Despite the slush mud that saw many fans partying from the safety of the seawalls, Guyanese sure love them some Kes and teh Band. On Caricom evening into the next early morning hours thousands graced the Pegasus parking lot for some ‘wotles soca theraphy’ and they sure got their fill. From gong to gong the entertainment event promoted by AnSa McAl’s Carib Beer proved a multicultural delight with local acts such as Shelly G (one time soca Monarch) and Mahendra RamKellawan (reigning Road March King) and his dancers.
Shelly G was her ever raunchy self dishing songs such as ‘Touch Me here’ while Ramkellawan was a spicy hot showcase of chutney Guyanese style. Hut he obviously forced the sounds of his many popular chutney songs as was evident from the sometimes cracky sound of his voice declaring that even when he going to church ‘dem ah watche me’. But that was just the calm before the storm as Adesh Samaroo (TT chutney monarch 2004) proved his dominance as a professional chutney singer with quite a few samples of his hits such as ‘cyaan go fuh cane’, and ‘Rajin’ etc as well as ‘scorpian sting meh’. Then came time for the night’s feature act: Kes and the band! Many lost their inhebitions when the contagious sound of ‘Ah wotless’ signalled the ushering in of a dread locked soca sensation- Kes.
First came his dancers doing their thing. Then came Kes came on and expressed gratitude to Banks and was glad that he was performing in Guyana yet again in less than a year. The dude with dread locks who incidently is a sticker for education belted out hit after hit from his catalogue as well as several covers from the more popular artistes with his dancers providing energetic routines with each beat. But that was just teh beginning as teh Crow in VIP and General audience couldent care less that mud was under their feet or that teh plyboard set up could give way… thank goodness it didn’t. but Kes and his band proved that they are more than just soca singers as they moved from ‘Wine to the side’ to singing covers from Sean Paul and other Jamaican artistes. Another highlight of the evening was the conclusion of the ‘Carib Domination’ promotion. Five Carib patrons won fabulous prizes such as an ipod, a Flat plazma screen television,a motor scooter and the main prize of a new Toyota Allion.
Robert Calendar of Thomas Street, Kitty who bought his carib from Swet point was luckiest of teh lot while Meenamattie Ramlall won herself a motor scooter, Bridgelall Monilall won a laptop computer, Dorwin Holder won the LCD flatscreen television and Karen Rampersaud won herself an Apple iPod.Back to the Concert: Kes created a mad frenzy when he dished out covers from Ravi B, SuperCat whom he said was way before Sean paul, Machel Montano, and many other artistes.several ladies got a chance to show what Guyanese women are made of too and of course Kes used the song ‘tall thing short thing, I wining up on all thing, fat thing slim thing i wining up on everything…” But while the slim ones were most entertaining Kes sure got his Guyanese wine from a Buxsome Guyanese woman weighting more than 250lbs whom he hoisted unto his hips and she sure was an agile fan. But even before that, Kes aside from telling his fans that he wants to develop a relationship with his Guyanese fans, showed his love for GT people. After several calls from one female fan the superstar in the making jumped off the stage and to the barriers he went. There he got some reall Guyanese love as omen grabbed and pawed at his physique from every angle while others simply went crazy with screams of wild abandon from touching his dread locks.
The show was high energy from start to finish and wen he was done he had shed all the layers of his upper clothing. But it’s not over for Guyanese fans as the artiste is ready and willing to return to the local shores yet again once he is booked to perform. At the show’s conclusion there was hardly anyone with dry clothing exiting the venue and while most must have had quite a job of cleaning mud from their footwear they sure had a blast from Kes and teh Band compliments of Carib-the Beer of the Caribbean. Also in attendance were teh delegates of the Miss Guyana Universe who obviously had a blast.
By Mondale Smith, Production Manager BTV