The City of Bridgetown (COB) All Stars Calypso tent was the first to be judged for this year’s Crop Over Pick of the Crop competition. The show was held on Sunday at the Gary Sobers Gymnasium. The large a tough one. With the name All Stars, and it is easy to understand why the name was chosen, it is indeed a tent with lots of star performers.

Veteran calypsonian De Devil started the show and if anyone expected things to go down to hell, they were wrong as the show was lifted higher and higher by each performer. Despite battling a slight illness De Devil looked easy and comfortable as he did his song ‘Lit bit of dis, lit bit of dat’.

The first encore for the night was Franswa with a cleverly written song ‘Not only in Bim’. Not a household name in calypso circles but his flawless rendition surely will make the judges take note.

Sammy G with “Tek a shot” Charisma with “Hear” and Yahandje with “Heartless and Broken” each graced the stage and delivered their songs convincingly. The message to engage and listen to the young people in our society before it is too late resonated when Yahandje poured herself into her song.

Richard Antonio had a few people waving pride flags as he performed a thought-provoking song “Pride and Industry.” The song encouraged to pay attention to the LGBTQI Pride movement. A loud protest shout of ‘not ’bout here!’ could have been mistaken as part of the act, but it was not. 

Darin Holder’s “Living life in reverse” a highly creative and forward-thinking concept for a song from a relative newcomer to the calypso stage, the multi-talented Holder made our minds think about the benefits of living life from an old age and journeying into our youthful year. It is a brain teaser that would cause most people to lend Darin an ear. If the judges like it Darin Holder may not be reversing but rather speeding forward to the finals.

The 10 points man of yesteryear Colin Spencer was smooth as silk in voice but coarse as sandpaper with his lyrics.  His much-misunderstood calypso “Because of me” is a good exhibition of the craft of writing classic calypsos.

The top comedian Eric Lewis should be taken very seriously this year. After having a “Conversation with Mr. Satire” his message is no laughing matter he uses satire to expose a range of social and political realities that are hiding in plain view in Barbados. Serious judges will give this song deep consideration and send it to higher court.

Sammy Dello , gives testimony  to a new out look of life. In his song “Chasing” he suggests that we spend too much time pursuing the wrong things. Looking fit and energetic, Sammy Dello is chasing down family, friends, and more wholesome things in life.

COB All Stars under the leadership of Eleanor Rice is a well-organized tent. The backing band is solid, and the back-up singers are invaluable to each song. All calypso tents need MC’s like Jennifer Walker and The Queen do a fantastic job. Not a minute is lost as the two of them manoeuvre between acts all the while interacting with the chatty audience.

Barbados’s Extempo King Shawnie performed  a humorous and entertaining song “Its yuh voice”. Shawnie always grabs your attention as you are waiting for his extempo deliveries which are full of amusement.     Caribbean Queen used her strong voice and clear diction to cry out for the rights of women to decide what to do with their pregnancy. Movingacross the stage with ease she advised all including the Catholic church to allow women to have a voice in the matter of abortion. This subject will surely evoke discussion.

Another encore performer was Niqa. Singing a song called “Chosen Few”, Niqa fell into the character of the song and had the entire Gymnasium in the palm of her hands, her chorus line is infectious, and she had not only her back-up girls singing but she had the audience. Niga’s performance hopefully earned her a place in the judges chosen few.

 Kidsite kept his standard of calypso high with “If they had their way” . Looking large and totally in charge in a white outfit, the former multiple calypso king suggested that if the authorities had their way things would be worse than they currently are. Jude Clarke addressed the topic of AI in a song called “Artificial Intelligence”. 

Next up was Donella doing the most emotive song for the night “Who next”. We all know that the lady is a class act and that she never disappoints. The topic of guns and murders in Barbados touches the heart of everyone especially the mothers of victims of crime. The intensity of Donella as a mother is witnessed in the way she renders the song; one can hear the tears in her voice. Her performance was a winning one. 

One of the big calypsos for Crop Over 2023 is the hot and spicy “Cat piss and peppa” performed by Teri. This hard-hitting political commentary is waking up the tent each time. Teri knows how to work the song and she whipped up the audience, had them dancing and singing along. There are not many calypsos this year that contain the ‘peppa’ of this song. 

John Yarde preached the “Gospel according to John” and his ‘congregation’ was converted and convinced. The man of the clothe demonstrated why he can wear two caps and be a man of calypso.

All Stars’ judging night was already solid as a rock by the time the last performer Ishaika came to sing “piece of de rock”. Closing a show of this calibre can not be easy, one would have to be an ace performer.  Ishaika’s imagery in the song and on stage were riveting and seemed to surprise the audience who had heard 18 top class calypsos for the night. “Piece of de rock” may be good enough to get Ishaika piece of the real estate at the calypso finals. (Christopher Williams)