>> View Hotting Hill Carnival 2009 Coverage
“If yuh doh like the wildness move yuh back-side to the side”It’s Friday 28th August 2009. Yes! It’s a Friday! Where are we? We are in London! We are in the heart of the Notting Hill 2009 Fete-lympics© ! Only three (3) days left until the events are over and team TJJ is still aiming for that long awaited finish line so we could stamp our approval on this annual festival. With ten (10) events carded for Team TJJ to partake in and three (3) events gone already – Calypso & Soca Splash; Trini Luau 2009; and UK TRIBE Ignite – we were eager to see what we were going to experience tonight.
At the Troxy, in the south east of London town, PoisonUK hosted "Energy" – their annual Notting Hill Carnival concert. This year a massive change, and not only numerically by artistes, but physically by venue! Troxy has to be described as a superb venue for concerts complete with a pit … ***ohh the pit*** … and elegant upstairs seating (with personal booths) and a general area for people who do not want to be in the pit. Kudos!! Also, this year was no Machel Montano HD (who headlined for the past few years), but instead we would be treated to the likes of Peter Ram, Scrappy, Berbice, Neil Iwer George, Lil’ Rick, Benjai and Bunji Garlin & Fay-Ann Lyons accompanied by The Asylum Band. Whewww!! This is definitely an overwhelming concert with a remarkable line up that hopefully will provide all the entertainment we need!
That notwithstanding, it’s Notting Hill 2009 Carnival Friday! Do you know what that means? Oh Yesss … the people are coming out in their numbers to this concert! With a reported eighteen-hundred (1800) people there in total, the venue was full of all sorts of people: the sexy, the ultimate, the serious, the jokey, the confused, the cheating, the angry, the spicy, the revealers, the semi-revealers, the non-revealers … the list could go on and on! There was a complete kaleidoscope of patrons at the venue and whoaaa talk about outfits. From camouflage gear, to bobbies & cleavage spotters, then too tight, or too slack … once again, we could go on and on! Crowd … Variety!
The food on sale for tonight had its own flavour to add to the Caribbean concert. Do you think it was callaloo, or pelau, flying fish, or cou-cou, or pudding or souse? No! It was the ultimate Bake & Shark with some vegetables all for a £5! The drinks were served by some efficient bar stewards and a couple sexy bar stewardesses … hmmm … hold up! V.I.P had food too … TJJ got the access and hook up and we licked three plates clean! Cheers!! Wondering what was the menu? Fried Rice, Lamb, Beef & Some Nan Bread with all sorts of fine sauces and condiments that we cannot even remember. The Chef was on point!
So with all the ground points covered … we had to check ... we ate, we drank, we spotted the line up, and now we are definitely ready to take part in this event! First on stage was the incredible PETER RAM in his all black outfit and very intriguing style of his dread-locks. Delivering his popular tunes ("Woman By My Side", "Pumpin" and "Tight"), he completely set the trend for the rest of the performers, and let us tell you a little secret … the bar was constantly raised for the entire night! London based Montserrat artist SCRAPPY was the night’s second performance with his hit song "Start to Bounce" followed by a completely remarkable set by BERBICE (representing Grenada) and his smash hit "Traffic". By this time, the patrons were completely warmed up and ready for more and who else to bring on other than "The Boss", NEIL IWER GEORGE! Splashing the people with water, bringing two people on stage to sing the word "Ready" sixty three (63) times as they competed for fifty (50 pounds, and always remembering to big up the people who listening to Soca music for more than twenty (20) years, Iwer gave the crowd a performance to remember (and one never to be forgetten)!
Bajan sensation and Wukk Up Man himself – the youth in the business – with his unique performance routines and styles – LIL RICK stormed the stage and did not want to leave! "Can't Wait", "Mash Up & Buy Back", "Girls Gone Wild", "Riding", "Spread Out" & many more were part of his song list tonight. And of course, he showed the crowd how to roll their bumpers and walk and wine. Ah yes, we were definitely in for a treat!! The pinnacle of his performance was the “humble request” for a different girl from each Caribbean island to come onto the stage for a dance session and roll bumper performance. TJJ will like to big up to the girls who went on stage and represented especially for allowing Lil’ Rick to jump on your back, wine on your head and all sorts of crazy jamishness he could have thought of! Four (4) out of Five (5) stars for entertainment!!
Finally, after a little intermission for The Asylum Band to set up their paraphernalia we were greeted with a stunning entrance from FAY-ANN LYONS who was swiftly accompanied by BUNJI GARLIN. Singing all sorts of hits after hits after old tunes after new tunes, even mixing Michael Jackson into the Soca routine; the Asylum gave the crowd the exact dosage of Soca music to have them singing, dancing and enjoying the night. The further introduction of BENJAI on the stage with the Asylum added even more excitement to the crowd who showed him all their love and attention while he performed. Three (3) time Road March winner Fay-ann sang her winning songs which some might call Road March anthems "Display" (2003) ... "Get On" (2008) … "Meet Super Blue" (2009) … they are definitely all time favourites! And according to Bunji in the press conference the day before (view coverage), The Asylum Band definitely destroyed the place ... figuratively speaking!
As a result of this sound performance by all the stars on the night, the rest of the night was filled with sounds from the various DJs. The "After Party" as it was so called was not really an "after party" since the concert was really the party and people really enjoyed the entire event.
A big kudos and shout out to the Wendel & the entire PoisonUK family. We hope you continue to keep the vibes present!!
Under Mi Guinness aka Scorn Juice
… Always Forward, Never Buss …
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