Scenes from N.Y. Phagwah Parade
Reggae and soca fans turn out in droves for ‘Timeless’ concert in NYC
April 5, 2013 By
A timeless time was enjoyed by all attending the ‘Timeless’ concert, starring reggae icon ‘Maxi Priest’ and soca sensation ‘KES The Band’, on Sunday, March 31 in Manhattan, New York. Presented by New York City’s haute nightlife tastemakers ‘Big & Strong’ and ‘Tryst Experience’, this rare fusion of reggae and soca took centrestage at the ultra chic Stage 48 in midtown Manhattan, which was filled to capacity with reggae aficionados and soca revellers, who braved the elements and packed into the venue hours in advance on a rainy New York wintery-Spring day.
KES The Band and frontman Kees Dieffenthaller pleased the crowd at Stage 48 in Manhattan, on March 31, 2013 (Photography by Clyde Belcon)
With two internationally-acclaimed bands on stage, the promoters and artists had a treat in store for Caribbean music fans and party-goers. Maxi Priest opened the show just after 9:30pm with a smooth, reggae-dancehall-pop mix, and KES The Band closed the event in style, belting groovy then up-tempo signature soca tunes that drove the audience into a frenzy, with many not wishing to leave when the concert wrapped up just after midnight.
With almost an hour-long set that showcased his biggest hits, Maxi Priest was at his best, singing tunes for the lovers and ladies, including “Wild World,” “House Call (Your Body Can’t Lie To Me),” and culminating with his international pop blockbuster, “Close To You,” backed by Brooklyn-based dancehall deejay/rapper, ‘Beniton The Menace’. ‘Red Fox’ was a special guest during Priest’s set, hitting the stage for duet with Priest before segueing into his own smash single, “Bashment Party” much to the crowd’s delight, before turning the mic back over to Beniton The Menace. Priest introduced each member of his band and thanked the crowd and New York City for having him.
During the band change, soca producer-turned-artist ‘Nutron’ introduced some new fans to his sound, then the crowd was ready for KES The Band. The dancefloor filled up as frontman Kees Dieffenthaller hit the stage with his band and back-up dancers, immediately sending all hands and flags up in the air. The energy and momentum continued as KES flowed flawlessly through their catalogue, from their monster breakout hit “Wotless,” to signature singles “Where Yuh From” and “Ah Ting,” and also showcasing their new groovy tunes like “Rum And Soca” and reggae vibes such as their new anthem, “Tuesday On The Rocks” KES also covered classic soca and calypso tunes, fusing them with reggae beats, and had their fingers on the pulse of audience members, who were reluctant to leave when the band wrapped up the concert, after being on stage for well over an hour.
Maxi Priest brings reggae to the fans at Stage 48 in Manhattan, on March 31, 2013 (Photography by Clyde Belcon)
The party kicked-off from 5pm and continued all night with music from DJ Callie B and DJ Kevin Crown, who kept patrons dancing to their every beat with their unique mix of dancehall, reggae, soca, hip-hop, rap, and even pop and dance music.
Promoters Tryst Experience and Big & Strong always aim to provide their patrons with the ultimate experience in upscale nightlife events and also in musical entertainment. ‘Timeless’ is taste of the teaming-up of these unrivalled tastemakers, and one that goes down in memory for each person present for this timeless event.
Miss Bartica Regatta delegates sashed
March 22, 2013 By
Just on the heels of the official launch of the Bartica Easter Regatta 2013, the delegates of the aforementioned pageant were officially sashed last Friday in the mining community before a packed audience. The evening saw Lyndon “Jumbie” Jones taking to the stage as the master of ceremonies as he cruised through the proceedings, highlighting the upcoming events and the official sponsors, much to the delight of the audience.
The girls pose for a photo just after being sashed
The eight beauties introduced themselves and later returned on stage to be sashed officially by the representatives of their respective sponsors. The young ladies at the ceremony also gave a sneak peek of what to expect on pageant night, as they invaded the well lit stage in swimsuit pieces by Meleesa Payne.
Performances for the night included Sherman Noel, more properly known as “Dinks Man”, who belted out songs ranging from soca to rock. Also in the lineup were poetry and spoken word renditions from Guyanese actress and producer Jennifer Thomas and Leon Cummings.
Regional Chairman Gordon Bradford also made brief remarks while making mention of the stalwarts before him who paved the way for the Bartica Regatta to become the national event it is today.
He also thanked President Donald Ramotar and his Cabinet for supporting the event.
Adrian Dutchin wins 6th road march title
March 1, 2013 By
X2 singer Adrian Dutchin was elated on Monday upon receiving the fabulous news that he had copped his sixth road march title after this year’s Mashramani costume and float parade on Saturday. The results were officially released by the Mashramani Secretariat on Monday.
