A member of the Royal St. Lucia Police Force is the monarch of this year’s Inter-Commercial House Calypso Competition held Tuesday night at the National Cultural Center (NCC).
Going by the stage name Snow, the lawman’s rendition, stage performance, lyrical content and whatever else of the song “Getting Old” moved the judges enough to award him with 402 points, enough to crown him this year’s champion.
But Snow’s task was not an easy one, as the 12 other performers he went up against were equally strong in most of the departments looked at by the judges.
He was followed in second place by Lily, the Teachers Union representative performing “Once is a Mistake” with 381 points. Lily edged-out her colleague from the same Union, Miss Tick with “No Remorse” by one point. No Remorse amassed 380 points to land in third place. The fourth place went to Junia Haynes with “You Lie” from Windward and Leeward Brewery.
Tuesday night was really a party night for the commercial houses, which came out in large numbers to support their respective champions.
Meanwhile, who ever said calypso in St. Lucia – that art form which is loaded with picong, serious social commentary and outright smart “attacks” on our politicians – is dead, better think again.
A few empty seats at some calypso tents and a decline in numbers of the same tents, as well as a decline in the numbers attending the Inter-Commercial House Calypso Competition over the years, are not indications whatsoever that this art form is dead. The art form, which has been embraced by St. Lucians as part of an extra-curricular educative tool that links both Caribbean music and history in an exciting creative format, is very much alive — and flourishing.
The musical commentaries called calypsos when crafted to their finest form are truly works of art, masterful pieces that simply rock the very core of a human, bringing out the melody in him or her -sometimes unconsciously.
AS a fringe calypso show held during the annual calypso season, the Inter-Commercial House Competition continues to surprise, in terms of the numbers it generates, the support it receives and the quality of its commentaries.
From its introduction in 2002, this brainwave has had a telling impact on the season, rivalling the big calypso stage for brilliance in composition, crowd attendance, management efficiency, good times and general enjoyment by all.
Tuesday night’s show at the National Cultural Center (NCC) had all of the above and more.
Superbly arranged compositions that were beautifully articulated, delivered by men and women who conducted themselves brilliantly on stage were all on display at the NCC jam-packed with supporters who came out to support their business house.
While the numbers were not as high as in past years in terms of patrons, the NCC was still packed – while the number of participating calypsonians has dwindled.
Tuesday night’s event was not all that bad.
Here’s a look at the winners and how the show went down:
