The Rounds: BBC Radio 1 cancels its soca show

In this edition:

• St. Vincent Carnival Launch
• Ist Cavalcade of Cropover
• Royalties Xtreme Band Launch
• Alison Hinds at IRAWMA's
• BBC 1xtra cancels its Soca program

Good Evening Soca Lovers,

I'm Nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jay’s rounds. What a weekend! Saturday was an action packed day all over socaverse.  There were Carnival road parades in St. Thoman, St. Marten and GRAND CAYMAN. Dr. Jay actually DJ’d on the road down there for Swanky international, and I understand the band went on to capture the band of the year title.

Over in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Vincy Mas 2009 has officially begun. Festivities took places across the mainland with music trucks parading into town from all parts of the island. Last year’s road march king, Icon...defeated Zoelah in the new song competition. He’s already got fans in the palms of his hands with popular releases like Teaser and Congaline.

Zoelah had won that title in both 2007 and 2008. But no worries Zoelah fans, her new tune More Water, promises to get its share of DJ spins as her follow up to Wine Up On Me.  

Nurse Karen last month in Toronto with Zoelah

The Crop Over festivities unofficially began in Barbados yesterday with the very first cavalcade. Tone Def Studio is out the gates early as usual with an album called Chaos produced by Andy “Blood” Armstrong, former frontline vocalist with Square One.  

Blood in his studio in BIM

Mas bands are launching all over the Caribbean, and here in Toronto two. One of our biggest bands, Carnival Nationz unleashed it’s 2009 presentation called “In Full Bloom - Fruits and Flowers” last night. In St. Lucia on Friday night, a popular radio personality, magazine editor and DJ, MC Scady impressed the local media when he added one more title to his resume as the P.R.O. of the new carnival band Royalties Xtreme.

Rochelle in St. Lucia last Friday with Scady

 The Lucian posse out there would remember Royalties as very a popular force on the road from the 1980’s through 2002. Then they disappeared. In ’08 the Lucians in England brought a band called Xtreme to Nottinghill Carnival. So the two groups have joined forces to bring de ting back home. The gorgeous presentation is called Africa is Our home.

Something else that started in England, made the rounds this week. UK born Soca star Alison Hinds has a date with the International Reggae and World Music Awards in Queens, New York this evening. She will be the only soca act performing at the show.  

At lastly, BBC 1xtra, one of two commercial stations in the UK that plays any soca at all, has made the decision to cancel their International Sounds of Soca program. In the past, the program was hosted by Slick and Machel Montano. Our boy, Kerwin Du Bois used to DJ on there sometimes when he was still living in England. Then bajan beauty Alex Jordan was the first female to host the program, and became the first DJ to ever resign from the station last Autumn. Since then, DT temporarily took the helm. 

Nurse Karen at a 1Xtra live broadcast with Alex Jordan in London, England

Well, it is possible that some kinda soca show will be back on air in the Summer but for now, CRICKETS!

I’m Nurse Karen and those were Dr. Jay’s Rounds. If you love soca, and wouldn’t let anyone take your favourite music off your FAVOURITE radio station, visit me online at Nurse dash Karen dot com. Now, back to de Docta!

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On De Scene : Royalites Xtreme Carnival Band Launch

This past weekend , Royalites Xtreme Launch with their potrayal of "Africa is our Soul" and the press launch was IMPRESSIVE.

Royalites Carnival Band began in the late 1980's and was known for their unique potrayals and their vibrant energy on the road. However, in 2002 they were no longer active on the St.Lucia Carnival Scene. Carnival 2kGreat birthed Xtreme Carnival Band in the UK. This band was the first St.Lucian Band at the Nottinghill Carnival Parade.This year these two bands have combined forces to revive St.Lucia Carnival. Fusing seasoned ideas with fresh visionaries.

Upon arrival, media and sponsors were greeted by African dressed men who then directed us to the location. Now PRO informed me launch begins at 7 p.m. sharp, so being me I arrived there at 7:30p.m. rushing in the hopes that I would atleast get a glimpse of the event. Well joke was on us all, because it was actually scheduled for 8 p.m. and since media has the reputation of arriving late they insisted an hour earlier. Mind you , most media houses arrived minutes to eight , so safe to say Royalites Xtreme knew what they were about.

At eight we were all invited to have a seat as they were ready to unveil. They began the cermony with the St.Lucian National Anthem followed by a Prayer . The CDF made a few remarks so did the Carnival Band Committee and surprisingly the current President of CBC designed Royalites very first costume . In his speech you could feel the appreciation as he gave a little history of that band and he went further by reliving their very first year with their potrayal of "Punk Rock."

Then the actual showcasing began, and their 6 sections were unveiled with cameras flashing and recording as each model come on stage: The Warrior , The Hunter (male) The Hunted, Freedom, Tribe , Diamond . I must say HATS off to the designer, for each costume was full of detail and each one correlated strongly to the theme. After all the press coverage , everyone was able to relax and have a few cocktails and finger foods as the atmosphere became more casual for mingling.

After having a few words with members of the band, I picked a united front from Royalites Xtreme . They are more than a band but a family and I felt at ease in their company . Noo the drinks didn't hit me yet to make such a strong statement!

I put forward the question to Scady (PRO) what makes Royalites Xtreme different from all other bands. And he was confident as he explained that , their band is not all about the glitter, beads and strictly bikini; their costumes are all about the detail. He explained that Patsy (designer) was meticulous in her selection of fabric and also in how it all came together. Also the on the Road experince will be like no other. Our conversation continued as he made refernce that as a new band they will be remaining relatively small with the projection of 350 revelers .He assured me that once the site is fully operational , revelers will have the option of online payments to avoid any hassle.

Well I will give you a sneak peak at some of the photos but as soon as the website is up and running , you can access all their Band Information.

On behalf of Nurse Karen Etc. Team , I want to thank Royalites Xtreme Carnival Band for the invite to cover their Launch anD we will be keeping our eyes on you guys!

"If you jumping St.Lucia Carnival Go Xtreme with Royalites Xtreme!!"

Once again Thanks !

Peace and Soca

Rochelle

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On de Scene: St.Lucia Carnival 2009 Already Creating a Buzz!!

With Trinidad Carnival just closing off , St.Lucia is already gearing up for one of the best carnival season's yet, come July 15th to 21st . I know, we ONLY in March and the buzz has began.

Bands such as Just 4 Fun ( which is one of the top party bands on the island) has already announced their theme and open registration for repeat revelers, with no costume display out yet ! But certainly those revelers know, when costumes are unveiled the band will close in a matter of days; so of course the talk has began and no carnival junkie wanna miss out on this!

Also newly reformed band ROYALTIES XTREME have teased St.Lucians with the display of one of their potential costumes in a press release today in the YO magazine! Their theme this year is "Africa Our Soul" and the teaser was depicting everything the theme incorporates.And Yes ,I will make you be the judge as well...

Royalties Xtreme for Carnival 2009

In terms of music, there are expected to be early releases beginning this month on local radio stations in St.Lucia ,as well as famous international websites. As to which artist to look out for or which riddim you have to get as a ringtone and what collaboration is the best ; well you have to stay tuned and watch it all unfold here or make a trip to St.Lucia for another Simply Beautiful Mas!

I certainly am excited and anticipating a great Carnival season and as for Nurse Karen and Her Toronto Posse , hope ya ticket booked for St.Lucia Mas 2k9!

Peace
Rochelle

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