SOCANEWS Free
i106/may 2014 ISSN 1464-7087
socanews.com
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SOCANEWS 05/2014
EDITOR'S
LETTER What a month April has been. Feathers, beads, bikinis and band launches galore - and there are still more to come in May. For a full listing, check out the events section on pages 21 and 22, and for additional and up-to-the-minute information visit socanews.com/ events. The month of May also sees the launch of UK Soca Monarch 2014, when we invite artists to submit their songs for entry into this year’s competition; the final is on Saturday 16 August at The Garage in Highbury. This is an important fixture in our Notting Hill Carnival season, and this year there will be a few international surprises to look out for. For more information about news and carnival-related events, and to find some sweet soca music to listen to (and videos to watch), please visit socanews.com. We have also created a Carnival & Festival guide, which covers events taking place around the world and here in the UK. If you are 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! All our contact details are on the right hand side of this page.
COVER PICTURE
Model. Karimah Farrael Mas band Cocoyea London Photographer Bampton THIS ISSUE OF SOCA NEWS WAS BROUGHT TO YOU BY: PUBLISHER & EDITOR Joseph Charles SUB-EDITOR Katie Segal LAYOUT & DESIGN Joseph Charles SOME OF OUR WRITERS
Katie Segal, Nicole-Rachelle Moore, Stephen Spark, Martin Jay
THE MEN WITH THE CAMERAS Victor Morris, Chris Boothman, Stephen Spark, ADVERTISING SALES
+ 44 (0) 8452 577 622
Yours in soca
Joseph Charles The Editor
PUBLISHED BY
Soca News 86 - 90 Paul Street, London, EC2A 4NE CONTACT US
Telephone | + 44 (0) 845 257 7622 Twitter | twitter.com/socanews Facebook | facebook.com/socanews Instagram | instgram.com/socanews Website socanews.com 4 SN MAY 2014
contents 106 | MAY 2014
REGULAR
FEATURES
07 NEWS
10 PLANET CERAMICS
For all the latest UK and Caribbean based news stories.
13 MUSIC
16 SLEEPLESS IN SEYCHELLES
2014 Carnival review
Album reviews and singles chart
21 EVENTS
Where to go and what to do
25 CARNIVALS & FESTIVALS
2014 guide to carnivals and festivals
25 FASHION
Kaj Designs Flagship boutique
WHERE WILL YOU BE?
ON SOCA MONARCH SATURDAY
SAT 16 AUGUST 2014 @ THE GARAGE
FEELING LEFT OUT? If you’re a promoter, artist, producer, carnival organiser, mas band, steelband, soca sound, community group or other participant who’s feeling left out because we didn’t mention your event, music, band or just something about which you think the world should know, the remedy is in your hands. Use them to pick up the telephone now: dial + 44 (0) 8452 577 622 and tell us about your plans; or write to us at: Soca News, Joseph Charles Publishing, 86-90 Paul Street, London, EC2A 4NE; or email us at: info@socanews.com. Remember, Soca News is the only magazine dedicated to the music and culture of Carnival. Our readers include soca-lovers, band-leaders, promoters, DJs and carnival arts funders. If you don’t tell Soca News, we can’t tell our readers!
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. MAY 2014 SN 5
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news
FAY-ANN JOINS THE VP LABEL WORDS. NICOLE-RACHELLE MOORE
Fay-Ann Lyons, regarded by many as the ‘Soca Empress’, has recently signed with the Caribbean music record label VP for ‘a multi-album, publishing and merchandise deal’. A superstar in her home country of Trinidad and Tobago, Fay-Ann also has legions of fans across the Caribbean and continues to excite and set records during Trinbago’s annual carnival competitions. To date, she remains the only female soca artist to win the Carnival Road March title three times (2003, 2008 and 2009), and the first to ever score a hat trick of prominent titles: International Groovy Soca Monarch, People’s Choice Monarch and Power Soca Monarch. In past years, Fay-Ann Lyons has had 17 awards presented to her by the Copyright Organisation of Trinidad and Tobago (COTT), the National Action Cultural Committee of Trinidad and Tobago (NACC) and the Soca Awards Organisation (SAO). The daughter of soca legend Superblue, who has won the Road March title nine times, Fay Ann honed her performance and song writing artistry with some influence from her father. She remains an official member of the band Asylum, which was founded by her husband, soca star Bunji Garlin.
