The Rounds: RIP Almanac, etc...

Ok Allyuh, I have good news and bad news. Bad news first: I didn't report anything whatsoever about Anya Ayoung-Chee, because her recent sex tape (miniseries) buzz has NOTHING to do with soca or carnival. (If you don't know who I'm talking about...don't worry about it.) Good news: The Rounds are posted below! Carry on...

The Rounds: Originally aired on Flow 93.5 FM in Toronto "Soca Therapy" on Sunday, November 8, 2009

In this edition:
- Soca or Die 10 a success (Canada)
- Destra's Birthday (Trinidad and Tobago)
- Synergy TV Soca Star 5 starts this week (Trinidad and Tobago)
- RIP Alamanac (Trinidad)
- HD bus driver shot (Trinidad and Tobago)

Good Evening Soca Lovers,
I’m Nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jay’s Rounds. Well, Toronto he’s done it again. Last night SOCA or DIE 10 proved, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that this city is the international Soca mecca, when thousands of you packed kool haus to see a show with surprise cast! Wow, allyuh must really trust Dr. Jay. Well you definitely had good reason to. Soca or Die 10 delivered the goods with Grenadian soca fave Tallpree, Vincy bad boy Problem Child and Bajan General Edwin Yearwood putting on amazingly strong performances.

Surprise birthday cupcake Cake for the celebrating Scorpios and guests!

To all the Scorpios who were celebrating last night, Happy Birthday!!! Thanks for making our birthdays memorable too. One soca Scorpio who you won’t catch in a fete anytime soon will be turning 32 on Tuesday. Destra Garcia is taking it easy as she awaits the January arrival of her first child. She might as well get some rest now, since the plan is to reappear post bebe late in the Carnival season.

These days, I seem to be talking a whole lot about WHEN soca stars are born. But do you ever wonder HOW? Well Fireball and Umi Marcano got their chance at stardom thanks to a Trinidad based idol-style singing competition called Synergy Soca Star. In the past 4 seasons of the TV show, other winners have been Blue, O.G and Chinee. Well Season 5 is about to get underway on Wednesday, November 11th, and SupaJigga TC will be back at the host. Then, just a few days later on Saturday, the brand new crop of 15 finalists will dive headlong into the real deal by giving their 1st public performance at the St. James amphitheatre. Boy do I wish we could watch it here in Canada.

Trinidad lost another Calypsonian artiste this weekend. St. Lucian-born Calypsonian Almanac passed away in hospital on Friday due to Liver cancer. He migrated to Trinidad when he was 14 years of age, and was blind for all of his adult life. Over his career he composed more than 400 calypsoes, spent time teaching the craft to the next generation and even performed alongside Trinidad’s top acts in the genre. We at Soca Therapy would like to send our condolences to the family and friends of Anthony Francis as we all mourn the loss of this important cultural figure.

Last but not least, a member of Machel Montano’s entourage took a bullet in the wee hours of yesterday morning. The driver of the HD tour bus was involved in a scuffle at a KFC restaurant that got a wee bit out of hand after police were called. He was shot in the foot, but he’s stable and recovering at home. Another man present at the time endured two gunshot wounds.  At last report, he was still being treated in hospital.

I’m Nurse Karen and those were Dr. Jay’s Rounds. For more information on everything mentioned here, visit me online everyday at Nurse-Karen.com,  follow me on Twitter, and be sure to send me b-day greetings ALL WEEK!  Now, back to de Docta!

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Booster Shot: Synergy Soca Star 5 Starts this week!

The first TV show to put young performers on the fast track to soca stardom is back! They brought you names like Fireball, Umi Marcano, O.G., Blue and Chiney. Synergy TV's Soca Star is about to launch its fifth season on Wednesday, November 11th. It airs at 9pm in Trinidad and Tobago.  The host with the most, Super Jigga TC will be sure to keep you entertained all season long.

Then next Saturday (November 14), the 15 new finalists will give their first public performance at the St. James Amphitheatre. Admission is free, so if you're down there go and check it out.

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On de Scene: Express yourself University Splash

Written by Rochelle!

So last night, carnival Thursday , Chaguaramas hosted one of the many events on the carnival calendar , the University Splash also known as UWI Splash . Now people, I  go give you a little view of what went down at the UWI Splash when I was there. The Nurse will give you the backstage information and the last performances, which were Fay-Ann and her beau, Bunji Garlin.

Now, I arrived at the Hanger at 10 p.m. because I was under the impression session starting on time. Imagine when I reach not even the doors were opened yet. As to what the hold up was, that is question remains unanswered.

After waiting just over twenty minutes by the entrance, security began to allow patrons to enter. On entry the different sponsors had their sample drinks or snacks giving away, which came in handy because the bar wasn't even ready to open for business at the time entry of patrons begun. 

All the students were meeting up , you could see people entering with their flags awaiting to represent their country and crews once party started. But hear that!!! Party eh start till about 1 a.m.! No joke ! Throughout the wait the diso jockey was keeping de crowd moving. Now to make the wait more interesting ah tell you a heavy rain burst, but that didn't stop the students from partying , so party start full swing in the rain as people chant to whatever soca track was playing.

When the MC summon the crowd , informing them that the event was just about to start ; One could well imagine the opening act would kick things off for Macheal Montano HD. Well if you thought like me, you thought wrong because the man himself open the show, and he had the crowd in the palm of his hands.

Overall I must say what give me an extra kick was when I heard the intro for Skinny Fabulous "Head Bad" track . I mean Kubiyashi, (the producer on this track) has one of the most infectious intros I have ever heard and from that I begun jumping up and down as he performed. Unfortunately, he left early to rest up for today's big International Soca Monarch. Machel bought many down memory lane while incorporating his recent tracks bringing on stage Busy Signal and Patrice to perform on whichever track they were featured.

However the highlight of the Machel Montano HD was seeing Chiney. Gosh that tune BAD! Now if you eh know about Chiney , He is the most recent winner of Soca Star (Local Trinidadian Competition) and something about the track had me  stun  because this was my first tme witnessing Chiney's performance and I was impressed!

By 3 a.m. Machel said his good-byes to the crowd as he exited with his Road March contending track "Wild Ants" , but it seem Machel burn the crowd or was it the over 2 hours wait for the show to start! Who knows but it was quite evident when Destra and her band took the stage. She self admitted whether Machel burn the crowd.

 

Of course she bought out the two soca queens to perform the "Obsessive Winners" track and that turned the crowd around. All the entertainment of each performer wine and just the chemistry had the crowd chanting the chorus as these exceptional women sang this track. So at this point Destra had the crowd exactly where she wanted them and just finished them off with her Road March Contending track "BACCHANAL" and the crowd seemed like they were ready to take the streets for jouvert!

Now Bunji and Fay-Ann were due to perform next, and it was already after four, but I am sorry I ran outta patience from waiting longer than normal for Destra and her Band to come on but particular waiting so long for the show to start in the first place. 

So I will make the Nurse give you the 411 on how that event ended ; but be assured I wasn't the only annoyed patron leaving then. Many of the students were heading back to campus and other non students were beginning to leave. 

By now you may have gathered I was not too impressed with the time delays and I have no facts as to why exactly UWI Splash began at the latest it has in the past 5 years. 

So looking towards exciting news, I hope you all ready for today Fantastic Friday and going out to support this splendid event!

 I go now hand it over to the Nurse so she can tell you what she was up to this Carnival Thursday 2009.

Peace, Rochelle.

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