Dancehall, soca mix define show - All-Island Carnival's first stop ebbs and flows

Sadeke Brooks, Staff Reporter

It was not until the performances started that patrons were really revved up at All-Island Carnival, held at the UDC field on Saturday night.

Starting the night's proceeding was the comedic and energetic Tanto Blacks.

Although he ripped his pants onstage, the former Magnum Kings and Queens of the Dancehall contestant entertained the audience with his antics. He had patrons cracking up as he sang songs like Ticklish Mi and Anything Yuh Want.

There was even more energy onstage afterwards, as Elephant Man brightened the venue in his orange suit. He thrilled the audience with some of his popular songs such as Higher Level, Badman Forward, Nuh Linga and Sweep. Then he went into more recent recordings with This Is How We Do It and Steady Wine.

More excitement came from the set after Elephant Man made a woman jump around his waist, ran with her in the same position across the stage and did some heavy gyrating.

Skinny Fabulous also tried to 'charge up' the patrons, but it was left to Aidonia to really get the crowd going, achieving the task by singing for the women.

Aidonia got the women wining up a storm to songs such as Uku, Hundred Stab and Jackhammer. After a few explicit songs and a few cautions, he toned down his set with the sensual My Heart Is Hers. Songs like Nuh Par Wid and Nuh Tek Chat, though geared a little more towards hardcore dancehall fans, also struck a chord with the audience, before Aidonia made a quick exit.

Lil Rick excited the audience when he entered the stage with Caan Wait.

"Yuh think is only Elephant Man can come lift up sexy gal," he said before lifting a 'fluffy' woman who he had invited onstage.

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Afterwards, he sang Guh Down, before eventually finishing his set.

Before the performances, Kurt Riley gave patrons a bit of dancehall and soca. He played songs such as Demarco's Love A Come Down and Busy Signal's Bad So, while the LIME and Soca Junkies girls took centrestage and even competed.

When he selected K'Naan's Waving Flag, the patrons did just that. People ran and jumped to all sides of the venue when Palance was played.

There did not seem to be much interest for Eastern Caribbean selector Titan's new soca songs. That was until he played Destra's Bacchanal. Titan's selection of techno and alternative music also seemed to pique the interest of patrons who responded with head bopping en masse.

Eventually, the energy picked up when he played Follow The Leader and Footsteps just before the performances brought real life to the party.