PHOTO BY: AKIL ALVES FOR MULTIMEDIA
VP Records’ Chief Executive Officer, Chris Chin, has expressed his delight in adding Fay-Ann to the label’s growing roster of fine artists: “We are thrilled... She has a spark on stage that is innate and can’t be duplicated. The multi-talented artist has already made history as one of soca’s brightest, and we are looking forward to spreading the movement worldwide.” Fay-Ann, who continues to tour in 2014, “Will begin recording her first solo full-length album,” and has articulated her enthusiasm and excitement in regard to joining VP Records saying that she’s “glad to be part of the team... let’s get to work!” Further information may be found at: https://twitter.com/fayannlyons and https://www.facebook. comFayAnnLyonsAlvarez
for more stories visit SOCANEWS.COM/ARTICLES
SOCANEWS.COM/ARTICLES MAY 2014 SN 7
news
JAMTV: NEW CARIBBEAN STATION ON SKY May 3 saw the first transmission of JamTV on Sky 192 and Freesat 402. Every weekend, from 5pm until midnight, JamTV - which is run by Caribbean Media House (CMH) - will be showcasing a wide cross-section of Caribbean life, including a news roundup, children’s storytelling, competitions, school quiz programmes and travel guides. Ricardo Allen, one half of CMH’s Chief Executive explained, “There is no authentic programming direct from the Caribbean available to the UK, and that is a situation JamTV is here to correct. Black culture here in the UK tends to focus on the harder edged, urban youth market; that can be off putting and overlook the needs of other sections of the community.” Lillian Allen, CMH’s other CEO said, “We want to build a channel that caters to the whole family, with programmes that everyone can relate to.” JamTV is certainly a great opportunity for ‘showcasing the beauty of the Caribbean as well as the spirit of its people’. For further information, please contact caribbeanmediahouse@gmail.com or go to www. jamtelevision.co.uk, Facebook: Caribbean Media House or Twitter: JamTVuk LET US KNOW what you think about JamTV, and its content, at editorial@socanews.com 8 SN MAY 2014
MR KILLA - NEW CULTURAL AMBASSADOR
GRENADA’S NEW KILLA CULTURAL AMBASSADOR Grenadian soca artist Hollice Mapp, aka Killa, has been named by that country’s government as the current Cultural Ambassador. In a statement, Economic Affairs Minister, Oliver Joseph said, “Cabinet has taken the decision to appoint Mr Hollice Mapp as cultural ambassador to promote Grenada.” Minister Joseph went on describe Mapp as “a very well respected artist” who had “recently, in Trinidad’s carnival, really promoted Grenada and did a big job down there.” Killa placed second in the International Power Soca Monarch Competition in Trinidad this year, and is expected to do a fine job as his country’s newest Cultural Ambassador.
for more stories visit SOCANEWS.COM/ARTICLES
RICHARD ETIENNE : IMAGE BY ARCTHEMAGAZINE.COM
tHE ID PROJECT: IS DOMINICA BORING? Richard Etienne is a British based filmmaker, who set off to seek answers to questions about his own Dominican identity, a project he called ‘The iD Project’. The end result of his endeavours is his film, Is Dominica Boring? Etienne hopes that the documentary will educate viewers about the country’s beauty and its relevant and rich cultural history. The film is described as, ‘A young man’s virgin quest to discover the identity and beauty of his deceased father’s birthplace and a legacy for future generations.’ ‘Dominica Boring?’ will be released in the summer, and Etienne may be seen talking about his film project at www.brixtonblog.com/richardetienne-talks-about-his-dominican-film-projectid/5707
BIM LITERARY FESTIVAL AND BOOK FAIR 2014 May 15-17 will see Barbados celebrating its third annual Bim Literary Festival and Book Fair; Bim LitFest will take place in Bridgetown’s Independence Square. The theme this year is ‘Crossings: breaking Borders’. The first Bim LitFest took place in May 2012 with the theme ‘Words Need Love Too’ - taken from a poem by one of the country’s most famous literary sons, Kamau Brathwaite - and featured the writers Austin Clarke, Lorna Goodison and Derek Walcott. This year’s panel discussions include issues of migration and its impact, questions of ethnicities and identities, and the often precarious line between sanity and insanity. Writers from various parts of the Caribbean region will attend the event. There will also be a mix of emerging and established Bajan writers, amongst them Carolyn Blackman, Keoma Mallett and Mark Ramsey. Locations in and around the historic Independence Square will host book fairs, book launches, performances and readings, and the Bim LitFest’s Children’s Fair is eagerly anticipated. The festival will once again provide a safe and stimulating space for people to immerse themselves in literature, reading and writing. The Bim LitFest is also of course, the perfect opportunity for a good lime. For further information go to www.artsetcbarbados.com/blog/festival-story
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feature
PHOTO BY: JAIME KELLY
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Planet Ceramics ANYONE WHO’S VISITED PIGEON POINT BEACH IN TOBAGO AND MISSED PLANET CERAMICS – WELL, THERE’S (YET ANOTHER) GREAT REASON TO GO BACK. WORDS. KATIE SEGAL
This spacious, airy shop, right on the beach, is full of the works of Helen Evans, whose bowls, pendants, tiles and wind chimes fit perfectly into this stunning, sandswept setting. After completing her degree in Ceramic Design at Central St Martins, London, Helen moved to Tobago in 1998 with the help of TIDCO (the Tourism and Industrial Development Company of Trinidad and Tobago, whose remit has now been passed to other organisations). Initially, there was only the studio, but after a few years the shop emerged. And if you drive around the island, you may notice splendid handmade tiled signs embedded in the walls of many of the houses – all of them lovingly handcrafted by Helen. Helen now lives between London and Tobago. When in the UK, she is busy immersing herself in the vibrant, extensive art scene, gaining inspiration and also technical expertise; she works part-time as project and studio manager, and maker, to an internationally-renowned ceramicist on large-scale public art and architectural projects. But Helen draws her visual and palette inspiration from Tobago: “It’s just so overwhelmingly beautiful, you can’t help but be inspired. Not just the place, but the people; in terms of how people celebrate, and the music, it’s like living art. Carnival is living sculpture.” She says that the two locations “feed each other” to create the alchemy of her final pieces. Helen has shown her work several times in London, and last year took part in an exhibition at the historic 101 Art Gallery in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, comprising works from a selection of artists in Tobago. “The aim of being in London is to move forward technically, but also to take things in Tobago to another level. I have so many plans for Planet Ceramics Tobago, but I can’t do everything at once. It would be wonderful to have a craft centre, and have courses running.; I’m hoping that extra connections and funds in London could help facilitate that.” For more information, and to see more of Helen’s work, visit facebook. com/planetceramics or planetceramics.com (or the beach).
