HOUSE OF SOCA has three singers in the recently announced list of 18 contestants for the July 22 Banks/Lime Pic-O-De-Crop semi-finals at the gymnasium of the Garfield Sobers Sports Complex.
First-timers to the semi-finals David Popsicle Hall, Daniel Jimmy Dan Borman and Natasha Kya Williams will be flying the tent flag. Both Popsicle and Jimmy Dan would have been previous Party Monarch finalists, while Kya is the 2004 Junior Monarch winner.
Even though it was the luck of the draw, one of the better tent packages this year was arguably saved for the final night of judging last Wednesday.
Except for the seasoned Gregory G, the cast is made up of the young brigade, many of whom would have excelled in the Junior Calypso Monarch competition.
Popsicle has an interesting combination in Cornwell and Pick a Fair. He uses double entendre to great effect in both and got deserving encores for his efforts.
The former uses a faithful donkey to speak about the economic times.
The singer said his father left instructions in his will to sell the cow, the calf, the two goats, but not the donkey.
The chorus goes, in part, “No matter how long de recession last, left de donkey dey ’cause I ain’t selling my ass”.
Pick A Fair is a commentary on the violence in communities that spills into entertainment events. Popsicle has determined that fairs are the safest bet. Popsicle dealt with the serious issue of HIV/AIDS in his Party Monarch track Safe Sex.
His encore verse told of the good times he had at fairs at Queen’s College and Combermere, with the one at the Garrison being the best.
Encore
Jimmy Dan also got an encore for his first half number Calling Names. His second appearance was to judge in both the Pic-O-De-Crop and Party Monarch with the patriotic Bajan To De Bone.
Kya was refreshing with Kaiso and Why. She got an encore for the latter.
The number of places in the semi-finals in no way speaks to the quality of the other presentations, however. Sir Ruel, Cher and Shaki-K gave good accounts of themselves as well.
House Of Soca did not get any Party Monarch picks, but a number of the tent’s calypsonians faced the judges. Patrons will undoubtedly remember the presentations of Slim Girl and Fluffy for very different reasons.
