Ebuzz News
Kairi People Remains Top Tier. Runaway Tobago Delivers Ambience, Soca and Good Vibes.
What could anyone want more in an all inclusive carnival style fete, than what was delivered at Kairi People’s recent Runaway in Tobago? Pigeon Point proved to be the ultimate location for the event’s third staging on October 16th. A perfectly sunny afternoon lent to a lot of heat in the atmosphere, but with drinks flowing, good company all around and music to make everyone move, there was very little to complain about.
Kairi People has stood solidly in the entertainment and promotions market in T&T, as a leading outfit, hosting many events over the years. Runaway Tobago was no different. The $600 all- inclusive event saw many patrons enter the venue after 1pm, ready to enjoy all that was being offered. Tobago’s trademarked, Crab and Dumpling, along with pork dishes and Chinese food were served to food lovers, while at the bar, drinks served up in signature Kairi People cups, kept the afternoon’s momentum up. To lessen the effect of the scorching sun, Kairi People embellished fans were given to patrons upon arrival. These would certainly prove necessary as the afternoon progressed. Patrons came out dressed in colorful outfits, taking perfect heed to the call by organisers for bright, festive styles.
Unapologetically absent from their regular professional duties, the crowd of happy-go- lucky fetters assembled, ready to ‘palance’ to the music of ‘D All Starz band, and the cast of artistes who would hit the stage. College Boy Jesse – one of the band’s frontline artistes, did an amazing job of introducing the live entertainment. His new single, ‘Party Genie’ shared with soca lovers ahead of Tobago Carnival, gave the crowd a little taste of what could be expected in the season ahead. He would later make way for fellow front-liner, Viking Ding Dong who, with a bag of hits to his credit, engaged with the audience like only he could. Interaction with a female fan in the audience would lead to her being brought on stage for the artiste’s release of his latest single, ‘Throwback.’ It was a moment of humor and fun as Ding Dong carelessly walked away from beside the gyrating woman, towards the crowd, leaving her to walk closer to the the bass player where she showed off her skills.
The fun wasn’t done there. Seasoned entertainer, Farmer Nappy was next. Dressed in a red t-shirt and shorts, with red sneakers, Farmer came out to an eager audience as he sang the crowd favorite, ‘How Ah Living.’ He would later have to secure himself on stage as a female fan attempted to relieve him of his footwear, saying she wanted his sneakers. He chose to give her his socks as a piece of memorabilia, but she threw them back at him on stage, much to the thrill of the enthused crowd. “Yuh disrespectful,” Farmer lashed back, before continuing with his catalogue of groovy soca anthems that succeeded in pleasing the happy Kairi People crowd.
Also in the lineup was newcomer to the soca stage scene, ‘Wadicks.’ His 2024 hit single, ‘Beat Rum Bad’ maintains its momentum at carnival events, and has taken the artiste around the US and across the Caribbean region since T&T Carnival. Now, returning with a single called, ‘Iron,’ the retired soldier turned singer is proving to be a force with performance to match. He wooed the crowd with personality and charm, moving his hips and making eye contact with the women who screamed lustily as he performed. In the end, Wadicks would leave quite a lasting impression, many agreeing that he would be one to watch in the Carnival season ahead.
The excitement and thrill of Runaway was amplified with the emergence of reigning Road March King, Mical Teja who rounds off the frontline of D All Starz band. Delivering his energy to a welcoming audience, Teja ignited the scene and proved to be a delightful addition to the feting atmosphere. The artiste, who also celebrated his birthday on that day, released his new single, ‘Energy,’ making an intentional effort to share love and positive vibes with fetters who came from near and far to experience pure vibes at another Kairi People event.
Kairi People heads to South Ranch, Debe, in Trinidad next. Already, anticipation for the November 13th event is high as soca artiste Voice is booked to hit the stage, with other artistes to be added. Kairi People’s mantra of delivering to patrons, ‘value for money’ has proven to be a major factor in the delivery of there signature event brands. Runaway Tobago was certainly proof of the team’s ability to deliver effectively, even at an affordable price to patrons.
