Two solid weeks of Future Shock

Curtis Campbell and Hasani Walters, Gleaner Writers

Bacchanal - The Future Shock continues to live up to expectations in the new Mas Camp venue at The National Stadium.

In the past two weeks, performers Kes The Band and Byron Lee's Dragonaires, with the help of patrons, have made the event a wonderful experience.

Like a classroom full of dedicated students, it seemed as if nothing could distract the patrons present on Friday from the instructions given by Byron Lee's Dragonaires.

Although the venue was not full, patrons thoroughly enjoyed themselves as they were treated to almost two hours of non-stop entertainment and were taught how to boogie down soca style.

The two females and one male who led the group for the majority of the night had patrons moving about all night as they listened to their every command.

"Show mi yuh rag! Show mi yuh rag! Everybody say 'hey!'" and "If yuh 'ave yuh own shoes, mek mi hear somebody scream. If yuh wear yu own clothes, mek mi hear somebody scream!" were just a few of the instructions given, and patrons did just as they were told.

They jumped, waved and screamed all throughout the venue.

"One! Two! One! Two! Wi nuh dun yet! Put yuh feet together! Jump like me! Put yuh han like so! One! Two! Everybody push it!" they shouted onstage, showing patrons how to 'push it' before asking them to 'stampede' saying, "When I say stampede, everybody stampede. Only if yuh ave on yuh own shoes, do dis dance!"

It seemed as if everybody wore their own as they did the 'stampede'.

The words, "Everybody take a jump, take a jump, take a jump up now," signalled the start of It's Carnival and with the instructions to "Put yuh rag dem in the air! Fling dem in the air, in the air", rags were waved and patrons jumped wildly.

Max It Up followed, and that was when patrons seemed to have received an extra boost of energy.

Celebrate also hit home before Guh Dung had females 'wining dung' with the males close behind.

The females once again took centrestage in Tiny Winey, and Palance did its usual damage as patrons danced along.

In similar fashion, the week before was equally or even more adrenaline-charged as thousands of patrons streamed out to celebrate the carnival season as well as bask in an exclusive performance from Kes The Band.

Everything was in perfect carnival motion, patrons were either facing the stage, gyrating, jumping or heading to the bar to get their refill of liquor.

"Every man hol' a woman right now, put yu rag in the air," Kees shouted, and went on to sing Til The Morning.

"Jamaica, if you know how happy it is for me to be here right now. All who love soca music, put your hand in the air right now," he said, and the crowd responded positively.

What followed next was a solid hour of soca songs that had the revellers on the tips of their toes for the entire night.

Songs like Come Gyal and Wotless had the audience revelling, as the artiste delivered a classical performance.

The energetic Kees also added some variety to his set by singing a few pop songs. "We not only a soca band you know," he said and sang the words of the LMFAO hit record Party Rock Anthem.