Machel Montano celebrated thirty years in the music industry alongside the majestic Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum also celebrating its 30 anniversary on June 23 in New York City. The event was both historic and iconic as the USS Intrepid had never hosted a Caribbean party.
Marking a milestone 30 year anniversary (simultaneously with the Intrepid), Machel Montano 30/30 also highlights Soca and Reggae music genres in commemoration of Trinidad & Tobago’s and Jamaica’s “50th Anniversary Year of Independence”. Creating a perfect fusion of camaraderie and culture, Machel Montano 30/30 showcased first-class Caribbean entertainment in grand style.
“It is a great feeling to be involved in such a celebration of history, culture and music. Where we all can come together and enjoy quality time and entertainment, often times we miss out on these cherished moments. This is all about people uniting, meeting and greeting,” says Dahved Levy – Founder/CEO Caribbean Fever.
This correspondent has seen Machel Montano, the triple threat on many occasions, including earlier this year at Trinidad’s Carnival where he captured the 2012 triple crowns of Soca Monarch, Groovy Soca Monarch and Road March Monarch. Machel arrived late because he stated the airlines kept him on board for 5 hours, but as always he gave the crowd his all. He came straight from the airport to the ship and wowed the crowd with his pulsating rhythms and gyrations, he had the crowd jumping and screaming and told the Intrepid that although the concert was supposed to end at two , he arrived on stage at approximately 1:40am and the party had to go on.
To the crowd’s delight we screamed and jumped and waived till 3 am. Machel Montano HD is a team effort and as always Farmer Nappy and Patrice Roberts, a former Soca Monarch herself came on stage and with their back up dancers had the audience jumping and waving. Let me tell you, you have to be sturdy to be in the front row of a Machel show because the crowd will sweep you away. Machel also brought on stage KI the 2012 Chutney Soca Monarch who had the crowd singing along to “I Will Be Single Forever”.
Whenever I go to Soca shows, and I stand in the front near the stage I expect to get wet because you know the artist on stage will dash water (and sometimes powder) but last night Machel was pouring shots shots shots.One of most interesting things I witnessed was that a gentleman dressed in his Trini colors and waving his flag had his phone knocked out of his hand by other revelers, I bent down to help him locate it, we looked for a few minutes, he could not find it, but he kept on jumping and waving and didn’t let the loss of his phones ruin his night.
I mentioned Machel first in this report because he is celebrating 30 years in the industry but I take nothing away from the other Caribbean stars who gave stellar performances and had the crowd in the palm of their hands. Honorable mention and REESPEC to all of them.
First on stage was 3 Canal whom the crowd loved, they sang ‘Good Morning Neighbor’ which is a Kaiso type song reminding the youth to say Good morning and that respect and order is required. Loved them.
Barrington Levy has been charming the crowds with his melodic voice since the 1970s and he sounds as fresh today as he did when I started listening to him back in the day in England. He sang his hits “Black Rose”, “Everyday I Love Her Just a Little Bit More”, “Living Dangerously” and my favorite “Teach The Youth” .
Mr. Vegas, always a crowd favorite did not disappoint as he had the crowd brukking it down. Even I attempted to “Bruk it Down” with my bad knees!
At the end of the show, I felt as I was back in the Savvana in Trinidad on Carnival Tuesday, because at the end of the night the Big & Strong/One Island Body Paint Band presented “Ribbons”, their 2012 costume presentation.for Miami Carnival in October.
Congratulations to the production team for this event, I always love Caribbean events where there is a mix of reggae and soca. I truly enjoy seeing someone with a Jamaican flag wining down to the ground to Soca and I love to see a Trini, Bajan or Kittitian jumping and getting on bad to Reggae.
As the Triple Crown Monarch said we are “One Caribbean.”
