Calypso royalty reigned at the opening of the 2014 season of Carnival Under the Trees at the Normandie in St Ann's on Wednesday night.A full house of patrons at the popular backyard performing space had the privilege of being on the receiving end of first-class performances from four former calypso monarchs–Karene Asche, Shadow (Winston Bailey), Black Stalin (Leroy Calliste), and David Rudder, along with reigning International Soca Monarch SuperBlue (Austin Lyons). Also on the cast was rapso group 3Canal.
Titled The Dream, the three-hour concert (surprisingly long by Under the Trees standards) opened with 3Canal performing tracks from their 2014 album Carnival Coming, which included Grimeee, 1st Klase and Wine. The trio also showcased, and won approval for, its popular Talk Yuh Talk. Since they began their musical journey in 1997 with the song Blue, 3Canal's music has become a benchmark for the new sound of the music of Carnival.
Asche, who made history when she became the youngest calypsonian to win the Calypso Monarch title in 2011, delivered an engaging four-song repertoire that included Careful What You Ask For, Against All Odds, and one of her 2014 offerings, Malice In Wonderland.Stalin, the polished, veteran calypsonian, had patrons singing along, merrily, to his selections Look On The Bright Side, We Can Make It If We Try, Wait Dorothy, and Black Man Feeling To Party.
Shadow treated listeners, in his inimitable style, to Obeah, a selection he rarely performs, which shared company with the musically-rich Dingolay, and the amusing What Yuh Come Here For.After the interval, Rudder worked his magic on the receptive audience, encouraging them to abandon their chairs and dance in the aisles as he sang the all-time crowd pleasers Calypso Music, Hammer, Trini to D Bone, Madman's Rant and High Mas.
SuperBlue appeared to be in fine form, articulating clearly the lyrics to Soca Baptist, Ethel and his 2014 offering Spankin, in addition to an emotional performance of To Love Somebody.Providing excellent musical accompaniment were Pelham Goddard and Roots, while show host duties were capably executed by David Bereaux.