Ebuzz News
Patrice Roberts Pulls 10K Plus Crowd At Flava Village in Port-of-Spain.
The national Carnival Commission says more than 10,000 patrons came out to Flava Village at the Queen’s Park Savannah on Thursday night to see female Soca artiste, Patrice Roberts.
An event dubbed, ‘Always Us,’ held as a free showcase for Carnival lovers, delivered a number of truly entertaining soca stars, among them, Shal Marshall, Shurwayne Winchester, Nadia Batson, Farmer Nappy and Mical Teja. The NCC, in a media statement said, “an estimated 8,000 people filled the popular Carnival venue, with an additional 2,000patrons enjoying the show from viewing screens along The Drag, creating an electric Carnival atmosphere despite heavy rainfall earlier in the day.”
With her usual high energy performances, Patrice held the attention of fans throughout the night.The concert was described by the artiste as a heartfelt “thank you” to her fans and
supporters. NCC’s Chief Executive Officer, Keiba Jacob-Mottley, said the organisation welcomed the opportunity to partner with Roberts. “We commend Patrice for her decision to give back in this meaningful way and applaud her commitment to ensuring that high-quality local entertainment remains accessible to everyone during the Carnival season, Mottley said, adding, “Our collaboration reinforces the NCC’s focus on creating memorable Carnival experiences that celebrate our artistes while removing financial barriers for the public,” she added.
The NCC CEO noted that the Flava Food Village, one of two signature Carnival villages at the
Savannah, alongside the John Cupid Carnival Village, is offered as a vibrant, inclusive space
where patrons can enjoy food, culture, and nightly performances free of charge. She added
that other NCC events, such as “Welcome to the Gayelle” represent the continuing work at
delivering a successful Carnival 2026.
David Baptiste, President of the Carnival Entrepreneurs Association, described the night as a milestone for vendors at the Savannah. “Last night was truly beautiful and something I have never seen before – an event of this magnitude in terms of crowd size, and people supporting the vendors. Many vendors sold out last night. We need more of this, and I am looking forward to the next event. Events like these boost business for our vendors at the Savannah and make them truly feel like they are a part of the Carnival festival,” Baptiste said.
Ebuzz News
Squeezy Rankin’s Pivot. Artiste Goes Hard into Calypso to Change Mindsets.
From dancehall music with rough lyrical content to social commentary that aims at changing mindsets, East Trinidad native, Squeezy Rankin says he has found his true calling in Calypso music. The entertainer is on the road to the preliminary round of the Calypso Monarch Competition later this month, with a single called ‘Rat Race’ – this, one year after ‘Justice’ influenced younger audiences to take a stronger look at the Calypso genre, something that he hopes he can continue to do as his journey in music continues.
In a recent radio interview, the reigning Young King, whose real name is Anthony La Fleur, said prior to 2025, he had not done music professionally in 13 years. Jumping back into the spotlight, he said, was a bit intimidating, but the exposure last year has prepared him for 2026 and the artiste is expected to confidently claim his space in the Calypso Monarch competition this year.
As real as it gets, Squeezy Rankin- a man on the ground, has always fought for his place in the music industry locally. Now, as Calypso music embraces him even more, he says he believes he’s found his place. “I plan on releasing two songs during the year because I want to change the narrative that Calypso music is old people music,” he said, adding that his hope is that urban radio stations see the value in sharing topics of social commentary, such as ‘Justice’ and ‘Rat Race’- songs deep in meaning and valuable beyond measure, in the greater scheme of things.
Determined to change mindsets one song at a time, Squeezy Rankin says his strong suit is certainly social commentary and he will not, at any time, delve into political commentary. “I was advised by someone who is deep in politics to stay out of it and I literally listened. You know sometimes we hear people, but we aren’t listening. I thought about what he said, and it made sense. I literally listened, even though they say I don’t listen,” he said with a laugh.
‘Rat Race’ was written by Squeezy and Angelo Pantin with production by Q-Ban Production.
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