanews.com/events.
FRI 11 OCTOBER PSV EVENTS
SOCA FRENZY – LIKE A BOSS
@Scala, 275 Pentonville Road, N1 9NL. Time 11pm-5am. Price £8-£16.
SAT 12 OCTOBER TOUCHDOWN SECTION
ISSA SNACK
@Sofia's Bar, 588a Kingsland Road, E8 4AH. Music by DJ Tate, Kal-I, Supa Nytro, DJ Jamzy, Majikal & T-Bone. Time 10pm4am. Price £5-£10.
THURS 17 OCTOBER JUST VIBEZ & THE HOUSE OF ANGOSTURA
TRINBAGO 1970-2019
RUM AND VIBEZ
Time 3-10pm. Price £10-£12.
@640 East, Railway Arches, 159-161 Malcolm Place, Bethnal Green, E2 0EU. Music by Just Vibez. Time 6pm-12am. Price £10.
SUN 20 OCTOBER
SAT 19 OCTOBER
@ILEC Conference Centre, 47 Lillie Road, SW6 1UD. Information Enjoy over 200 rums from around the world, with exclusive rum tastings, seminars, masterclasses, tastings & food pairings, the RumFest auction & dance finale. Time 12-6pm. Price £42.50.
UK RUMFEST 2019 SATURDAY
@ILEC Conference Centre, 47 Lillie Road, SW6 1UD. Information Enjoy over 200 rums from around the world, with exclusive rum tastings, seminars, masterclasses, tastings & food pairings, the RumFest auction & dance finale. Time 12-6pm. Price £52.50.
ECLIPSE DAY PARTY
@Cargo, 83 Rivington Street, EC2A 3AY. Music by Just Vibez.
UK RUMFEST 2019 SUNDAY
ASHTON AND FRIENDS CATERING
CURRY ON DE THAMES – THE FINAL CUT
@Lambeth Pier, Albert Embankment, SE1 7SG. Time 1.30-6pm. Price £35.
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events FRIENDS OF SAINT LUCIA INTERNATIONAL
JOUNEN KWEYOL DAY @Ilford Sports Club, 3 Cricklefield Place, IG1 1FY. Time 2-11pm. Price £5-£8.
RUDOLPH WALKER’S 80TH BIRTHDAY
@Hackney Empire, 291 Mare St, E8 1EJ. Time 6pm. Price £31-£36.
FRI 25 OCTOBER PRINCE VERN
FRIDAY NIGHT SPECIAL
@The Lighthouse Bar, 421 Wick Lane, E3 2JG. Time 9pm-3am. Price £10-£15.
SAT 26 OCTOBER CARIBBEAN SESSIONS
HOUSE OF HORRORS
@The Lighthouse Bar, 421 Wick Lane, E3 2JG. Music by DJ CJay, Jamzy, Mr Hype, DJ Drew & D.Tee. Time 10pm-3am. Price £10. PARTY LIT UK
PARTY LIT DAY FETE
@Cargo, 83 Rivington Street, EC2A 3AY. Music by After Dark ENT, Armani Hic, DJ Deezy, DJ Jamzy, DJ Majikal, DJ Sparky, Genesis & Team 246. Time 2-10pm. Price free. CALIENTE PROMOTIONS
40TH INDEPENDENCE EVENT
@Hagefen, 3 Bell Lane, Hendon, NW4 2BP. Featuring Live Wetty Beatz & Madskull. Music by Style Supreme, Dr Freeze, DJ Tate, DJ Boots & DJ Blaze. Time 11pm. Price £15-£25. BUSSPEPPER
NIGHT OF THE WALKING DREAD
@Revolution, 140-144 Leadenhall Street, EC3V 4Q. Time 10pm4am. Price £15, £20
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SUN 27 OCTOBER ANSE LA RAYE
JOUNEN KWEYOL
@Greenside Community Centre, 24 Lilestone Street, NW8 8SR. Music by DJ VJ. Time 2-9pm. Price £2-£5. CANARIES UK ASSOCIATION
JOUNEN KWEYOL
@Venture Community Centre, 103a Wornington Road, W10 5YB. Time 4-10pm. Price £5.
Credable & Hardwine, Deejay Dee, DJ Boots & DJ Matchiz. Time 1-9pm. Price £65-£75 MISS CARIBBEAN UK
THE 2019 MISS CARIBBEAN UK GRAND FINAL @The Greenwood Theatre, 55 Weston Street, SE1 3RA. Time 5-10pm. Price £10-£25 MARTIN JAY
BIG PEOPLE BOATRIDE
SAT 2 NOVEMBER
@Festival Pier, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XZ. Music by Martin Jay & Credable. Time 7-11pm. Price £25.
