BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – AFTER a two-year absence, which he termed “a short sabbatical”, King Konris returned to the arena to once again take the coveted crown at the LIME-sponsored 2011-2012 National Carnival Calypso Monarch.
Singing to a capacity crowd last night (Dec. 28) at the Sugar Mill in Warner Park, King Konris, who has been the first calypsonian to have won the crown in the senior category on four consecutive occasions, dethroned King Pungwa with his renditions ‘Oil and Water’ and ‘2020’.
The catchy song, ‘Oil and Water’, speaks to the earlier years when attempts were being made at making the Caribbean a Federation, but because of the smallness of most of the islands and the then wealth and progress of the larger countries such as Trinidad, Jamaica and Guyana, some Caribbean leaders denied togetherness and preached insularity which exists in the region to this day.
Konris insinuated that the Caribbean could not mix because it was similar to oil and water. He however suggested that St. Kitts and Nevis could lead the way in showing how the Caribbean could change and achieve unity.
His second rendition was more of a warning to the nation; in that a people without vision could never progress.
He noted that the people could not see clearly because their vision is blurred and advocated that “we need to see today what we want to achieve”.
Parabolically, Konris noted that people must cast aside the belief of an eye for an eye, which would make them go blind, and stop the fighting among themselves (including political leaders) and start working towards set goals for the betterment of the nation and do not wait until the year 2020 for those achievements.
But, while his renditions were crowd-pleasing, which earned him 1 144 points, there were mixed emotions among the large audience concerning the judges’ decision.
Many patrons left the venue with long faces and one female commented, “All nine members of judges’ panel were Labour supporters, and if the Labour Party remains in government for the next 15 years and Konris participates annually, he will always be adjudged the winner.”
On the other hand, a seemingly music lover and regular attendee to calypso shows who gave his name only as Mitch told SKNVibes that “all of the calypsonians did a wonderful job but we have to give Jack his jacket. Konris, like all the other competitors had good lyrics, but he had better musical arrangement for both songs even though 2020 could not have matched Oil and Water. He has the ability to make even the dullest song into a masterpiece and he also has the knack to motivate his audience by the way he performs onstage. And we must remember that the judges’ decision is final…be they Labour, PAM, HAM or SHAM”.
Taking the First Runner-up was King Pungwa with 1 100 points, while Big Lice with 1 052 was adjudged Second Runner-up and Queen Anastasia tallied 1 020 points to take the Third Runner-up position.
The show started on time (8:00 p.m.) with host Calypso Reggie, and he did not disappoint, as he kept the audience bursting at the ‘seams’ with laughter from his hilarious jokes and witty quarter-tune calypsos, as well as his changing of garb for every calypsonian’s appearance onstage.
Pungwa’s renditions were ‘Lady Caribbean’ and ‘Superman’. Making his entrance onstage atop a ship named Lady Caribbean, Pungwa said it represented the Caribbean and that it was sinking.
In his usual style of jumping, prancing and dancing as he fully utilised the stage, Pungwa blamed the political leaders for the state of the ship and advised that they work together to salvage it.
He claimed that the Caribbean peoples have become Americanised and political leaders must lead the way by setting examples and employ systems to make the Caribbean peoples ‘Caribbeanised’.
His second song was one of self-proclamation; in that he told his audience he was the superman of the calypso arena.
Bedecked in similar attire to that of the USA’s comic book hero superman, Pungwa said no one could take the crown from him: “I am going to win it back-to-back” and he was not afraid of anyone in the calypso arena and would use his super powers to fly away with the crown.
However, King Konris used kryptonite and brought him down to earth.
Big Lice was indeed a pest in the hair of Prime Minister Douglas as he continued to blame him, as he did in past competitions, for most of the social ills in society.
His prop for his first rendition, ‘Enough is Enough’, depicted that PM Douglas could run the country from a Blackberry while overseas. He also mentioned in the song that the people are constantly crying out about the high cost of living, including the effects of VAT and other taxes as well as the exorbitant electricity rates they have to pay for a faulty supply of energy.
His second rendition, ‘Ain’t So Calypso Go’, was all about his protest for being eliminated at the Semi-Finals of last year’s competition.
Big Lice said he was kicked out of the competition because he sang about PM Douglas, but as a social commentator he would not remain silent because calypsos highlight the poor man’s cries.
He also said in the song that the truth he sings about is normally denied, but he would continue to be the voice of the voiceless.
His renditions were well-received by a large section of the audience and many persons were dissatisfied with him being the Second Runner-up. They vociferously said he should have been crowned the Monarch and not King Konris.
Queen Anastasia was her usual self – flamboyant, positive and an audience mover.
Her first song, ‘Ah Feel It’, addresses her passion and love for her country and asks the question if party politics is more important than the nation’s survival.
It also levels accusations at the government of being disrespectful to the people, noting that the administration speaks of love but has betrayed the nation, which has lost confidence and trust in it.
The four other contestants were: King Socrates, who sang’Saving Grace’ and ‘One More Hole’; MightyTakeover with ‘Get a State of Mind’ and ‘Book and Commonsense’; I-Soursop with ‘Rebuild’ and ‘Tek Dat’; and King Godfrey whose two renditions were ‘Who In Charge’ and ‘Ne Sheriff in Town’.
The Legends Band provided musical accompaniment for King Socrates and Queen Anastasia, while the Grand Masters Band did the same for the other six competitors.
While the judges were deliberating on the winner and runners-up, the audience was entertained by this year’s Junior Calypso Queen, Singing Sensation, who sang ‘Candle in the Wind.
The audience was also entertained by Gloria ‘Queenyg’ Esdaille singing ‘Guide Me’, and Rockafella, who had donned prison garments while belting out the song that made him crowned King of the Tent – ‘Stay in You Lane’.
King Konris was crowned by the Minister with responsibility for Carnival, the Hon. Marcella Liburd; and in addition to that, he won himself a brand new Lancer motorcar and will be representing the Federation at the Caribbean Calypso Competition to be hosted in St. Kitts on Friday, January 6, 2012.
