Fantastic carnival in Trinidad

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Austin “Super Blue” Lyons and Machel Montano are the joint winners of the International Power Soca Monarch, while Montano regained his Groovy Soca Monarch. The two competitions were held on Fantastic Friday at the Hasley Crawford Stadium.

In the other competitions held on Thursday and Saturday nights, veteran calypsonian Eric (Pink Panther) Taylor copped the Calypso Monarch title, while Petrotrin Phase 11 won the 2013 Panorama Finals at the Grand Stand Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain on Saturday night.

In the Kings and Queens of the Band competition, Trini Revellers’, Ted Ustace and Brian Mac Farlane’s king, Gerald Weekes shared the title King of Carnival in the finals of the National Carnival Bands Association Kings and Queens Carnival competition at the Queens’ Park, Savannah held on Carnival Friday night.

In the International Soca Monarch, Montano, performing in position number nine, delivered a well-choreographed presentation of

”Float” in the Power category to retain his title.

And in the International Groovy Soca Monarch competition Montano also retained his title with an impressive performance of “Fog.”

At the end of his performance, Montano put on a harness to which cables were attached that allowed him to not just be lifted up from the stage, but hover above the first several rows of the audience. This sent the 20,000-plus patrons wild with excitement.

Then as was expected, the crowd waited for the appearance of Super Blue, who after an absence of 13 from the competition showed that he had not lost his touch.

Both Montano and Super Blue each delivered the night’s best performances as the majority of the other 12 competitors failed to keep the audience attention throughout their performances.

First prize in the Power Soca Monarch is TT$2 million.

Trinidad and Tobago’s King of Carnival –“Moko of the Flames” Ted Eustace.
Photo by Sterling Mottley

Now a consecutive double Monarch, Montano is hoping to create history and win the Road March title once again with his song “Float.”

In the Power Soca Monarch title, Rodney “Benjai” Le Blanc was third and Destra Garcia fourth.

Neil “Iwer” George, came in second in the Groovy Soca Monarch with Dexter “Blaxx” Stewart, third and Ravi B fourth.

Panther defeated 11 of his colleagues, including defending monarch Duane O’Connor at the competition held at the Queen’s park Savannah.

Panther, who celebrated 39 years in the business, sang two competitions- Travel Woes and Crying in the Chapel –a song dedicated to two calypsonians, who died weeks before the Carnival season.

In second place was Kurt Allen, who sang “Political Sin-Phony” and Black Stalin Say,” while Heather McIntosh came in third singing “the Old Man’s Lament,” and “invisible.”

In the Panorama Finals, Phase 11 won the Large band category with a composition “More Love” arranged by Len Boogsie Sharpe with 238 points. In second place was Neal & Massy Trinidad All Stars with BP Renegades in third. In the end, Phase 11 put an end to Neal & Massy quest for a hat-trick.

King of Carnival –“Moko

of the Flames” Ted

Eustace.

Rakuen No Yorokobi from the band “The Joy of Paradise” won the Queen of Carnival title.
Photo by Sterling Mottley

Queen of Carnival –

1st —

Rakuen No Yorokobi-

(The Joy of Paradise.

2nd—“Danis Wantain”

The Dance of

Reconciliation-

Charisse Bovell.

3—“From Darkness

to Light” Kay Mason.

“From Darkness to Light” Kay Mason placed third in the Queen of the Band competition.