In the end, the weather conquered the show. Destra and her Band, Bunji Garlin, Fay-Ann Lyons and the Asylum Band as well as Kes the Band were no match for the Guyanese rain which brought the ANSA McAl ‘Soca Showdown’ to an abrupt halt as patrons dashed to the exits.
The weather favoured only Blaxx and the Roy Cape Band but came after the rest of the Trini performers with a vengeance, halting soca queen Destra Garcia 30 minutes into her performance and stuck around to ensure that no other artiste could mount the stage.
Someone said The Machel Effect? Destra had been looking to upstage fellow Trini Machel Montano who performed here earlier.
On the eve of Emanci-pation Day, even amid dark clouds, hundreds of soca fans turned out to the Guyana National Stadium eager to witness the four bands who all promised a great show.
Blaxx first took to the stage at around 11:30pm and throughout his performance, interacted with several persons in the audience. One woman made her way to the front of the stage and could not contain herself, wriggling and writhing and juggling until the artiste eventually called her up to show the audience her dance styles.
Blaxx sang Jamaican dancehall artiste, Mr. Vegas’, ‘Bruk it down’, as the woman gyrated her waistline, prompting Blaxx to beg her for “a taste”.
“Ya’ll want to see me wine? Ya’ll really want to see me wine? Ya’ll got to see the big belly,” he told the audience before positioning the woman in front of him. To the crowd’s amusement, the Trinidadian admitted that the local was too much for him and sent her off the stage.
Destra appeared at around 12:30am after a short set change with the darkening clouds above and a powerful downpour threatening. She tramped onto the stage in black shorts and a pink top, belting out one of her biggest hits, ‘Bacchanal’, which sent the frenzied audience even wilder. The soca queen lived up to her title, maintaining a high energy level which spread through the stadium and kept her fans invigorated by the sweet soca vibes.
During the estimated 30-minute performance, Destra managed to entertain the patrons with tunes like ‘Keep on Wukkin’, ‘I dare you’ and ‘Carnival Children’. She also invited fans on stage, including a female who was asked to represent Guyanese women with her dancing flair. Later, a man who told Destra that he is her all-time biggest fan, appeared beside the soca icon and sang Destra’s ‘Carnival’ after taking the microphone from her.
Pleased by this, Destra invited the man for a dance but was firm in directing him to remain in one place while she took control of the situation. She teased the overenthusiastic fan with her seductive moves before pelting away in a matter of seconds.
At this point, it had begun drizzling but fans seemed ready to brave the weather. However, a heavy downpour came shortly after and this sent persons scattering throughout the stadium. While some in the VIP area opted to shelter under the stage, others dashed for the parking lot. In the general admission section, more dedicated soca fans stood their ground for a few minutes but were eventually overpowered by the rain and also made their way to the gates.
Destra, after a few minutes, exited the stage. Kes the Band, Bunji Garlin, Fayann Lyons and the Asylum Band were unable to perform. Stabroek News was later told that the equipment could not be restarted since it had been soaked. The concert was part of ANSA McAL’s 20th anniversary celebrations.
