Icom's Blog – June 2018 Archive (24)

The July/August vacation is here. Known as summer in temperate countries, this is the time of year when people are travelling and looking for fun events to attend. In the Caribbean and the diaspora, this is the time of year when there is a slew of Carnivals from St Vincent to New York but in the region, there is so much more happening in addition to Carnival. So if Carnival is not really your cup of tea, here are seven major non-Carnival events you…

Yves Lewis proudly announced the release of his first soca music titled; rum and rain. The song was written by Yves Lewis, and produced by Christopher Neil. The song is Caribbean Soca carnival music for street festivals. Yves Lewis, the son of Saint Lucia, and longtime producer and record label owner of "WildCubby Music" decides to be the man and share his heartfelt songs with the rest of world. After releasing 11 CD's with 49 songs on the WildCubby…

Washington, DC (Sonique Solutions) – Following a collection of highly successful warm up events commencing in the month of March, all roads now lead to ‘Destination DC Carnival Experience’ which will feature exciting, major Caribbean cultural festivities.

These events will not only coincide with the US’ 4^th of July celebrations but will showcase key artistes and DJs from…

This past weekend, the star-studded BET Experience Weekend hit the Staples Center in Los Angeles, leading into the BET Awards held Sunday June 24th. On Friday, July 22nd BET Experience Live featured VP Records artists Bunji Garlin and Fay Ann Lyons. The show also featured a special 25th anniversary Reggae Gold Tribute by dancehall sensation Shenseea whose "Nothing Dem Nuh Have Ova Mi" is featured on this year's album. Other artists who performed…

On Friday June 29th, 2018 from 6pm, the National Cultural Center Grounds will be ablaze, as one of the signature sounds of Carnival, Soca music, takes center stage in the first leg of the Groovy and Power Soca Monarch Competitions.

Over sixty national soca artistes, have registered…

This is the eighth time I’ve found myself squeezed between strangers belting out lyrics in unison below a truck’s booming music. “Vibes up from the time that we reach. Drinks up, now the madness release. We having a good time, having a good time. We don't have no time for bad mind.” We raise our plastic cups to the moving bar beside us to receive another splash of rum, our energy drink of choice for the next eight hours.…

Twenty five performers are taking part in the semi-final of the Yello International Bashment Soca Monarch Competition, and it’s an online vote to decide who goes into the final – so you get to choose. The competition has now reached beyond the shores of Barbados, and includes entries from the likes of Dynamite from St. Vincent, Da Real Champ from St. Lucia and, from Guyana, Rubber Waist.

Vote for your…

Vincy Mas introduced their Soca Monarch Semi Finals in 2017 to make the overall competition for the crown of Soca Monarch a fairer one. It meant that the artists’ live performances, as opposed to recorded music, are judged at an earlier stage.

A great success last year, the event has been retained for the 41st Vincy Mas in 2018. The semis begin at 8pm on Saturday 23 June, at the ET Joshua Tarmac in Arnos…

Nailah Blackman nominated for BET award The 20-year-old granddaughter of Trinidad's 'Father of Soca,' Nailah Blackman's catchy Caribbean compilation has won support across the region.

St David’s was a cacophony of colour this morning as thousands gathered to watch and take part in the National Heroes Weekend Parade of Bands.

Soca music pumped out from the main roundabout into Southside all the way to Clearwater Beach where the festivities began.

Band members were dressed in brightly coloured feathers and dazzling jewels for Bermuda’s fourth…

Bermuda Heroes Weekend came alive early Monday morning when soca king Machel Montano graced the stage at Pure.

The annual white fete, put on by Wild Apache Promotions, was set to be the biggest event of the weekend and it certainly lived up to expectations.

Bermuda Carnival or #BHW is now in its fourth year and this is the first year Machel has performed at the…

St Lucia’s Carnival is almost here and already the vibe is in the air for what promises to be another exciting Carnival.

As we countdown the days to Carnival on July 18 and 19, we are getting our shoes, outfits and energy together for the next few weeks of partying. If you haven’t planned your parties yet or don’t know which party to attend, here is a list of fetes you don’t want to…

The 7th Annual Los Angeles Culture Festival (LACF)returns, bigger and better than ever! On Saturday, June 23, 2018, Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles will miraculously transform into a Grand Carnival and Street Extravaganzawith a parade that ends at the Carnival Culture Village.

Soca Music King Machel…

The final event of this year’s WeBeat St James Live took on a Carnival-like atmosphere with pan music ringing out for most of the night, then a parade of traditional mas characters and finally masqueraders of the Brite Nite Band, parading up and down the Western Main Road on Saturday night.

NGC Couva Joylanders was joy to listen to as the band came to the fore of the amphitheatre playing Sweet Soca Man, and…

The 7th Annual Los Angeles Culture Festival (LACF) returns, bigger and better than ever! On Saturday, June 23, 2018, Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles will miraculously transform into a Grand Carnival and Street Extravaganza with a parade that ends at the Carnival Culture Village.

The Los Angeles Culture…

THE CLOSING lines of The Last Poets much-celebrated 1970 track When The Revolution Comes make the claim that when the revolution comes, black people far too often just want to “party and b******t”. Think soca music and you might be inclined to envision gyrating hips revved up by pulsating carnival rhythms. Because of this, you may not necessarily think of this happy-go-lucky, vibrant music, originating in Caribbean islands such as Trinidad, St…

Destra Garcia, known as the Queen of Bacchanal, Destra Garcia has built a large Caribbean following for her energetic performances and catchy songs.

Destra has been performing in Jamaica for years and has been the main feature at Bacchanal Jamaica events. In 2016, she gave soca fans a scare when she fell through a stage in Bermuda and broke her ankle. She has since had surgery and has been performing…

Things are really heating up with Flow for summer 2018, with the unveiling of the company’s seasonal promotional campaign. The glitzy media launch, including Carnival bands, some of Saint Lucia’s most outstanding musical talent and more, took place on Thursday evening, June 7th 2018, at Flow’s Baywalk retail outlet.

Of course, Flow is Platinum Sponsor of Saint Lucia Carnival 2018. This year, leading up to…

The 2018 UK carnival season began in style, with Luton International Carnival celebrating its 42nd year on 27 May. Commissioned by Luton Borough Council in partnership with UK Centre for Carnival Arts (UKCCA) and Luton Culture, this has become a significant event in the town’s cultural calendar.

Luton International Carnival is now an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) for 2018 to…

Two of the biggest names in the Caribbean entertainment world will touchdown on the sun-drenched Caribbean island of Saint in what is being lauded as the most anticipated and exciting event this year.

Come Wednesday, July 11, 2018 Saint Lucia will be the first stop in a series of regional and international concerts forming the ‘Soca Kingdom’ tour that features Trinidad &Tobago soca mega-sensation and…