The veterans emerged victorious in Carnival 2013, with Austin "SuperBlue" Lyons winning the Road March title and Brian MacFarlane copping the coveted Band of the Year.It was the ninth Road March for Lyons and eighth Band of the Year title for MacFarlane.Lyons also tied for first place with Machel Montano in a tight Power Soca Monarch competition last Friday. The race for Road March was not tight, however, as there was no question about Lyons' win.
The song Fantastic Friday was played a record-breaking 511 times during Carnival Monday and Tuesday, according to results released by the Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation (Tuco) yesterday. The Road March record was previously held by JW & Blaze for their 2010 Road March song Palance, which was played 417 times. Montano's Float was played only 56 times this year.
Road March judging points were in Arima, San Fernando, Tobago, the Queen's Park Savannah, Adam Smith Square and Picadilly Greens in Port-of-Spain. Lyons also won Road March in the Downtown Carnival competition, with Fantastic Friday being played 106 times to Float's 23.
Carnival results 2013
In an interview at the T&T Guardian offices yesterday, Lyons said he was happy about the 2013 Carnival season. This year signified a major comeback for Lyons, who had been low key since his last Road March win in 2000, performing mostly at selected events featuring stars of yesteryear and with his daughter Fay Ann Lyons and his son-in-law Bunji Garlin. Lyons' last Soca Monarch title was in 2000, then for the sixth time.
"It's the same I said before. I feel phenomenal, fantastic, special, great," SuperBlue told the T&T Guardian yesterday, as he reflected on the overwhelming support he got from the public this year.In fact, the fans can expect more, as he said he already had two songs written for next year's Carnival.
For MacFarlane, however, 2013 will be his last. The bandleader announced his retirement from T&T Carnival last year when he launched this year's presentation Joy: The Finale, which won this year's Band of the Year with 1,361 points.Joy: The Finale also won Band of the Year in the Downtown Carnival competition.
After his band crossed the stage on Carnival Tuesday, MacFarlane said he was frustrated by Carnival and announced plans to venture to Brazil to continue his creative works.
Yesterday, however, as his band celebrated the title at their Woodbrook home base, Mac Farlane, who had won Band of the Year six times previously, said he will not be "completely dead or out of Trinidad Carnival" in 2014.
He said he would be having a production in 2014 but there will be no Mac Farlane Carnival band. Adding that he was inspired by the success of his 2012 production, Mac Mas Monday, Mac Farlane said he will do something similar next year. Mac Farlane also said he was relieved about winning after working so hard.
SuperBlue Road March wins
2000- Pump Up ('Blue' tied with Iwer George)
1995- Signal to Lara (SuperBlue)
1993- Bacchanal Time (SuperBlue)
1992- Jab Jab (SuperBlue)
1991- Get Something and Wave(formerly Blue Boy)
1983- Rebecca (Blue Boy)
1981- Ethel (Blue Boy)
1980- Soca Baptist (Blue Boy)