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music
SOCA GOLD 2014
Various Artists
VP Records annually release a soca compilation called Soca Gold; I am very cautious when it comes to compilations, as there are sometimes fillers that you really just don’t want. But that’s definitely not the case with Soca Gold 2014 - you can expect 18 quality gems that will keep you listening continuously. The album includes big party favourites from Trinidad Carnival, including Bunji Garlin’s Carnival Tabanca and Farmer Nappy’s Big People Party. Big names from Barbados Cropover are also included in the selection, including both Edwin Yearwood and Biggie Irie. What I really like about this album is the ‘sleepers’ that have been included, by which I mean great songs that didn’t get the deserved exposure at carnival time, but which with the help of VP Records and this particular album now have the opportunity to become monster hits in the Caribbean diaspora. Two such songs are Patrice Roberts Somebody and 5 Star Akil’s To Meh Heart, both of which have the potential to be even bigger than they already are. Soca Gold 2014 gets a thumbs up from me: a very well selected compilation album to mash up de place this summer.
HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR MUSIC To submit your music, send your tracks to music@socanews. com accompanied by a BIO, high resolution image plus all of your contact details including all Social Networking Links.
LIL RICK HD & FRIENDS
Various Artists
Lil Rick HD & Friends is a collection of tracks created at the renowned Platta Studios of Rockley, Barbados. The mastermind behind the studio is a very cool dude by the name of King Bubba, and the recent partnership on projects between Bubba and Lil Rick has grown to become formidable. This album is a testament to how well the collaboration has worked. King Bubba is always looking for a new sound, a new way to grab someone’s attention musically; when he finds that sound, Lil Rick and friends get in that vocal booth and do the rest. Skinny Fabulous of St Vincent and the Grenadines, and the young and very talented Erphan Alves, alongside Machel Montano and Kerwin Du Bois from Trinidad and Tobago, all feature on the compilation. There are some huge tracks on this album, including Monster Winer from Lil Rick and Kerwin, which was one of the biggest songs of 2013 and is still hitting hard in 2014. I have had the pleasure of spending the day with King Bubba, some of the time at Platta Studios, and I can verify that everything this young producer does is with love and passion. Press play and you’ll see what I mean. MAY 2014 SN 13
music
Soca on the airwaves and web SUNDAY
top 10 soca tracks
The following top 10 chart is based on the songs most played throughout socanews.com
1-4pm Smokey Joe’s Soca Beats with Smokey Joe and Danny D, Bang Radio 103.6 (www.wearebang. com) 5-8pm Mega Mix Show with DJ Cris, www.vibesfm.com 5pm
Highnoon Showdown, DJ Lone ranger, The Frontline Radio, thefrontlineradio.com
6-8pm
The Caribbean Affair, Martin Jay, bakahnalradio.com
7pm
Soca Session, DJ Soca Flex, The Frontline Radio, thefrontlineradio.com
8-11pm The Calalloo Show with Digga D, largeradio.com 9pm Soca Stop, DJ Soca Junkee, The Frontline Radio, thefrontlineradio.com
MONDAY
1. AH WANT AH WHINA
SASHA MELODY
2. HEAT WAVE RUDY 3. FIRST LOVE AMRIKA
4. MONSTER WINE (LATIN REMIX)
AMARFIS AQUINO FEAT. KERWIN DU BOIS
5. PAN MAN
SCROUGE
6. EVEN IF BENJAI 7. JUICE MX PRIME 8. R.U.D.E RUDY
8-10pm Soca Jam Show, DJ Ratty, largeradio.com 10-12pm Bacchanal Vybes of Soca, Soca Devil, RJR 98.3FM (www.radiorjr.com)
TUESDAY 7-9pm Soca City, Mz Tiney Winey, Supreme FM 99.8 (supremefm. com)
FRIDAY 9-11pm
Caribbean Sessions Showcase, DJ CJay, bakahnalradio.com
SATURDAY 12-2pm Caribbean House Party, Feminine Touch, Supreme FM 99.8 (supremefmlive.ning.com). 3.30pm Drive Time, Mr Hype & D’Mighty Hitman, The Frontline Radio, thefrontlineradio.com
9. MORE RUM RICKY T
3.30pm Show Time, Mr Hype & D’Mighty Hitman, The Frontline Radio, thefrontlineradio.com
10. I’M SORRY RIKKI JAI
10-1am
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QT 2Hype & DJ Bones, Bang Radio 103.6 (wearebang.com)
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feature
Sleepless in Seychelles WORDS & IMAGES. STEPHEN SPARK
‘Enjoy your holiday’, friends told me, thinking I’d be spending lazy days sipping rum-laced cocktails as I watched the sun go down on a palm-fringed coral-sand beach. All of which is perfectly possible in Seychelles, but probably not at carnival time. It’s hard to believe that the 2014 edition of the Carnaval International de Victoria, which ran from Friday 25th to Sunday 27th April, was only the country’s fourth carnival, so completely has the country taken on board the notion of wedding mas to music on the streets of its tiny capital. The initiative was the brainchild of tourism minister Alain St Ange and has proved a startling success. Uniquely, it offers a smorgasbord of the world’s most distinctive carnivals and festivals in one compact space. Where else can you see representatives of Brazil, Trinidad and London carnivals within a few metres of each other? Where else can you see Koreans partying with Germans or Chinese acrobats posing with Madagascan dancers? The friendliness of the Seychellois, the atmosphere and the small size of the place make anything possible, it seems. No wonder they call Seychelles ‘the 16 SN MAY 2014
melting pot of cultures’ and its biggest annual event ‘the carnival of carnivals’. There were several changes to the format this year. Responsibility for organising the event switched from the tourism board to a private company, Tanmi, but few people would have noticed, as all ran as smoothly as ever. The opening night’s show was moved from the town centre to the national stadium, Stad Popiler, providing a better view and protection from the weather. Trinidadian soca singer Lima Calbio was brought on board to organise a children’s carnival on Sunday afternoon. And for the first time a privately organised Masquerade Carnival Ball was held after the Friday night stage show. In addition to the official schedule, numerous smaller events take place around town during the three afternoons and evenings and if you intend to sample them all you can forget any notion of sleep! But you will have fun…
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Carnival Opening Show
Carnival Day
FRIDAY 25TH APRIL
SATURDAY 26TH APRIL
Anyone who’d nodded off during the obligatory speeches was swiftly woken up when Cyclone Lima swept on to the stage waving a vast T&T flag, bringing on some of the children who would be taking part in Sunday’s event. There followed a truly global music show that took us from the icy Arctic to steamy east Africa and from Brazil across the oceans to South Korea. It was a dizzying and enthralling journey, with standout performances from singer Liloca and the Maquinistas dance troupe of Mozambique, a multicultural dance piece from South Africa KwaZulu Natal, a haunting and spine-tingling traditional song from Sweden and an amazing display of circus-style acrobatics from the Haicheng troupe of China.