Adrian Dutchin
Dutchin was at the time co-hosting the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company Limited’s Jingle and Song auditions Duke Lodge, Duke Street, Kingston, but took time off to thank his thousands of fans, the bands that chose his song to gyrate to on Mash Day, his sponsors, the Kross Kolor Records family, and his family.
The almost speechless soca sensation, who entered the Road March competition with the “Jook” track, disclosed that without the support of the aforementioned people, his win could not have been possible. Expressing excitement on winning his sixth title, Dutchin noted that he felt blessed and overjoyed.
Star of the week: Niketa Tiffany Barker
February 8, 2013 By
The scintillating beauty Niketa Tiffany Barker, born July 9, 1990, is a medical student at the University of Guyana, a model and an ardent philanthropist. Although engrossed with medical studies, Niketa finds time for another passion she perceives as an exhilarating hobby- modelling.
Niketa Tiffany Barker
The medical student and model also invests time in her volunteer work at the Volunteer Youth Corp. Niketa has stormed catwalks at various fashion shows, one being the Guyana Fashion Weekend. Additionally, she has done photo shoots for many of Guyana’s and the Caribbean’s most renowned designers such as Marcia De Santos, Pamela Fox, Sonia Noel and Deron Attzs. She was also featured in the popular Caribbean Magazine: ‘Profiles 98 – Spring Issue 2011’. The top model was a delegate in the Miss Guyana Jamzone 2011 pageant and was awarded the ‘Miss Photogenic’ trophy. On the regional scene, she represented Guyana in the Elite Model Look Caribbean Competition in Trinidad and Tobago 2011 and was a finalist in the Miss Caribbean Hibiscus 2011 pageant. Most recently, she was first runner-up at the Miss Guyana Universe 2012. Niketa enjoys fashion, modeling, pageantry, volunteering, travelling, meeting new people and being a part of charitable causes.
Fifth ‘Wedding Expo’ launched
January 31, 2013 By
Acting Tourism Minister Irfaan Ali
This year the government will set out to revise the legislation which governs weddings in Guyana, a move aimed at promoting wedding tourism in the country.
Acting Tourism Minister Irfaan Ali made this announcement at the launching of the fifth annual ‘Wedding Expo’, at Duke Lodge, on Monday. The minister stated that one of the major setbacks remains the outdated legislation overriding the time in which one can be registered and licenced to get marry.
“We are looking to engage the attorney general in looking at the legislation as against what is the norm throughout the region and to have the recommended changes done in the shortest time frame and we are looking for this to be done before the end of this year,” Ali said. He posited that Guyana’s tourism product portfolio needs to be diversified and that weddings can play a key role in doing so. He explained that Guyana can capitalise on numerous venues and infrastructure, as well as the large diaspora overseas who spend large sums on weddings.
The minister stated that though the Wedding Expo is in its budding phase, it has immense potential to contribute to the tourism product in the country. The tourism minister recognised the impact the event has on the economy. He disclosed that the Tourism Ministry, the Guyana Tourism Authority and the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana will work with the Wedding Expo Committee to train persons to become professional event planners.
Meanwhile, Roraima Airways Chief Executive Officer Captain Gerry Gouveia noted that Wedding Expo is seeking to promote wedding tourism in the country. He stated that there is a need for Guyana to be marketed as a wedding destination, and that this is not being done. Gouveia said the changing of the legislation is important to ensure the country is user-friendly to people who want to come to the country to get married, rather than going to a different country. He highlighted that this year the Wedding Expo will be bigger and better.
Georgetown Chambers of Commerce President Clinton Urling, who was also present at the launch, stated that Wedding Expo is not only contributing to the economy, but to the overall social development of the country.
Couples have been invited to apply for the “Race to the Altar” to be selected as the lucky wedding couple to have a sponsored wedding at wedding expo on April 6. Applications will be closed on February 7.
This year, persons will have to pay an entrance fee of Gy$500 to attend the event. The Wedding Expo will be held from April5 to 7, at Duke Lodge.
Cece Winans serenades hundreds of Guyanese
January 31, 2013 By
Guyanese on Saturday evening set aside all differences, whether political or ethnic background, as they converged at the Guyana National Stadium for the ‘Fulfilment Gospel Concert’ to give praises to God, and pave the way for a blessed year ahead.
Cece Winans performing to a well-attended gathering
Headlining the evening’s proceedings was 10 time Grammy Award winner Cece Winans, who led hundreds of Guyanese in praise and worship with her old time favourites, as well as relatively new singles.
Her music was felt throughout the crowd, as was evident by the numerous Guyanese who sang along, danced and raised their hands as an act of praise to God. Songs that impacted the crowd included “Mercy Said No” and “Alabaster Box”, which sent the audience cheering and singing on the top of their voices, as if they were her backup singers.
