Come tomorrow night the sweet sounds of steel pan rhythm and the entertaining lyrics of calypso are expected to explode into a music fiesta at the National Cultural Centre when the first ever Calypso and Steel Pan Showcase 2007 will be staged.
The event, which is being staged by the Calypsonian and Panist Action Network, is touted as one which will be unforgettable and will cater for those who crave a “different kind of entertainment than the normal everyday ones.”
According to the well known calypsonian ‘Young’ Bill Rogers, who is organising the event along with Eddie Rockliffe, leader of the Yoruba Singers Band, and Oscar Hall, persons would not be disappointed if they chose the cultural centre on Sunday night to provide their entertainment.
“I will encourage everyone to come out and be entertained; you would not be disappointed. This is for the young and the old and for those who are fed up of the reggae, hip hop, dub and other kinds of music that are being provided for entertainment now. They must come out tomorrow night,” Rogers told The Scene.
The line-up for the event is certainly impressive as all the well known personalities in the two music genres will be putting their talent on show, giving credence to Rogers’ promise that “it would be an event that you wouldn’t forget.”
On show would be the likes of Rogers himself, the Mighty Rebel, Ras Marcus, Winfield James, the Mighty Vijay and Lord Canary, among others, who will be doing their thing by belting out their calypso hits, while on the steel pan end the audience will be entertained by the Roy Geddes Steel Orchestra, Colgrain Whyte, Michael Smith and the Pan Group Steel Orchestra. The Yoruba Singers will be the band for the night.
Rogers said they are hoping to make the event an annual one since currently the two genres are only popular around Mashramani time, and they are also hoping to make them part of the everyday Guyanese musical intake. He also said that the event can be viewed as a prelude to CARIFESTA, set for August next year, as well as Mashramani. “The two art forms are not very popular throughout the year, and that should not be, as they can be viewed as home grown
