Commercial Sector Pulls Through the Recession
Just when all seemed lost for the singing competitions which form part of the 2009 carnival season, the 8th annual Inter Commercial House Calypso Competition has pulled through the calypso recession.
The event carried none of the baggage of the so called "pro/mainstream" versions, like the inclusion of too many participants, controversy over the criteria or a crowd that could not be moved. As a matter of fact, what has become one of my favorite shows, exceeded expectations, with some very wholesome contributions of satire, dramatizations and dare I say even real SINGING!
The guest performance by Double "C", who himself has moved into the big yard, (along with the likes of Q-PID, Kakal, Kendall John), further highlighted the tremendous potential of the Inter-Com Kaiso competition.
The usual cheerleading posses with their rags, flags and now glow in the dark accessories is always a delight. Organizers could probably consider awarding prizes for the biggest contingent present or the most creative. At times the screams and shouts of encouragement seemed to drown out the P.A. system.
The Cultural Centre was packed to capacity in the usual standing room arrangement, with a malfunctioning a/c which did not dampen the mood of those in attendance too much. It did seem though that the crowd was a little smaller from last year, perhaps due to the fact that the number of performers had shrunk from 27 to 10 (I repeat that is actually a plus). Should the competition attract more participants in the future I would like to humbly suggest some sort of preliminary, especially considering that the show is traditionally held on a Thursday evening and a long show could be a deterrent to both attracting attendees and the blessings business owners.
There was a sobering moment during the show as a moment of silence was observed for the 2008 Inter Commercial House Monarch Victor "Ricky G" Pierre who passed away on January 5, 2009. The gathering also viewed a video tribute and the presentation of a plaque to Ricky's family.
As we awaited the final results, guest artistes Q-PID, Platinum George, Alpha, and Ricky T, took a satisfying evening to several climaxes ... take that remark however you want.
In the end the results were announced with wholesome acceptance and no controversy or whining as follows:
Sharma "Shamz" Joseph - 1st Caribbean International Bank - "From Africa to Obama" - 218 points
Lindsey "The Maestro" Joseph - JE Bergasse & Co. Ltd. - "Daddy Help Them" - 214
Alden "Spoiler" Raphael - Royal Saint Lucia Police Force - "They Blame De Commissioner" - 194
Garner "Linxx" Raymond - Bank of Saint Lucia - "Let It Out" - 191
I make no apology in saying that this is my last gotta go to show for the season. I will go through the motions of seeing through the other offerings. Who knows maybe I will be presently surprised?
