Entertainment

Tents judging for Pic O De Crop starts Tuesday

Tent judging for this year’s Courtesy Garage Pic O De Crop Competition starts Tuesday.

After registration had closed all six calypso tents were signed up and 94 calypsonians had registered to face the judges.

The breakdown: All Stars 21, House of Soca 18, Super Gladiators 16, Big Show 15, Shining Stars 15 and Stray Cats nine.

During a brief meeting with event producer Aja and tent managers, dates were pulled for calypsonians in the various tents to face the judges.

The judging dates span a one-week period starting next Tuesday, July 16 and ending on Tuesday, July 23. The tents will be judged at two locations; the Garfield Sobers Complex, Wildey, St Michael and the Daphne Joseph Hackett-Theatre, Queen’s Park House, The City.

The first tent to face the judges will be De Big Show on Tuesday, July 16 at 7 p.m. at the Garfield Sobers Complex. They will be followed by House of Soca on Wednesday, July 17 at 7 p.m. at the same location.

Next up is Shinning Stars who will face the judges on Thursday, July 18 at 8 p.m. at the Garfield Sobers Complex while the following night, Friday, July 19, will be Super Gladiators’ turn at 8 p.m. at the Daphne Joseph Hackett-Theatre. Stray Cats will be judged on Sunday, July 21 at 8 p.m. at the same location.

On Tuesday, July 23, All Stars will be the last tent to judge at 7 p.m. at the Garfield Sobers Complex. At that time, the names of the 17 Finalists, to face reigning Calypso Monarch iWeb, will be announced after the judges deliberate.

The Courtesy Pic O De Crop Finals will be held on Friday, August 2 at 8 p.m. at the National Botanical Gardens. (PR)

Caption: Tent managers from left: Eleanor Rice (All Stars), Jerry Roberts (Stray Cats), Merle Niles (De Big Show), Winston Alleyne (Super Gladiators), Julie Sealy (Shinning Stars) and Sharon Carew-White (House of Soca) drawing dates for the tent judging.

Entertainment

Sagicor Life Inc. Lighting Ceremony This Friday

The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment will host the Sagicor Life Inc. Lighting Ceremony this Friday, November 1, marking the start of the annual community Independence celebrations.

This year’s ceremony will be held under the theme Celebrating Our Communities: Re-engaging, Re-igniting, Re-imagining, and will take place on Friday, November 1, at 5:30 p.m., at National Heroes Square, The City.

Following the Lighting Ceremony, the celebrations will continue with a Bajan Brew at 7:00 p.m., offering an evening filled with spouge, drama, song, and steel pan performances.

The event is free and open to all, providing an opportunity for the community to come together and enjoy the rich cultural heritage of Barbados as we celebrate Independence.

Patrons are encouraged to arrive early and make any necessary transportation arrangements due to expected road closures in the vicinity of Wharf Road and Trafalgar Street. (PR/GIS)

Entertainment

A SEA OF YELLOW AT RISE & RUM BREAKFAST PARTY

Patrons enjoyed a day filled with food, fun, and sun at Rise and Rum, the penultimate event of this year’s Barbados Food and Rum Festival.

Food lovers had an abundance of delicious dishes to savour on Saturday—from roasted breadfruit and seafood boils to various fish delicacies and scrumptious desserts, offering a wide array of options to enjoy.
Of course, there was no shortage of entertain, and local bands Square One and Krosfyah once again teamed up to keep the crowds grooving as they enjoyed their savour foodie treats in fine style.

Entertainment

Let us celebrate Jackie Opel

Tuesday 27^th August was a significant day in the history of local music. It marked the birthday of Dalton Bishop better known as Jackie Opel. The musical icon would have turned 84. Jackie Opel was an outstanding singer, composer, and creator of the Spouge music genre who was born on August 27, 1938, in the inner-city area of Chapman Lane.

*Shantal Munroe Knight, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office*

In 1962 Jackie migrated to Jamaica where he lived for six years. He was influential in the formative careers of some of Jamaica’s iconic entertainers. From Bob Marley to Jimmy Cliff, Ken Hopeton, Alton Ellis, and the early days of the band The Wailers.

On his return to Barbados Jackie Opel was gearing up to take his career and his newly created spouge music to a higher level. Plans were afoot to produce a concert, but fate was not kind, and he died in a car accident on Bay Street on March 9, 1970.

Special Free Concert Yesterday

The National Cultural Foundation (NCF) hosted a special concert, last night, in Freedom Park to honour Jackie Opel.

A cast of some of the island’s top singers graced the stage to perform a wide range of spouge songs. The modest audience can count themselves lucky to have attended an event that will be a benchmark in local music history.

Artists thrilled those in attendance

Performers included the following, Wendy Alleyne, Shadia Marshall, Keisha Christian, Mickey Dee, Mike Grosvenor, Colin Spencer, Desmond Weekes, Jamal Slocombe, Simon Pipe, D J Simmons, Bit Bit, Ishiaka, Romario Greaves, Alix Cage, Adrian Clarke and Edwin Yearwood.

Senator the Hon. Shantal Munro-Knight, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office delivered the opening remarks, and Ambassador to CARICOM David Comissiong delivered the feature address. It was generally felt by those in attendance that a Jackie Opel Birthday Concert should be held annually. (Article and photos by Christopher Williams)