BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE curtains came down last night (Nov. 30) on the lyrical and rhythmical battle for a spot in the Semi-Finals of the Sugar Mas 43 Senior Calypso Monarch Competition at Carnival City, at the end of which King Astro, who competed on the first of the two-night Eliminations, tallied 243 points to be adjudged the number one Semi-Finalist.
The names of the Semi-Finalists were announced onstage early this morning by Sylvester Anthony, Chairman of the Carnival Committee and also Chairman of the Carnival Committee.
He told the sparse crowd there were four ties and, because of that, two reserves would remain to perform with the top 16 competitors.
Astro’s winning composition, dubbed ‘Carnival Therapy’, suggests a possible cure for citizens and residents of St. Kitts and Nevis suffering from stress, by participating in the various activities slated for this year’s Carnival.
In second position was Lord Kut with 239 points. He sang a song entitled ‘The Monk’ and was followed by Singing Jackie and Socrates who tied on 236 points for the third spot. Jackie sang ‘Just like a Tourist’ and Socrates did a piece entitled ‘Holy War’.
Queenie G’s ‘Legacy’ earned her fifth place with 227 points, while Polo’s ‘Madam Facebook’ gave him 221 for the sixth spot and I-Soursop was adjudged seventh with 220 points singing ‘A corrupted Man’.
Big Lice, after last year’s hiatus, occupied the eighth position with 217 points. He belted out a rendition called ‘The Decision’. Big Lice was closely followed by a tie for ninth place between Godfrey who sang ‘Carnival’ and Kinta hitting the audience with ‘Panic Button’. They both tallied 216 points.
Singing one called ‘Seats’, Daddy Taxi placed 11th with 213 points and was followed by another tie. This time it was between Rudder and Mr. Magoo who sang ‘Who is feeling the Pain’ and ‘A plea to Phonsie’ respectively and earned themselves 205points.
The 14th spot (203) saw a tie between Alamoulou and Quantash. The former sang one called ‘Boxes’ and the latter ‘Give Praise’.
Lady Diva took the 16th spot with ‘Dear Fans’ and tallied 202 points while the two reserves are Sparta with 201 points and Bra Bread two points behind him.
Forty-one calypsonians competed at the two-night elimination contest and just as it was on the first night, last night the social commentators, with the exception of a few, focused on the political turbulence in the Federation.
While Bra Bread singing ‘Unibolagunya’ called on the nation to “vote for NRP and Labour” and that “Unity has no love for this country”, King Rock-A-Fella, donned military garbs and noted that Sam Condor and Timothy Harris should be ashamed in trying to pull down Douglas in his piece called ‘What they bawling for’.
Both calypsonians were however countered by I-Soursop and Jungle Lion. In his rendition of ‘Acorrupted Man’, I-Soursop said that “Duggie wicked and bad…he sell off the passports and land”, while Jungle Lion, singing ‘He lie, lie, lie’ said “Douglas vex with everybody who oppose his policy and I voting Unity”.
The judges for last night’s event were McClure Taylor, Rodney Harris and Troy Mills.
The reigning Senior Calypso Monarch is Richie Buntin and the Semi-Finals is scheduled for the same venue on Sunday (Dec. 14).
