Congratulations are certainly in order to now two time power soca monarch Ricky T. Let me also say congrats to Islah Man and Superman HD/Teddyson John and by extension Studio 758 for capturing the first and second runner up positions respectively. For much of Saturday night I was tempted to ask for my money back due to what I and indeed a large portion of patrons thought was quite frankly a show that simply did not deliver or lived up to expectation.

Like many others I too had come prepared to do some jumping and waving. Drink pack saddled to my back, flag in hand and my dirtiest pair or sneakers to boot …after all this was supposed to be it, pair dirt, the mother load, the show for true soca lovers like myself, this was supposed to be pack with energy and excitement rolled in that eclectic atmosphere. Well, that’s what I thought, but performer after performer, seemed to come up short, some blatantly dismal and others simply out of their league. Orion was the first performer and first causality.

 I am starting to sound like a nagging wife even to myself so I guess I must be annoying someone by now.  My only hope is that I annoy the right persons enough that they will do everything in their power to shut me up once and for all by getting it right.  No, I take that back.  I just want them to get it better than it has been for the last few years.  You must have guessed that I am peeved about the National Carnival Queen Show, again.  

I had donned my worse pair of shoes because there was no way that my good shoes were going to the show...these stones at Samaans Park are brutal on Jimmy Choos and Loius Vuittons alike...  I got there at six and despite my trepidation, a carry over from last year's experience, I was prepared to have a good time.  Clue me in...the show started over an hour late.  The advertised band, Reasons, was a no show as was the female emcee, Nikki Crosbie.  And so it was...an hour after the advertised start, all I saw was the beast and no beauty.  

There was really no need to announce the 2009 Power Soca king; Carnival City seemed to have anticipated the results (except for Ila Man’s fans who did as his new verse suggested and demanded their money back because he didn’t win). But while the Fire City people were not too happy with Ila Man’s 2nd place finish, the jumbies in Ricky T’s camp were all too ready to celebrate.

After a mere 35 minutes of deliberations, judges sent back the verdict that put Ricky T at 369 points, ahead of Ila Man by 16 points. Ila’s 353 total was only 4 points ahead of Superman HD, who scored 349 points to fly into 3rd place.

While Ricky T had the superior presentation with pyrotechnics, traditional stilt-walking jumbies, and even a guest appearance by Amy Winehouse herself (not really) it was really his presence that had the audience acting like jumbies all over the Mindoo Phillip Park. All he had to do was show up.

Ila though, worked hard to get his money back (hopefully now he can afford that used car and some monopoly money). He brought the ENERGY!!!

But the energy god himself was not put to shame. Every installment was in High Def right through for the blue and red-caped savior of soca. And yes you can still call him Superman!!!

Hello Fans it's after 3:00 am and your ole faithful LucianCarnival.com crew is tired.

Here are the top results of the 2009 Power Soca Monarch competition.

What a night it turned out to be.  I do not know what is was.  Maybe it was just the excitment of having a new setting that raised a sense of euphoria and belief in themselves among the calypsonians.  Whatever it was I was grateful for it because the calypsonians put on a masterful display for the patrons who turned up at the Phoenix Night Club for the 2009 Calypso Semi Finals.  

In the beginning it seemed that the decision to move the show to Vieux Fort on a Friday night was an ill-fated one.