TALK YUH TALK
SOCA SPARTANS UK
@The Tabernacle, 34-35 Powis Square, W11 2AY. Time 7-10:30pm. Price free
@Lower Deck, Greenwich Students’ Union Dreadnought Building, 30 Park Row, SE10 9LS. Music by Team Foily, Ms Riri, Deejay Dee, Triple M, Release D Riddim & Calypso Dan. Time 9pm-4am. Price £10.
KAISO LIME!
DOMINICA FIRST
DOMINICA 41ST INDEPENDENCE DANCE
@Tottenham Green Leisure Centre, 1 Philip Lane, N15 4JA. Music By DJ Biggz, DJ Redboy, DJ Vern, Equation Roadshow, Manna Sound, Roy Medallion & Smiley Variety. Time 10pm-4am. Price £15-£25 JUST VIBEZ
JUST BACK IN TIMES VIBEZ
SPARTA
SUN 10 NOVEMBER CARIBBEAN SESSIONS MAS
NHC 2020 BAND LAUNCH @Drapers Lounge, 17 Godward Square, E1 4FZ. Time 2pm-6pm. Price £10-£15.
SAT 16 NOVEMBER
@Grace Hall, 147 Leadenhall Street, EC3V 4QT. Time 9pm3am. Price £10
KAIETEUR ENTERTAINMENTS & FELICIA BENJAMIN
KING KEWAN
@The Classic Banqueting Suite, 28 Upper Tooting Road, SW17 7PG. Time 9pm. Price £10-£15.
FASHION OVERLOAD THE CARIBBEAN DAY PARTY
@Arboretum, 2A Charing Cross Road, WC2H 0HF. Music By DJ Lokdwn, Dj Remstar, Natty Vibes Sound & Triple M. Time 2pm8pm. Price £15-£25.
SAT 9 NOVEMBER CARNIVAL CONCIERGE UK
OPULENCE
@Candid Arts Trust, 3 Torrens Street, EC1V 1NQ. Music by
MISS GUYANA UK CONTESTANTS
CHOCOLATE NATION MAS
CHOCOLATE NATION 10TH ANNIVERSARY
@229 The Venue, 229 Great Portland Street, W1W 5PN. Time 10pm-3am. Price £10-£15.
FOR MORE EVENT INFO
SOCANEWS. COM/EVENTS
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KNOW YOUR INDEPENDENCE THE MONTHS OF OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER WILL SEE THE COUNTRIES OF ST VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES, ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA, THE COMMONWEALTH OF DOMINICA, AND BARBADOS CELEBRATE INDEPENDENCE FROM THEIR FORMER RULER, GREAT BRITAIN. THERE ARE CHURCH SERVICES AND EVENTS TAKING PLACE IN THE UK TO MARK THESE CELEBRATIONS.
St Vincent and the Grenadines SUNDAY 27 OCTOBER 40 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE, SINCE 1979 Sunday 27 October will mark 40 years of independence for the nation of St Vincent and the Grenadines, a former British colony, which became the last of the Caribbean’s Windward Islands to gain independence. Comprising 32 islands found between Grenada and St. Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines is home to lush, mountainous rainforests and the famous La Soufriere, its 4,000ft tall active volcano.
Antigua and Barbuda FRIDAY 1 NOVEMBER 38 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE, SINCE 1981 The twin island state of Antigua and Barbuda will celebrate 38 years of independence on Friday 1 November. Antigua and Barbuda became an associated state on 27 February, 1967. The islands gained full independence from the United Kingdom on 1 November, 1981, when the Right Honourable Vere Cornwall Bird Sr, known affectionately as ‘Papa Bird’, became the first Prime Minister. On that day, the Union Jack was finally lowered and replaced by the new country’s symbolic flag. The flag features red to symbolise the dynamism of the people, blue for hope, and black representing the soil and the islands' African heritage; the seven pointed Golden Sun symbolises the dawn of a new era, and the ‘V’ is for victory.
FOR A LIST OF INDEPENDENCE EVENTS VISIT SOCANEWS.COM/EVENTS
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Commonwealth of Dominica SUNDAY 3 NOVEMBER 41 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE, SINCE 1978 Dominicans at home and abroad will once again celebrate the island’s independence from Britain on Friday 3 November, 1978. This year marks the 41st anniversary of Britain’s banner being lowered in yet another colony; Dominica’s flag, with its vivid background of green, its black, white and yellow cross and the inclusion of the country’s own unique purple parrot the Sisserou, replaced it. Dominica is affectionately known as the ‘nature isle’, due to the extensive variety of animals, birds and plants, and its mountainous, verdant rain forests. With a river for every day of the year, the island is also distinctive for its geothermal hot springs, the most well known being the volcanically heated Boiling Lake.
