Machel Montano cemented his reputation as the king of soca with a celebratory, thrilling Machel Monday show at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on Monday night.After Olatunji Yearwood finished his warmup and the clock neared 10 pm, a countdown began on the big screens around the arena.Eventually the crowd counted down from ten to zero and the master of ceremonies announced the arrival of the man and the moment the feters had been waiting for all Carnival season.
He appeared in a glittering dinner jacket and suit, fitting for the occasion. Through the night he had several costume changes – during Bottle of Rum he wore an immaculate pale blue tuxedo – but the first glimpse of him in the sequinned outfit, soaked in the spotlight, had the crowds roaring early.
Two members of Boyz II Men, the 90s R&B legends, from Philadelphia were there to premiere Can't Let Go, a collaboration with Montano that's set for worldwide release soon. They also gave the crowd two of their enduring classics End of the Road and Motown Philly.Major Lazer's sound system cranked up the bass so loud that those in the front rows felt it reverberating in their chests. Bollywood singer Mahalakshmi Iyer performed Breakaway with Machel and Ravi B. The latter performed the "comedy hit" of the year, Bread.
Kerwin Du Bois brought on US-based soca singer Lyrikal. Nigerian singer Timaya, performed Shake Your Bum Bum, the soca hit he released last year and which Machel subsequently re-released as a collaboration. And the singer Nikita Browne from Barbados sang the majestic outro to Haunted, acapella.
One section of the show preached the racial unity theme Montano promotes. Chutney icon Drupatee joined him onstage for last year's hit Indian Gyal and when Ravi B performed, Indian dancers bobbed and gyrated. When Timaya performed, African dancers moved to a bongo rhythm, the green and white of the Nigerian flag dominating the big screen across the back of the stage.
Veteran calypsonians Baron, David Rudder, Denyse Plummer, Poser and Johnny King made appearances. Johann Chuckaree, Len "Boogsie" Sharpe and Andy Narell played a futuristic pan set with the young players of Invaders on their iPads and the Birdsong Steel Orchestra.But the huge surprise came when the self-proclaimed Queen of Bacchanal, Destra Garcia, appeared. With Montano, she sang It's Carnival, their 2003 collaboration.
The duo were estranged for years after a falling-out, reputedly caused by that same song. They last appeared together onstage at Beyonce's 2010 concert at the Savannah but for the best part of a decade, relations between the two have remained strained. It was a surprise to most in the crowd that they have apparently reconciled and buried their differences.
Montano has the branding down to a "T" and his stage act is refined, slick, professional and exciting. The stage – the brainchild of Anthony Chow Lin On, production manager and owner of radio station 96.1 WEFM, which broadcast the show live – was vast and impressive.