Spirits were dampened by a heavy downpour that lasted all morning, but miraculously (the minister clearly has friends in high places) the rain stopped about 20 minutes before the parade started at 3pm. The big news was that the Chinese took first place from the Notting Hill Carnival Roadshow, which had taken top place in the International section of the mas competition three years running. NHCR took 2nd and the Brazilians, from São Paulo, 3rd. The Londoners looked good, but the big costumes were hard work in 33°C heat, high humidity and no breeze, and few could attempt to compete with the gravity-defying antics of the Chinese who didn’t just walk round the whole route on stilts but leaped and danced and jumped on each others’ shoulders. No wonder they were stars of the show at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Seychelles is producing some pleasing mas itself, making imaginative use of natural materials such as palm fronds and typical Indian Ocean-style long, layered skirts, which look good en masse on the road. The Brazilians aside, the whole carnival is pretty much a bikini-andbeads-free zone. The care and effort put into some of the floats (many were superbly detailed boats) was impressive. Soca is definitely making serious inroads on the Seychelles music scene, and the youngsters are finding it easy to transition from the hip movements of local sega and moutya dance style to full-on soca wine. Lima has a lot to answer for! The enthusiasm of the Seychellois for Carnival is evident not just in the high levels of participation but in the way they dressed up and adorned themselves in wigs, masks and face paint just to watch the event. If only UK spectators had the same spirit.
Stad Popiler
Soca News would like to thank Minister St Ange; the Seychelles Tourism Board, especially Pamela Godley, Lena Hoareau and Maria Morel; Air Seychelles/Etihad for return flight London Abu Dhabi Seychelles; the Fisherman’s Cove Hotel, Bel Ombre; Coral Strand Hotel, Beau Vallon; and Le Duc de Praslin Hotel, Praslin island. Without their support this report would not have been possible.
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Victoria town centre
Children’s Carnival Freedom Square SUNDAY 27TH APRIL
Once more the rain came down, this time accompanied by thunder, lightning and even a dramatic waterspout rising out of the ocean. But again the minister got on his hotline and arranged for the taps to be turned off and the children were able to make a short round of Freedom Square before presenting on stage. Groups were expected to use recycled materials and much imagination and creativity had gone into making some delightful costumes. Second-placed Anse aux Pins School’s yellow-and-green tropical banana clowns were especially striking. The winner was a delighted Bel Eau School, which had separate mas for its Crèche and Primary children, the latter being well-conceived examples of school stationery. Both groups could hold their heads up at any UK carnival. Lima opened up an intriguing possibility of next year performing a number jointly with local MC Sly and Seychellois singer Michelle Marengo – perhaps a true sega-soca-moutya fusion will result. After the children had been given their results, the stage was given over to local and international performers, including popular US cajun and zydeco specialists Lisa Haley and the Zydekats, and the Haicheng troupe who, despite another shower, performed spectacularly on stilts, the women astride the men’s shoulders and so high their heads nearly touched the stage roof trusses. It was a fittingly thrilling end to another great Carnaval International de Victoria. Detailed reviews of all these events can be found on www.socanews.com together with picture galleries.
