The witty appeals of calypsos are back and judging from the flow of social commentary this year one thing is clear, the country needs to bounce back from the trauma it is in and from an image sullied by the torture of a teenager boy.
No subject was off limits as the performers lit up the stage at the Blairmont Community Centre ground, West Coast Berbice on Saturday night commenting on the state of the sugar industry, the current problems facing bauxite and corruption in public office among other serious issues.
Initially it seemed as if one tale as narrated by the veteran, Mighty Rebel was the calypso to beat. Defiant in name and performance this year, Rebel focused his commentary on what he called a major scandal in public office by a serving official. He offered up his song called, ‘All ah we know de man’ to an adulating audience which briefly appeared stunned that he had taken on the issue.
Rebel lashed out at the official who was embroiled in a case of sexual solicitation saying it is a shame the individual continues to hold public office and even “advising the President”. He sang:
“Recently my friends we see on the television
Big embarrassment from a telephone conversation
Involving a little boy up in Linden town
And a top advisor to the biggest man in the land
He was crying like a baby
Mark Benschop expose the story
In the newspaper, radio and TV
What a shame, shame on our country…
Sit down up there in the child commission
And holding big position
And still accused …”
By the time Rebel was through, Blairmont was buzzing and largely unresponsive to those who followed, that is, until the man who calls himself ‘Mighty Believer’ decided to turn things around. Believer seemed a long shot from his first minute on stage, but the pull of his piece this year is that the song actually gets better as it goes on.
Patriotically attired in a yellow costume bearing the national flag and singing ‘Guyana, the El Dorado’ he drew the audience in with his convictions about the country still being blessed in spite of the ills, but he was also very critical in his assessment of how thing are right now.
Believer delivered a lyrical awakening that had people jumping from the minute the chorus left his lips and people remained on their feet until he wrapped up the catchy piece. He sang about sugar and bauxite and a string of other issues including how the country is being run. “Give da man de crown now”, a man gyrating to the calypso shouted at the top of his voice as Believer was exiting the stage. The man’s demand was endorsed by the sizeable crowd in attendance, Believer stole their hearts.
Believer sang about how Burnham had “set things up” in the country during his years in office but that sometime later “Hoyte mess them up”. He continued that Cheddi later restored the country to some good following his party’s 1992 elections win yet today “they mashing it up”.
People believed every word he sang and it also helped that Believer went along with a fairly strong support base that was singing his praises long before his time on the stage came. The kind of support Believer snatched at Blairmont is hardly momentary because of how strong his calypso is; it is the kind of commentary that people love because of the message of hope in the face of adversity.
The two performances aside, the audience found some favour with seasoned campaigners such as Young Bill Rogers; The Mighty Voter and Ras Marcus. Reports out of Blairmont indicate that the Mighty Believer is leading the line-up of calypsonians heading to Thirst Park on February 21 for the much anticipated finals.
Fired up
This newspaper caught up with the reigning calypso monarch Lester ‘The Professor’ Charles, who was on hand at Blairmont to see what he is up against this year. Charles briefly commented that he is fired up and ready to defend the crown he fought hard to win last year. He would only let on that his entry this year is called ‘Divine Intervention’ saying he is coming to not only lecture, but to pray for the country as well.
Charles was among the first to praise the Mighty Believer for a performance well received and unofficially crown the calypsonian the winner of the semi-final leg of the competition, but come next Sunday the two will go head-to-head for the coveted title and a purse of $550,000.
Prior to the semi-finals kicking off, the HIV/AIDS leg of the competition was held. The calypsonians appearing in this category largely delivered messages of hope, no discrimination and condom use, but many were short on quality pieces and performances, opening the door for the reigning junior monarch to snatch the top spot from the veterans.
Teneicia DeFreitas, who won the junior title just over a week ago, came out solidly with her song, ‘Wrap it up’ and she easily won the segment. Young Bill Rogers and Perai came in second and third respectively.
The judges did not release any scores after the semi-final but the ten performers through to the finals were named while fifteen others were cut. Those competing in the finals are Lord Canary; Young Bill Rogers; Ras Marcus; Mighty Rebel; Mighty Believer; Bright Colours; Mighty Roots; Dawn Edwards; Mighty Voter; Lady Karen.
The show, which got underway long after the scheduled 7 pm start, suffered a series of setbacks including frequent breaks and problems with the sound and lighting. People grumbled about the late start and the repeated breaks given that thirty-three performances including the HIV/AIDS segment were scheduled for the show. Reports are that the curtains finally came down sometime after 2 am yesterday when a large portion of the audience had already left.