Barbados SATURDAY 30 NOVEMBER 53 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE, SINCE 1966 Barbados will celebrate its 53rd year of independence from Britain on Saturday, 30 November. After more than 300 years of unbroken colonial rule by Portugal, Spain and then Great Britain, November 30, 1966 was the day the country’s now familiar black, blue and gold ensign supplanted that of the Union Jack. Since the 1990s, Barbados or ‘Bimshire’ as it is popularly known, has celebrated its ‘Spirit of Independence’ with a plethora of cultural activities and community events.
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COMMUNITY MEMBERS FROM LEE-ANN'S HOME TOWN, CAROLINA VILLAGE, COUVA, AT THE MOTORCADE THEY ARRANGED DURING HER VISIT
My Pageant Journey
Lee-Ann Goddard MS TRINIDAD & TOBAGO 2018
I
can still hear those words clearly in my mind: “So, the winner of Ms Trinidad and Tobago UK National Queen 2018 is…" The presenter paused for a few seconds - which seemed so, so much longer - building the anticipation as I nervously tried to control my breathing. Then, to my great excitement, the name 'Lee-Ann Goddard' was called. That moment is now framed forever in my memory.
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WORLD TRAVEL MARKET (WTM) 2018 AT THE EXCEL LONDON; TOBAGO EXHIBIT
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I can honestly say my life elevated that night, and it was the start of a wonderful journey. (I say ‘wonderful’, not ‘perfect’, simply because life itself is not perfect - but we can achieve great joy and satisfaction with the right mindset.) Throughout the year, as I attended each event, there were many opportunities for personal and professional development which equipped me to better execute my ambassadorial duties, both here in the UK and abroad in Trinidad & Tobago and Nigeria. Winning the title also gave me the opportunity to complete a journey I had begun many years before at the Miss Teen Trinidad and Tobago pageant. At that time, myself and the other delegates met briefly with the then president, Mr George M Richards. 15 years later, I returned for my official visit as Ms Trinidad and Tobago UK and had the privilege to enjoy a private courtesy call with our first female president, Her Excellency Mrs PaulaMae Weekes. During my reign I also met with several government officials and public figures, including The Hon. Cllr. Nadine Stewart-Phillips, the Mayor of Port of Spain Mr Joel Martinez, Mr Rudolph Walker, Sir Gary Sobers as well as many others. As with other pageants, the ethos is ‘beauty with a purpose’, which has always been part of my own motto. Therefore, as a Trinbagonian ambassador I adopted and raised funds for the pageant’s official charity, Kids in Need of Direction (KIND), in Trinidad, and supported other fundraising initiatives like the Wear Sumting Red Charity Concert in London for victims of the devastating Trinidad floods.
PRESENTING A GIFT, COURTESY OF CARIVOG INTERNATIONAL, TO THE PRESIDENT OF TRINIDAD & TOBAGO HER EXCELLENCY MRS PAULA-MAY WEEKES
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STANDING WITH CLLR. NADINE STEWART-PHILLIPS AND HER ADVISOR, KIERON MCDOUGALL
I also expanded my personal brand, Klassi Bodyz, a motivational lifestyle brand, and introduced Klassi Brunch for ladies. Our gatherings provide a friendly and safe atmosphere where we all feel comfortable to socialise, discuss, share, motivate and support each other on a regular basis, where no topic is off limits. I am extremely proud of these achievements, and will continue to work on more uplifting projects in the future. Finally, I would like to extend a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to the pageant’s committee and Carivog International for giving me this wonderful opportunity to be an official ambassador for our country. I am grateful for all the positive lessons learnt and the wonderful experiences. This amazing platform is aided by the use of social media, such as Facebook and Instagram, which I used to actively promote the pageant and our beautiful Trinidad and Tobago to the world. I am also blessed with close friends and family, especially my parents for their continuous love and support through every stage of my life. Now, I can finally say my pageant journey has come to a successful end, and I am truly excited to hand over the crown in 2020 to another deserving young lady as she creates her own beautiful memories. Once an ambassador, always an ambassador.
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PRESENTING A GIFT, COURTESY OF CARIVOG INTERNATIONAL, TO THE HON. DR NYAN GADSBY-DOLLY
NEWLY CROWNED AT THE FINAL SHOW IN 2018
NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL 2019 WITH GEMZ MAS INTERNATIONAL
COCO REEF: ENJOYING A LUXURY STAY COURTESY OF THE HOTEL MANAGEMENT
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