Midway through her performance, Cece offered words of encouragement to the entire Guyanese population, urging them to depend upon Jesus as he would never fail them. She also encouraged the gathering to live in harmony and pray for the healing of the country, as she declared that God has already fixed the struggles that individuals might be facing.
However, it was the local artistes who set the stage for the international singer to follow, as they kicked off the night’s proceedings with worship songs and dancing. Among the locals were Cheryl Maloney, Dallas Ford, the Gonsalves brothers, Solid Youth and Yohan Jackman.
‘Inspire Inc’ Chief Executive Officer Yog Mahadeo said he was pleased that the spirit of togetherness was experienced at the concert. Leading up to the event earlier in the day, Mahadeo during a press conference, told the media that the concert is a promise come through, pointing out that it was his aim to give thanks to God and pray for national unity.
Raymond Ramnarine confident of winning Chutney Soca Monarch in TT
January 25, 2013 By
A star has risen from Trinidad. He is from the second generation of the world renowned Dil-E-Nadan band, a musical group formed in the late 60′s in the Twin Island Republic. Raymond Ramnarine is a strong contender for this year’s TT Chutney Soca Monarch Competition (CSM) which is an annual event that attracts a number of talented singers and dancers.
The second of three brothers all of whom are multi-talented and active members of the Dil-E-Nadan band, Ramnarine has decided to experience the atmosphere on the musical platform and is certainly making quite an impression amongst his fans.
Ramnarine “THE SHOW STOPPA” as he is popularly known, was constantly bombarded with calls for interviews before the semi-finals. With this sort of encouragement and support, this world-rated performer took to the stage for the semi-finals of the CSM last Friday at the Rienzi Complex in Couva in Trinidad without any dancers and props and transformed the atmosphere into an entertainment platform. His performance ended with thunderous applause as if the patrons wanted more of him. From that response, it was obvious that the crowd was very satisfied.
Lots of best wishes have been pouring in for him which may be a clear indication that the fans expect him to do well in the finals this Saturday in Trinidad. Ramnarine’s tune is number 1 on the chart. Those who are anxious to vote can check out his website, Dil-E-Nadan or on Facebook for all info. Voting starts at 6 pm on Saturday 26 January and ends 2 am on Sunday 27 January. You can text 10 times or vote via the internet. To vote Raymond Ramnarine for Soca Chutney Monarch 2013-Text RAY to 78247.
Note: Raymond along with the Dil E Nadan band will be performing in Guyana for the Easter Weekend, March 29-31. The event is promoted by Farook Juman’s Promotions.
‘Naya Zamana 17’ encore sets bar for theatrical shows
January 25, 2013 By
By Bhisham Mohamed
Amit Shaw (Yash) and Zahrah Ali in one of the many romantic scenes of “Bollywood Dreams”
Members of the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha last Saturday evening left a packed National Cultural Centre breathless during an encore performance of one of the most dynamic shows in years, ‘Naya Zamana 17’, titled “Bollywood Dreams”. The applause echoed at the end of every dance performance, all of which were perfectly executed.
The young members of the dance troupe – no more than nine years old – captivated the hearts of those in attendance at the theatrical spectacular.
“Bollywood Dreams” tells the story of a young woman who wanted to become a Bollywood actress, and through perseverance, eventually realises her dreams. The excellent selection of music accentuated the plot of the story.
The Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha is known for its elaborate stage décor and magnificent costumes, and last Saturday evening was no different. The colours of the outfits worn by its members created a kaleidoscope on stage – a dazzling effect that undoubtedly left a lasting impression on the minds of the patrons.
However, the night belonged to the talented Zahrah Ali, who performed under extreme pressure as a result of an injury she received during rehearsals.
With her smooth moves and enchanting “baby doll” looks, she definitely did justice to the role of ‘Jiya’, the heroine Sonia’s best friend, despite her ankle injury.
Indhira Harry (Sonia) also did an excellent job, proving to be one of the most beautiful and better dancers of the Sabha. The guys also did not hesitate to show off their six-packs in some of the most intriguing outfits.
The main character of the evening, Amit Shaw (Yash), delivered a flawless performance, leaving the audience mesmerised by his good looks and charming personality. With another sold-out crowd, the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha did not announce whether the show will be held over, but surely, ‘Naya Zamana 18’ will be a show to look forward to.
The production was written, directed and choreographed by Dr Vindhya Persaud while the stage sets and costumes were done by Trishala Persaud.
It used more than 65 dancers, who performed remarkably well, with every move done to perfection.
The occasion was attended by former President Bharrat Jagdeo, Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha head Reepu Daman Persaud, members of the diplomatic corps, government ministers, and other senior government functionaries.
Annual Wedding Expo set for April 5-7
January 18, 2013 By
