Ebuzz News
Archived: Ultimate Rejects For Army. Promoter Says The Rejects Will Always Have a Place at the Safest Fete in Carnival.
Reigning Road March Champions, The Ultimate Rejects will be performing at the annual Army Fete on Friday, February 2 at the Queen’s Park Savannah. A spokesperson for “the safest fete in Carnival” said “the people’s champions” will “always have a place at Army Fete” in response to recent reports in the media of The Rejects having lackluster bookings thus far this season.
Following up on their 2017 smash hit, “Full Extreme”, which earned a record for the most played Road March winner ever in the history of the competition, the Ultimate Rejects released five songs between October and December 2017, with at least two of those releases receiving heavy airplay on radio stations and in the early fetes.
Two of these releases, namely: “Lightning Flash” and “Inside The Festival” have also been chosen by a number of steel bands (including the Reigning Panorama Champions, Massy Trinidad All Stars) as their selection for the upcoming Panorama competition. Last week, social media and radio talk shows made a topic of the matter of decreased bookings, as indicated by the Ultimate Rejects in a television interview with TV6 investigative journalist, Mark Bassant.
Having noticed the situation, Bassant questioned the trio on it, essentially getting lead vocalist, MX Prime to admit that bookings have been less than forthcoming. He said while the five tunes released this season have in fact been receiving tremendous airplay and positive reviews, all round, the Ultimate Rejects have been left out of many shows that they’d been booked for last year.
“You would think that promoters would want to have the group or the act that had such a tremendous impact on the population just ten months ago, but that doesn’t seem to be the case with some promoters. Management is relaying some conversations to us that are quite puzzling because we know that we made sure to produce and release great songs for the season and those songs have been getting airplay and positive reviews all around, but yet, we find ourselves being left out of many shows which we did last year.”
Asked whether their pricing and the country’s economic constraints could be at the heart of the problem, the group agreed that such could be the case, however they said they had spoken internally on this issue, and made adjustments to suit it, prior to the season. “We definitely took the economic state of the country into account when we began planning our season,” said, Joel “Iceman” Aming, “and we advised both our manager and booking agent to be accommodating to promoters. We don’t expect to be in all the fetes – that’s quite literally impossible – and we’re always busy making music, doing our monthly podcasts for our fans abroad and designing new merchandise and stuff like that, but when our fans start asking why, and observing that they have not been seeing us advertised for certain major events and then, we get excuses and reasons relayed to us that have nothing to do with pricing or availability or song quality or popularity, we have to sit up and take notice and really wonder if this is what winning the Road March title is really about…”
Ebuzz News
‘I Am Legend’ Concert Promoter, Glenroy Watson Has Passed Away.
Caribbean Buzz
Destra Delivers Powerfully at Reflections.
“If this sharing that I’m doing touches anyone, I’m truly grateful. None of us are perfect. Some days you’ll feel good, some days you won’t, but it’s all part of the journey. Sometimes what you’re looking for is right on the horizon, and the moment you give up, you miss it. If my testimony makes anyone feel something, then my work here is done.” – DESTRA GARCIA
Trinidad and Tobago received a musical showcase of spiritual awakening yet again this past Saturday, at Destra’s ‘Reflections: Sound. Spirit. Surrender.” The event took place at Queen’s Hall, St. Ann’s and proved to be a truly inspiring and uplifting musical experience.
From the onset, the show set a standard that fans of good music with powerful lyrics, would rave about for weeks. David Rudder – a cultural icon of Calypso music out of Trinidad and Tobago, welcomed the audience as he hit the stage first delivering the very fitting, ‘High Mas.’ It was a powerful blessing no doubt – something that would lead into a seamless spiritual production. He was subsequently joined on stage by Destra, something that created a full-circle moment that drew immediate emotion from the audience.
Known for her unmistakeable vocal ability, Destra took her audience on a carefully curated musical journey, opening her set with Free Again before transitioning into slowed-down, soul-stirring renditions of some of her most beloved songs, including Love Somebody and Fly and with each performance, she revealed a different layer of her artistry, offering vulnerability, reflection, and strength.
One of the night’s most touching highlights came as Garcia shared the stage with her daughter, Xaiya, for a heartfelt duet of The Prayer. Beginning at the piano, Xaiya gently set the tone before joining her mother in song, creating an intimate moment that resonated deeply with the audience.
The production, which was creatively directed by Zara Bartels and Isoke Edwards, also showcased the incredible talent of father and son pan duo Martin and De’jean Cain as well as the Maria Regina Grade School and St. Joseph’s Convent Port- of- Spain choirs, whose vibrant and polished performances brought a refreshing, youthful energy to the stage. Gospel artiste, Nisa joined Garcia for a powerful duet of Bridge Over Troubled Water. She also performed her original composition Make Me Over, adding another layer of spiritual depth to the evening.
As the show built toward its finale, Garcia delivered a commanding rendition of Ella Andall’s Bring Down the Power, followed by classic hymns including A Little More Oil in My Lamp. This climactic segment was elevated by the presence of traditional belle dancers and African drummers, creating a rich, cultural fusion that brought the audience to its feet. Beyond the performances, the overall production, brought to life through Bridgette Wilson’s choreography and Atiba Borde’s costuming, stood out for its seamless execution, immersive ambience, and thoughtful storytelling, reinforcing Reflections as more than just a concert, but a transformative experience.
Reflections certainly delivered a powerful blend of music, filled with deep messages and meaning. In what is a very spiritual season, Destra, through the delivery of ‘Reflections,’ has carved out a space for inspiration and connection within Trinidad and Tobago’s cultural landscape – something that many would agree, is a necessity more than an option.