Bajan Brew kicks off Independence, Republic Day festivities

A month of Independence and Republic Day festivities kicked off on Friday night with the Bajan Brew. 

Following the Sagicor Life Incorporated Lighting Ceremony, attendees enjoyed an array of performances under the glow of the illuminated city buildings. 

Heroes Square came alive with the celebration of local talent with the dynamic showcase hosted by the Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Community Empowerment in collaboration with the Community Independence Secretariat.

With Jabari Browne at the helm as host, the night opened with an energetic set from the St Leonard’s Boys’ Steel Orchestra. They took the audience on a nostalgic journey with classics like Jackie Opel’s Eternal Love and You’re No Good, before finishing strong with Brucelee Almightee’s Tomorrow. Their patriotic selections set the tone for a night brimming with national pride.

Winner of the 2023 Spirit of the Nation Talent Show Kibibi Greenidge.

The St Cyprian’s Boys’ School Choir continued the walk down memory lane performing spouge classics, including Richard Stoute’s Any Day Now and Lunar 7’s Marry Me. Waving blue and yellow rags in tribute to the nation’s colours, the St George Secondary School Choir energised the crowd with their rendition of Natahlee Burke and Shontelle’s Colours.

Standouts from the Spirit of the Nation Talent Show also took centre stage. Spoken word artist Ramone ‘Rae’ Blackman delivered his thought-provoking piece, Enigma, which explored mental health from a male perspective — a performance that earned him the title of Most Impactful in this year’s competition. Trombonist Glenn Reece, who placed third in the competition, returned to deliver his soulful interpretation of Gabby’s classic, Emmerton.

Radiating the essence of a star performer, 2023 talent show winner Kibibi Greenidge was in the lineup. Dressed in a resplendent yellow dress, she dazzled the audience with her stunning vocals, performing Sheryl Hackett’s Beautiful and Unspoilt and Kareen Clarke’s United in the Caribbean. Saxophonist Kofi Gilkes led De Boys from St Thomas, another crowd favourite from last year’s competition, showcasing his musical prowess with every note.

St George Secondary School Choir performed the patriotic Colours.

The evening would not have been complete without soca. Tionne Hernandez, who dominated the recent Crop Over festival, had the audience singing along to Fine Twine and the fan-favourite Starta Pack, joined by excited children from the crowd. Leadpipe and Saddis further fueled the night with a selection of their hits, from early favourites like Condense to newer tracks like Brain Freeze and Bye X2. They were joined by Grateful Co, who performed his popular track Centre. The high- energy trio soon had several Parish Ambassadors in the audience on their feet to show off their line dancing moves.

Dressed in their parish colours, representatives from the various teams from across the zones were introduced, highlighting the spirit of unity and community. (STT)