Carnaval International de Victoria 2014 results
INTERNATIONAL GROUP ON THE ROAD 1st Haicheng Yangko Stilt Troupe, Liaoning Province, China 2nd Notting Hill Carnival Roadshow, UK 3rd São Paulo Carnival, Brazil LOCAL GROUP ON THE ROAD 1st Raffles Praslin Resort 2nd JJ Spirit Foundation 3rd Indian Ocean Tuna (‘The Blue Economy’) BEST SCHOOL GROUP 1st Seychelles Tourism Academy (‘Les Iles Vanille’) 2nd Seychelles Institute of Teacher Education 3rd Mont Fleuri Secondary School CHILDREN’S CARNIVAL 1st Bel Eau Primary School (and Crèche) 2nd Anse aux Pins Primary School 3rd Plaisance Primary School Largest Band Independence School Spirit of Carnival Anse aux Pins Primary School Creativity Mont Fleuri Primary School
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events
Thu 15th May 2014 CARIBDIRECT INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS NETWORK (CIBN)
SAINT LUCIA NETWORKING EVENING
@ The High Commission for Saint Lucia, 1 Collingham Gardens, London, SW5 0HW. Price £15 + b.fee. Time 6.45pm - 9.45pm. Tel 0844 357 9707. cibn@caribdirect.com www.caribdirect.com/four-weeks-tocibn-saint-lucia-networking-eveningcaribbean-new
Fri 16th May 2014 UK CENTRE FOR CARNIVAL ARTS
CARNIVAL GALA NIGHT
@ UK Centre for Carnival Arts, 3 St Mary’s Road, Luton, LU1 3JA. Price £12, £8 (conc). Time 7.30pm 11.30pm. Tel 01582 437 100. info@carnivalarts.org.uk www.carnivalarts.org.uk
Sat 17th May 2014 EUPHORIA CARNIVAL
BAHIA - EUPHORIA BAND LAUNCH 2014
@ Revolution, 1 America Square Tower Hill, London, EC3N 2LS. Host Konata Alleyne. Music By DJ Markee & Shep Beats. Price £5 for Euphoria masqueraders (2013), £10, motd. Time 9pm - 3am. 18 + ID required mas@euphoriacarnival.com www.euphoriacarnival.com HOLIDAY INN LONDON - KENSINGTON FORUM
CARIBBEAN NIGHTS
@ Holiday Inn London - Kensington Forum, 97 Cromwell Road, London, SW7 4DN. Price From £39pp. Time 7.30pm - 1am. Tel 020 7341 3099 (see pg6) lonhi.caribbeanexperience@ihg.com www.hikensingtonforumhotel.co.uk ST LUCIA DIABETES PROJECT (UK)
DIABETES AND PROSTATE CANCER AWARENESS
@ Greenlight, 223 Bow Road Bow, London, E3 2SJ. Time 11am - 2pm. Tel 07588 677 504 Mary Matthias or 07931 317 328 Ben Charles. www.stluciadiabetesproject.co.uk
Sun 18th May 2014 ISIS MAS
2014 BAND LAUNCH RENAISSANCE - CHILDREN’S CARNIVAL SHOWCASE
@ Royal Lounge, 397 High Road Wembley, London, HA9 6AA. Price children under 16 free entry, adults advance E Ticket free, £5 at the door. Time 5pm - midnight. Tel 07535 476 099. info@isismas.com www.isismas.com MANGROVE
2014 BAND LAUNCH AMAZONIA
@ Carnival Village, Tabernacle Powis Square, London, W11 2AY. Price Free entrance. Time 6pm. MAY 2014 SN 21
events
Fri 23rd May 2014 RELEASE D RIDDIM
SOCA LOCKDOWN
@ Rise Superclub, 1 Leicester Square, London, WC2H 7BL. Music By Mr Hardwine, Credable, DJ Bliss, DJ Tate, Mr Mention & Vinny Ranks. Price Free with your ticket before 10.30pm, £10 after 10.30pm, £15 without ticket. Time 9pm - 3am. Tel 07904 745 819. 18 + ID required
Forum, 97 Cromwell Road, London, SW7 4DN. Price £28 per adult, £14 kid’s between age 5-12, free for kids under 5. Time 1pm - 4.30pm. Tel 020 7341 3099. (see pg6) lonhi.caribbeanexperience.com www.hikensingtonforumhotel.co.uk SUN BAILANTE
OLD SCHOOL VS NEW SCHOOL - THE PARTY
Sat 24th May 2014
@ Sub Ember, 99-100 Turnmill Street, EC1M 5QP. Music By DTee V.S. Jay Sun Bailante + West Indian Connection. Price Limited advance tickets start from £6, £8, £10, motd. Time 10pm - 4am. Tel 07921 891 611
GT PROMOTIONS
www.sunbailante.com
www.releasedriddim.com
GUYANA INDEPENDENCE EVENT
@ Q Banqueting Suite, 502 High Road, Tottenham, London, N17 9JF. Live Acts Featuring Guyana’s hottest artists & DJs live & direct from the sensational: One Man Band - Super Ray (playing not stop oldies, soca, & reggae to keep you bubbling right through) Selector Face & DJ Scene Up (Slingerz Family playing the latest & greatest tunes in the Caribbean). Music By Mr Marlon, GT Promotion & Shogun. Price £12 in adv., motd. Time 8pm - 4.30am. Tel 07956 425 916 www.gtpromotion.com. FUNATIK MAS & SOCAHOLIC
SPREADING WINGS PARTY
@ AAA at Archangel Nightclub,11 – 13 Kensington High Street, London, W8 5NP. Price Free before midnight, £8 thereafter. Time 10pm - 3am. Tel 07962 342 011
Sun 25th May 2014 HOLIDAY INN LONDON KENSINGTON FORUM
SPRING BANK HOLIDAY JAZZ LUNCH
@ Holiday Inn London - Kensington 22 SN MAY 2014
TRINIPOSSEUK
DEJA VU 2014 : 2014 BAND LAUNCH - INFINITY
@ Jewel Piccadilly, 4-6 Glasshouse Street, London, W1B 5DQ. Price £15 adv. Time 9.30pm - 3am. www.triniposseuk.com FLAGZ MAS BAND
2014 BAND LAUNCH
@ Excelsior, Balham High Road, London, SW12 9BE. Price £7 adv., motd. Time 10.30pm - 5am.
