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Soca Launch 2006 Volume 3
Date: Saturday 21st January 2006
Venue: Beaumont Club, Markham (Toronto)
Promoters: Dem Fellas and De Music Library
Click on thumbnails to see the big picture/entire gallery

Come January each year, the majority of the new year's Soca is released, and when you really study it, this is the music that takes us through the year to the different Carnivals throughout the world. Now being that Trini Jungle Juice is all about supporting and promoting 'we culture', we had to reach the 3rd Volume of Soca Launch 2006 brought to you by Dem Fellas and De Music Library to hear all the latest and greatest.

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We pull up about 11:45pm or so, and not a spot in the regular carpark. Bap bap, we grab a quick park over at Shangri-La and head into the dance. We must say, when they say newly renovated Beaumont club, they were not joking. De place nice inside... definitely one of the nicer venues we have been too outside of downtown. The dance was not ram, but had a pretty decent turnout with everyone for the most part following the fashionably casual dresscode. We love to see folks looking all GQ at soca fetes, as long as they don't let their fancy gear get in de way of their feteing! So we were happy to see some fellas pulling the ladies to the main dance floor to get jiggy.

MarXman warm up the session, playing more of the familiar tunes from the last couple of years and slowly working his way up to some of the already known 2006 tunes like Mini Priest's "Sexy Lady." Drinks were flowing and partygoers were getting into the vibes as the night progressed. There was even a sweet reggae set - we were a little shocked to hear dancehall vibes being played at a Soca Launch, but it went down pretty decent actually. Next up, the Blackberry Sound Crew representing Dominica. Now, as big as Toronto is when it comes to being a major capital for Caribbean entertainment, we does have to wonder how come a lot of folks in Toronto are just out of sync when it comes to what's hot in Trini and what's not. Because when Blackberry play Mista Vybe's "Ting 4 D Road", which is the front runner for Road March 2006 right now... and the entire fete ent start to jump up and get on... that is one thing. But, when they play their soca plate for "Ting 4 D Road"... bop bop!! Only people that know true scenes were ready to call de police!!! Large up Blackberry Sound...the people ent ready for yuh yet! They jam about 3 other big soca tunes back to back, and the crowd was hyped. Right then they decided to give the Dominica fans some tunes. We learnt on the night, that Dominica's Carnival happens to be at the same time as Trini Carnival. However, beyond the Dominican crew on the inside, a lot of the other partygoers were not ready for the full Dominican session.

Last but not least in the DJ line up was none other than 2005 International Soca DJ, Dr. Jay "De Soca Price". At this time of the night, we were busy snapping pictures (yeah, real stickin' early o'clock), but could remember all de big and hot soca tunes gettin' rinsed out. "Aaa Aa Allllya moooooove... Aaa Aa Allllya moooooove..." play de big KMC ft Professor Ken Philmore "3 Miles"! Promoters... DJs... all man jack was jumpin'. Especially the ones that already knew most of the new music. Large up E Man who held down the mic.

With all these new tunes playing on the night, we were not sure if it was too much for folks to absorb in one night. A good bit of the partygoers left before the night was done, and some even left before Dr. Jay got on the set, thinking that he was going to be a no show (not sure what gave them that impression). TJJ stayed almost until the end, especially since we were enjoying de music. Peoples, if you going to a fete called "Soca Launch 2006," enjoy it for what it is... you not going to hear your familiar Soca, Dancehall, Hip-Hop and RnB. It's all about brand new business! Big up to Dem Fellas and De Music Library for allow TJJ to pass thru. Great concept - keep the Volumes coming for 2007 and beyond. Ting ting ting ting tiiiiing ting...TJJ out.