‘Famalay’ frenzy

Gimme Soca was just what the doctor ordered for depressed socaholics. Held last Saturday at Daiquiri Beach, it was all about Caribbean unity and wukking up at the biannual show held in March and in July.

To say that the Vincentian soca artiste, Skinny Fabulous, “mash up de place” was an understatement. Still on a high from his first Road March win at Trinidad Carnival with Famalay, Skinny urged the crowd waving flags from Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, St Vincent and St Kitts and Nevis to destroy the barriers preventing Caribbean integration.

But in more literal terms, he encouraged the patrons in the general section to break down the fence separating them from VIP to create a meshed partying atmosphere. With Famalay blasting in the background, the crowd uprooted the fencing and ran with it as per the instructions of Mr Killa’s 2019 jab jab hit Run With It.

It was a scene of organised chaos as the patrons ran in unison to the left of the stage. The elation on the faces of the crowd was reminiscent to the view on Grand Kadooment Day – a people enjoying mas.

The last act of the morning, Skinny came on stage at 3:25 a.m. with the hottest single from carnival, Famalay, which features Machel Montano and Bunji Garlin. He revved the crowd up with his collaboration with Lucian artiste Motto, Pick Your Position but hundreds gathered were heated when Skinny dropped tracks like Head Bad, The General, Watch Thing, Party Start and When the Lights Go Down until 4 a.m. when the event closed.

While Skinny ‘mashed up’ Daiquiri Beach, it was pandemonium with Voice. The three-time International Soca Monarch was welcomed by screams from the ladies as he opened his set with the uplifting tune, Alive and Well. He also went on to sing his 2017 and 2018 hit singles Far From Finished and Year of Love to then close with the dynamic power soca track Pandemonium.

Trinidadian soca artiste Farmer Nappy led his 20 minute set with the controversial Hookin Meh. He had the audience grooving with Chippin, Big People Party and Day One.

The Grenadians have been leading in carnival tunes for 2019 and they were proudly represented by Mandella Linkz and V’ghn. The youngest performer to grace the Gimme Soca stage, V’ghn’s delivery was comparable to the veterans. The 22-year-old sang his hard-hitting debut Trouble in the Morning as well as Blaxx’s Gyal Owner and Mr Killa’s Run It. Meanwhile, Mandella Linkz performed Tombstone and Lil Natty and Thunda’s Top Striker.

The Barbadian acts were not to be missed with an inclusive lineup of bashment and sweet soca acts such as Mole, Marzville, Hollabak, Fadda Fox and 2018 Party Monarch Mikey.