Mon 26th May 2014 CARIBBEAN PLAZA LIVE
CARIBBEAN BEACH BBQ ALL DAYER
@ Tereza Joanne Boat & Car Park, King George V Dock, Woolwich Manor Way, London, E16 2NJ. Music By DJ Tate, Martin Jay, DJ Bliss, Supreme Blessings Sounds, Hyper Spice, DJ Matchiz and DJ Toro. Price Package 1: £15.00 + booking fee (limited) 1 BBQ Meal & complimentary drink. Package 2: £20.00 + booking fee (limited) package 1 + After party from 11pm - 3.30am. motd. Time 11am - 11pm. cplinfo@caribbeanplazalive.com
Sat 31st May 2014 HOLIDAY INN BLOOMSBURY
TROPICAL RENDEZVOUS
@ Holiday Inn London - Bloomsbury, Coram Street, London, WC1N 1HT. Music by Martin Jay. Price £27; includes a glass of sparkling wine. Time 7pm - 12.30am. Tel 020 7923 6665 for enquiries and bookings. lonbl.caribbeanflavour@ihg.com www.hilondonbloomsburyhotel.co.uk
Sat 7th june 2014 TALK YUH TALK IN ASSOC. WITH CARNIVAL VILLAGE
KAISO LIME!
@ Carnival Village, Tabernacle 35 Powis Square, London, W11 2AY. Featuring Live Calypso artistes in the bar area. Price Free. Time 7pm - 10.30pm.
Sat 14th Jun 2014 CO2 PRODUCTIONS
UNITY VIBES
@ Flyover, 3 – 5 Thorpe Close, London, W10 5XL. Host DJ Terry Bee. Live Acts Dee Vine, BL Fresh & Golden Child. Price £7 limited early bird tickets, £10 general, motd. Time 10pm - 3am. 18 + ID required
Sun 15th Jun 2014 HOLIDAY INN LONDON KENSINGTON FORUM
FATHERS DAY JAZZ LUNCH
@ Holiday Inn London - Kensington Forum, 97 Cromwell Road, London, SW7 4DN. Price £28 per adult, £14 kid’s between age 5-12, free for kids under 5. Time 1pm - 4.30pm. Tel 020 7341 3099. lonhi.caribbeanexperience.com www.hikensingtonforumhotel.co.uk. You are strongly advised to check with the event promoter, as details sometimes change and cancellations may occur; all information was correct at the time of going to print.
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CARNIVAL & FESTIVAL GUIDE
MAY - JULY 2014
date carnival/festival May
location
15-17
Bim Literary Festival
Barbados
17-18
Barbados Top Gear Festival
Barbados
24
Atlanta Carnival
Atlanta, USA
25
Luton International Carnival
Luton, UK
26
Reading Community Carnival
Reading, UK
31
Bielefelder Carnival Der Kulturen
Germany
7-14
Restaurant Week
Barbados
8
Berlin - Carnival Of Cultures
Berlin, Germany
14
Northampton Carnival
Northampton, UK
20
Oslo Karneval
Norway
21
Hollywood Carnival
Hollywood, California, USA
26-28
St Kitts Music Festival
St Kitts
29
Preston Caribbean Carnival
Preston, UK
June
july 1-6
Houston Caribbean Festival
Houston, Texas, USA
5
St Pauls Afrikan Caribbean Carnival ltd
St Pauls, Bristol, UK
Acton Carnival
Acton, UK
Paris and Ile de France Tropical Carnival 2014
Paris, France
7-8
Vincy Mas
St Vincent
12
Huddersfield Carnival
Huddersfield, UK
Wycombe Community Festival
The Rye Park, High Wycombe
Liverpool International Carnival
Toxteth, Liverpool, UK
12-13
Baltimore/Washington One Caribbean Carnival
Baltimore, USA
18-19
Zomer Carnaval
Rotterdam, Holland
20
Walking with Giants
Milton Keynes (central)
21-22
St Lucia Carnival
St Lucia, Caribbean MAY 2014 SN 25
CARNIVAL & FESTIVAL GUIDE
MAY 2014 15-17 may
BIM LITERARY FESTIVAL BARBADOS
MORE INFO
www.artsetcbarbados.com/blog/ festival-story
17-18 may
BARBADOS TOP GEAR FESTIVAL
sat 24 may
ATLANTA CARNIVAL ATLANTA, USA
BUSHY PARK, BARBADOS
MORE INFO MORE INFO
visitbarbados.org
time 11am http://atlantacarnivalbc.com
sat 26 may
READING COMMUNITY CARNIVAL READING, UK
For 2014 Reading will celebrate their 37th year of carnival. MORE INFO
+44 (0) 118 939 0395 readingcarnival@hotmail.com www.ensl.f2s.com www.facebook.com/ReadingCarnival
Sat 31 may sun 25 may
LUTON INTERNATIONAL CARNIVAL LUTON, UK
Luton’s first carnival began in 1976 as a modest Victorian street fair, but quickly evolved. In 1998, it acquired international status, and received the largest single lottery award for carnival development. Come Carnival day, the steel bands will have finished practicing, the mas players will have stitched the last sequin and feather into their costumes, the sound systems and DJs will be ready to pump out the best in reggae, hip hop, jungle, Brazilian and African; let carnival begin. At the biggest one-day carnival in Europe, over 1000 participants - artists, street performers, musicians and sound systems - gather for a dazzling spectacle of artistic achievement and audience participation. Over 30 floats, hundreds of steel drums and the smell of jerk chicken and curried goat wafting through the streets make Luton International Carnival the only place to be. Whether Asian, English, Caribbean or Irish, Luton International Carnival showcases the spectacular diversity of carnival in all its glory, giving all traditions a place and space to tell their carnival story. MORE INFO
01582 437 111 www.carnivalarts.org.uk 26 SN MAY 2014
BIELEFELDER CARNIVAL DER KULTUREN GERMANY
The International Street Parade will feature metre-high stilt walkers, dancing sculptures, cheeky clowns, daredevil acrobats and costume carriers, dynamic musicians and drums, the Bielefeldern celebrating with others including Dunkelfolket from the forests of Denmark, People of the World and De Core from London, the Caribbean Tropical Isles and Carnival Explosion from Berlin, the samba group Confusão from Bremen, and Oakleaf from Hamburg. MORE INFO
