DJ's View: LP on Carnival Explosion (Atlanta)

Soca PEOPLE!!!! Here's your last installment from LP of G13 Sound International. Gotta say thanks once again for working overtime to get (Nurse) Karen (Etc) exlusive reviews of the Atlanta Carnival action. I almost feel like I was there. (Almost y'all! But being there woulda been WAYYYYY better!)

From my point of view, of all the fetes, Carnival Explosion had the most hype leading into the weekend. I can wager a guess why. Check this line up: Destra and her Band, Fay Ann Lyons, Bunji Garlin, Benjai, Trini Jacobs and Ziggy Ranking!

Here's what LP had to say...

Saturday, May 23, 2009: Carnival Explosion

This fete was a bit further from downtown Atlanta than Memorial Drive, but the T&T posse as well as the soca faithful made the journey out to Decatur after a long day at the Festival Village. DJ Stan from St Lucia and DJ Soca Diva from Miami started the warm up nicely until Giselle De Wassi One took the control and brought out Ziggy Ranking and Trini Jacobs for live performances. Patch took the stage to his hit, "Rum & Roti," followed by Benjai who delivered his big tunes such as "Over & Over," "Drunk Again," and "By De Bar," which also led to a guest performance by Bunji Garlin.

Denise Belfon took the stage next, giving a big performance of her classics such as "Wine & Bend Over" as well as newer tunes like "Bicycle Wine" and "Licks".
The crowd was now hype for the current road march and soca monarch queen Fay Ann Lyons. Fay Ann took the stage and delivered hit after hit, keeping the crowd running the entire time, ultimately ending in the 2009 T&T Road March, "Meet Superblue".

The crowd then waited for about an hour before Destra Garcia and her band took the stage at roughly 5:30am. Always worth the wait, Destra proceeded to deliver hit after hit such as "Bacchanal," "Jumpin," "We Say So," "Max It Up," "Bonnie N' Clyde," and "Fly", until unfortunately the owners of the venue shut the party down at about 6am. All in, the crowd seemed to enjoy the jam and still weren't ready to go home! Big up DJ Tony Tempo for really holding the event together from start to finish.

I was able to get great video of the first three Destra songs and upload it to youtube, check it out!

Whoa LP! Too bad it took them so long to set up. I mean, you can't get vex with a venue for shutting down at 6 am. But, when the last act not starting till 5:30, I feel that's something the promoter could have organized a little better. Just saying....

Thanks again for fixing us up with your on the scene account of your weekend in Atlanta. Hope you had the best time!

If you missed LP's earlier rundowns of the soca climate in Atlanta, click them below!

ACCBA Parade of the Bands
J'Ouvert Party by Krushmore Entertainment

If you enjoyed getting 411 from ATL, hit up LP on MySpace. Be sure to tell him I sent you!


Love and Soca,

Nurse Karen

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DJ's View: ACCBA Atlanta Caribbean Carnival Parade of the Bands

Saturday, May 22, 2009

Soca Lovers!  Here's dose number two from LP.  We taking a jump.  Read on for action from de road, Atlanta style:

Hi Karen,

Of the three separate Caribbean events taking place over Memorial Day weekend in Atlanta, the Atlanta Caribbean Carnival Bandleaders Association (ACCBA) event is the original and it never disappoints. Masqueraders lined up on West Peachtree St, and just shortly after noontime began their mas through downtown Atlanta.

Compared to other Carnival bands in many diasporas, the bands are slightly smaller than that of an average Toronto Caribana or Brooklyn Labor Day band, but they still bring a lot of energy and island pride.  

• In terms of energy, the Infusion t-shirt band was getting on bad all through downtown all the way to the festival village. 
• In terms of presentation, We Kinda Ting had the best display of costume mas, with a few sections of revellers followed by a t-shirt band as well.
  

By the time the bands reached Auburn Ave, the festival village was full of eager people ready to have a good time. As soon as the bands crossed the stage, however, the Carnival Village experienced a slight show delay due to inclement weather. As soon as the rain cleared about 20 minutes later, the event picked right back up where it left off. Various sound systems playing classic soca jams, and bands such as Impack2 (Brooklyn, NY) and Caribbean Music Farm (Miami, FL) delivering covers of current soca hits.

Soon after, the small island heavy bands WCK and Nu-Vybes band set the crowd into a frenzy with their signature sounds. Burning Flames, as always took the stage next and had the crowd of thousands singing along to every song and putting everything in the air. The event then finished with a huge Trinidad & Tobago showcase, featuring Ziggy Ranking, Trini Jacobs, Denise Belfon, Patch and Destra Garcia.

Watch Caribbean People!

Looks like a great parade. I hope you enjoyed yourself LP! Whey de dirt man? You meet a smallie? Wine up yourself? I guess we'll never know!

Photos and review courtesy of LP of G13 International

Thanks again, Dahlin!

Nurse Karen

P.S.  If you missed LP's blog about the Carnival J'ouvert Party, check the post HERE.  Next dose,  LP's review from the showcase at the end of the parade! Stay tuned...

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DJ's View: G13's LP on the 5th Annual Atlanta Carnival J'ouvert Party

Denise "Saucy Wow" Belfon at the J'Ouvert Party

Special treat soca freaks!  So, you know your girl was REAL looking forward to going to Atlanta for carnival this year.  It didn't work out.  Which happens to me A LITTLE TOO OFTEN for my liking!  What can I say?!!? News must share.  So, I pulled a few strings to get an on-the-ground account of the action from DJ LP from New York's G13 Sound System.  If your memory is short, you know him as the sound boy who gave you that too sweet Free Download Mad Decent Power Soca Mix earlier this year.  If you didn't get it before, handle that!  Yuh stickin'....

So, back to the point.  Atlanta Carnival is now.  LP is there - feting like a fiend.  Enjoying his long weekend!...and I here in Toronto doing my regular Sunday Soca Therapy thang!  So, you wanna know the vibes in ATL, right?  Who better to tell ya than a DJ who LOVEs soca?  He's on de scene... ( I hear de man link up to snap pics for Toronto-Lime too, busy guy!)

The man is a boss.  He gave me updates and pics from several events.  So, like a good nurse, lemme give you in small doses.  One today, another tomorrow.  Following? First up....J'OUVERT!!!!

LP, tell the people....

Friday, May 22, 2009

Hi Karen,

Hope all is well in TO.  Here's my rundown...

Although there were a few Wednesday and Thursday fetes, this is well known as the official launch for the weekend.  I reached Atrium on Memorial Drive around midnight. I was still early, but the vibes were flowing nicely as they do at Krushmore Entertainment events.  The soca room started to fill up around 12:30 a.m. and the crowd was treated to a very good mix of new and old classics from various islands care of Optimisque from Dominica, DJ Hottness from Atlanta by way of Guyana, DJ Kevy Kev from Orlando by way of St Kitts & Nevis, and ATL's #1 soca DJ Tony Tempo.  

Tony Tempo and Giselle De Wassi One

Atlanta is very well known for its small island massive, and of course the VI, SKN, and Dominica massive were front and center the entire night, supporting a lot of new USVI and SKN soca from bands such as UMB Soldiers, WCK, Small Axe Band, and Nu-Vybes band, selected by DJ Kevy Kev 

After the small island session, DJ Tony Tempo and Giselle Di Wassi One took full control for the rest of the night with 100% soca, including performances from Ziggy Ranking and Denise Belfon.  By the time the party was over, there were only a few hours until masqueraders were to line up along West Peachtree Street for the parade.

Ziggy Ranking at J'ouvert Party

Sounds like a nice session!!  Thanks for the review LP!  Next up : The Atlanta Caribbean Carnival Bandleaders Association Parade of the Bands.  Check for the post in the morning!

Love and Soca, 

Nurse Karen

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Free Download: G13's Mad Decent Power Soca Mix

Got another special mega mix for all the soca heads.

This one comes to you courtesy of G13 Sound Internation out of New York.  I've secretly been fans of these guys for a while without knowing.  They love soca music from everywhere...  And I don't care if most DJs say it, they're lying. G13 actually does. Most DJs need to hear someone else run a "small island" tune five times before they feel safe playing it too. 

When I say, I didn't know I was a fan, I mean this:  I get a lot of music in my inbox DAILY.  Sometimes it's accompanied by personal messages, or bios...other times - nada.  I love music, so once I receive something with the words "soca" + "mix" eventually I'm gonna download and test it out on the treadmill.

Thanks to G13, my legs were in fine wining condition all winter long.

Here's the latest one, a Trinidad Carnival wrap up that highilights Double L and LP very international personal musical tastes.  Care to sample?

Download it HERE 

TRACKLIST

1. bunji garlin- clear d’ road (TnT)
2. fayann lyons- meet super blue (TnT)
3. machel montano hd- won’t stop (TnT)
4. patrice roberts f/ machel montano hd- simply everything (TnT)
5. patrice roberts- sway in d’ mas (TnT)
6. machel montano hd- ravin’ (TnT)
7. machel montano hd- wild antz (precision road mix) (TnT)
8. taxik f/ claudette peters- bring it on (ANU)
9. destra garcia- bacchanal (TnT)
10. skinny fabulous- head bad (SVG)
11. nnika francis f/ fayann lyons- gettin’ on wild (GND/TnT)
12. roy cape all stars f/ blaxx- tusty (TnT)
13. ricky t- wheel and come again (SLU)
14. shurwayne winchester & y.o.u.- you (energy) (TnT)
15. kes the band- we own (TnT)
16. krosfyah f/ edwin yearwood- we on d’ way (handle yuh bizness) (BIM)
17. roy cape all stars f/ olatunji yearwood- wajang (TnT)
18. d’landlord- find me dey (dijital road mix) (SVG)
19. triple kay band- colours (Dominica)
20. kmc- i will (TnT)
21. nu vybes band- everybody lose it (SKN)
22. ricky t- ole (up in d’ air) (SLU)
23. skinny fabulous- get on bad (SVG)
24. machel montano hd f/ pitbull & lil jon- floor on fire (TnT/USA)

Like what you see?  

Check them out for yourself at http://homeforcarnival.blogspot.com

Love and Soca

(Nurse) Karen

www.twitter.com/nursekaren

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