Calypso Competition venue change

This year, the National Calypso Semi-finals dubbed Fantastic Friday will be held at the La Croix Boxing Plant.

On Monday May 23rd, Coordinator of Shows Anthony Dennie commended the Calypsonian’s Association and its head Hassan Kennedy for seeing the need to do something different with the show. He added that the venue, “brings a lot to the plate”.

Meanwhile, judging for the semi finals began on Friday May 27th in New York with the Dynamites Calypso tent. Tuesday May 31st is the turn of the Graduates Calypso tent to face the judges while on Wednesday June 1st, the P’Tani Calypso Tent will get their chance in front the judges. On Tour will do their stuff on June 2nd while the Upstage Xperience will display on June 3rd. On Fantastic Friday (June 17th), 22 calypsonians will fight for a place in the finals slated for Dimanche Gras Sunday July 3rd.

Dennie said that this year, the Upstage Xperience tent is out front taking their tent shows across the island. He also revealed that the Mas Shed at the Victoria Park has undergone renovations and this year is being used for calypso tent shows. He said that the shed is available to all calypso tents.

Addressing other competitions, Dennie said that registration for the Ragga Soca competition is currently going on with the deadline for entries set for Tuesday June 14th. He said that preliminary judging will also be done on June 14th while Soca Monarch registration closes on Monday June 20th with preliminary judging on June 21st. Fourteen Ragga Soca acts will be chosen to come up against the 2010 winner Fireman Hooper on Friday June 24th. This show will see guest performances by Soca Monarch 2010 Skinny Fabulous and Jamaican Dance Hall and Soca artiste Busy Signal. Dennie said that Busy Signal has recently collaborated with Skinny while his soca songs are a big hit in Trinidad. $25 gets you into the Victoria Park for Ragga Soca.

30,05.2011 - Story by Lyf Compton