www.carnival-bielefeld.de/index. php/carnival-2014
CARNIVAL & FESTIVAL GUIDE
JUNE 2014 Sat 7-sat 14 june
fri 20 june
BARBADOS
NORWAY
RESTAURANT WEEK MORE INFO
OSLO KARNEVAL MORE INFO
visitbarbados.org
www.karnevalioslo.no
Sun 8 june
Sat 21 June
BERLIN, GERMANY
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA, USA
BERLIN - CARNIVAL OF CULTURES The Berlin Karneval der Kulturen is a four day open-air festival with exotic food and drinks, concerts, performances, and parties. The colourful highlight of the festivities is the street parade, where more than 4,500 performers in authentic costumes, elaborately decorated floats, and musicians from over 70 different countries dance through the streets of Berlin. Soak up the samba rhythms, enjoy Brazilian drummers, Congolese singers, Korean culture groups, artistic larger than life puppets and a bit of Rio de Janeiro in the streets of the German capital - and not forgetting the growing Caribbean carnival contingent. MORE INFO
info@karneval-berlin.de. www.karneval-berlin.de/de/english.175.html
sat 14 june
NORTHAMPTON CARNIVAL NORTHAMPTON, UK
MORE INFO
01604 779 024 northamptoncarnival@yahoo.co.uk
HOLLYWOOD CARNIVAL MORE INFO
laculturefestival.com
Thur 26-Sat 28 June
ST KITTS MUSIC FESTIVAL ST KITTS
The St Kitts Music Festival features a rich and protean mix of musical styles including calypso, hip hop, jazz, reggae, RnB and soca, and attracts both local and international music-loving patrons. Past performances by artists like Regina Belle, Toni Braxton, Beres Hammond, John Legend, Stephen Marley, Lord Nelson, T-Pain and Dionne Warwick have augmented the festival’s reputation as one of the Caribbean’s premier music events. MORE INFO
www.stkittsmusicfestival.com
Sun 29 June
PRESTON CARIBBEAN CARNIVAL PRESTON, UK
Present day carnival across the world has its roots in an amazing range of nationalities, cultures, life styles and belief. Well-documented evidence of carnival exists in the form of celebrations, masquerades, songs and traditions of West African slaves, through Europe’s Romantic period of the 1600th century, to the post emancipation period of colonial Europe in the Caribbean. Carnival in Britain has it roots in the Caribbean. Like many things in life, Caribbean Carnival in Preston started somewhat spontaneously. In an attempt to remember the great carnival back home, West Indian immigrants organised a small procession through a few streets in Preston. They begged, bought and borrowed a host of materials, carried costumes and steel drums through some of the cobbled streets, in order to bring at least one day of sunshine and fantasy to Preston. MORE INFO
info@prestoncarnival.co.uk www.prestoncarnival.co.uk
FEELING LEFT OUT? If you’re a promoter, artist, producer, carnival organiser, mas band, steelband, soca sound, community group or other participant who’s feeling left out because we didn’t mention your event, music, band or just something about which you think the world should know, the remedy is in your hands. soca-lovers, bandleaders, promoters, DJs and carnival arts funders. If you don’t tell Soca News, we can’t tell our readers! MAY 2014 SN 27
CARNIVAL & FESTIVAL GUIDE
JULY 2014 Tue 1-Sun 6 July
HOUSTON CARIBBEAN FESTIVAL
sat 5 July
ACTON CARNIVAL ACTON, UK
HOUSTON, TEXAS, USA
MORE INFO MORE INFO
http://houstoncaribbeanfestival.com
12pm -7pm events@ealing.gov.uk
mon 7-tue 8 July
VINCY MAS
ST VINCENT & THE GRENADINES
MORE INFO
www.carnivalsvg.com
Sat 12 July
LIVERPOOL INTERNATIONAL CARNIVAL TOXTETH, LIVERPOOL, UK
sat 5 July 2014
ST PAULS AFRIKAN CARIBBEAN CARNIVAL LTD ST PAULS, BRISTOL, UK
The story of St Pauls Afrikan Caribbean Carnival is one of a community’s success, from its small beginnings in the late sixties to the present day. The whole event now takes over the neighbourhood of St Pauls in Bristol, and involves schools, community groups and host professional performers. Until recently, St Pauls has had a large Afrikan Caribbean population, demonstrated by the strong community spirit shown in this annual carnival. MORE INFO
0117 944 4176 info@stpaulscarnival.co.uk www.stpaulscarnival.co.uk www.facebook.com/pages/ St-Pauls-Afrikan-CaribbeanCarnival/530012327114389 www.twitter.com/stpaulscarnival 28 SN MAY 2014
sat 12 July
HUDDERSFIELD CARNIVAL GREENHEAD PARK, HUDDERSFIELD, UK
MORE INFO
01484 536 542 www.huddersfieldcarnival.co.uk
sat 12 July
WYCOMBE COMMUNITY FESTIVAL
THE RYE PARK, LONDON ROAD, HIGH WYCOMBE, BUCKS HP11 1BJ, UK Wycombe Community Festival is one of the largest free outdoor cultural community events in the Wycombe Calendar. Music, art, sport and a carnival parade are all on the agenda at this family event. MORE INFO
01494 459449 www.sv2g.org.uk www.facebook.com/pages/ SV2G/122157334471466 www.twitter.com/sv2g
Liverpool International Carnival 2014 is the city’s largest artistic parade, bringing together people and communities from across the region and beyond to celebrate the diversity and creativity that is ‘Carnival’. Carnival 2014, themed ‘Our Commonwealth’, sees the presentation of 1000 costumes as well as new large-scale carnival structures and costumes. Dance along to the mighty drumming sound of KalentuRa from the Netherlands; be amazed by the costumes of the Junkanoo Commando’s from the Bahamas; catch the highest stilt walkers around from the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago; sing along to latest 2014 soca hits. So come down and join us on the road, in civvies or in costume; there’s something for the whole family as we wine our way through Toxteth, coming to rest in Princes Park. MORE INFO
0151 709 3334 office@brouhaha.uk.com www.brouhaha.uk.com https://www.facebook.com/Brouhaha.Int) www.twitter.com/Brouhaha_Int
sat 12-sun 13 July
mon 21-tue 22 July
BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON ONE CARIBBEAN CARNIVAL
ST LUCIA CARNIVAL ST LUCIA, CARIBBEAN
BALTIMORE, USA
MORE INFO
www.dccaribbeancarnival.org/2k14/
fri 18-sat 19 july
ZOMER CARNAVAL ROTTERDAM, HOLLAND
sun 20 July
WALKING WITH GIANTS MILTON KEYNES (CENTRAL)
Walking with Giants is a parade of giant puppets with a Brazilian Bloco flavour. The producers of the event, Festive Road, have an ambition “to create the largest ‘green’ carnival in the UK”. Participants turn out to walk, dance and perform to live street music alongside the most spectacular giant figurines and structures. There are no trucks or loud sound systems - just a real street festival atmosphere. Since this annual event began in 2012 it has gone from strength to strength. This year, Walking with Giants will be on 20th July, coinciding with Milton Keynes Festival Fringe and Milton Keynes International Festival.
Carnival in the Netherland Antilles is usually celebrated in the winter or early spring, but as that time would be too cold for such outdoor festivities in Europe, carnival in Rotterdam, Holland - which is derived from that in the Dutch Antilles - is celebrated during the summer. First held on August 4, 1984 in Rotterdam as the ‘Antillian Summer Carnival’, the festival, which attracted around 900,000 visitors annually from 2004 to 2007, is now called Zomercarnaval - Dutch for Summer Carnival. Some of the most anticipated pre-carnival events are the official Zomercarnaval Queen Election, the Zomercarnaval Beach Party and the Battle of Drums competition. The climax of the Rotterdam Summer Carnival is the street parade, which is held on the Saturday. However, during and after the street parade there are two live stages, at the Coolsingel and the Churchillplein, until late in the evening.
Carnival stands out as one of the major festivals in Saint Lucia. Each year, in the capital, Castries, people join together for Carnival to parade to the latest soca and calypso hits. The Parade of the Bands brings titles such as Carnival Queen, Calypso Monarch, Panorama Champions and Party Monarch, amongst others will have already been decided. On these days revellers take to the streets in a bouillon of colour and music, as each band strives to capture the coveted title of Band of the Year. Everyone is welcome, and once you’ve tried it you’re sure to become one of the many repeat visitors to Saint Lucia Carnival. MORE INFO
Carnival start 12 pm Carnival ends 7pm 020 8999 2455 www.luciancarnival.com
MORE INFO
01908 921 018 carnival@festiveroad.org.uk www.festiveroad.org.uk
MORE INFO
1pm. www.rotterdamunlimited.com MAY 2014 SN 29
fashion
KAJ DESIGNS LAUNCHES ITS FLAGSHP BOUTIQUE WORDS. NICOLE-RACHELLE MOORE
Kaj Designs made history on Saturday 26 April when, as Tobago’s premier fashion house, it opened its doors to the launch of the Kaj Flagship Boutique. With its well defined aim of positioning itself as ‘An international force in Caribbean fashion’, the establishment of the Kaj Flagship Boutique in Buccoo, Tobago, is the result of what Kaj’s founder and Creative Director Kevin Ayoung-Julien has described as, “Several years of unwavering dedication and tenacity” to his vision. The opening of the boutique coincided with the annual Tobago Jazz Experience weekend, and the fashion house hosted a trunk show which featured limited edition accessories and jewellery designs from Trinidad and Tobago’s esteemed brand, Koko Karibi Designs. 30 SN MAY 2014
Kaj offers ‘mid-luxury brand designs’, catering to the confident and discerning woman who can declare her own sense of style. With an appreciated focus on ‘detail and texture’, Kaj Designs is certainly poised to be the region’s leading fashion house, making beautiful, unique clothing accessible and affordable. The Kaj Flagship Boutique, situated at Buccoo’s Integrated Facility, is now an integral part of Tobago’s artistic, cultural and leisure milieu. Liza Miller, Kaj’s CEO spoke of, “Nurturing this budding relationship with the Buccoo Integrated Facility,” as, “It represents a limitless opportunity for partnering and forging synergies for brand and sector alignment.” Soca News has been championing Kaj Designs for some time, and we look forward to the next exciting instalment of this unfolding success story. For further information, visit Kaj on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kajdesigns or on Twitter and Instagram @kajdesignsLive
MAY 2014 SN 31
32 SN MAY 2014