Carnival Thursday in the TJJ Notting Hill 2009 Fete-lympics® and therefore we made sure to attend the Press Conference for the launch of the PUKShop and to host the stars of Energy - The Carnival Concert for Notting Hill Carnival 2009, all hosted by the invincible PoisonUK Next Level Events. The Soca Stars on hand for the concert and present tonight were, Bunji Garlin, Fay-Ann Lyons, Peter Ram, Benjai, Iwer George, Berbice and Lil Rick.

Originally hosted at the Trinidad and Tobago High Commission, the press conference was held at the Tabernacle, also known as, The Carnival Village. A change for the best so that the Carnival Village could be revived and hence be the ultimate location for any West Indian cultural event.

As usual, the format of these conferences are general Q&A followed by the interview and meet and greet. TJJ TV got our first interview with Grenada's 2007 Road March winner Berbice: watch this space!

Some of the questions posed on hand were:

Photos By Amiel Barrimond
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Fay-ann, you being the only woman, how do you feel to be apart of this line up and what we're going to expect from you at the concert? Well if anyone know me they would know I have more testosterone than most men so how I feel .... And well what to expect from me tonight, I cannot say.

Bunji, as the leader or The Asylum, what can we expect tomorrow tonight? I cannot say what to expect, I don't want to say what to expect, I will lie if I say what to expect... all I know is we going to mash up di place, The Asylum is going to mash up the place, we going to mash up the place so that they would have to hire a carpenter to build the place back!!

Peter Ram how do you feel being apart of this? Well as you know, is a one love amongst the soca stars. Benjai and I is party, Hypa Dawg and I party when we in Barbados, I feel great being apart of this concert and this huge fraternity and definately looking forward to mashing up the place!!! ... Oh, and definately would like to thank PoisonUK for providing this opportunity!

Benjai, you been through a lot in the past years, you had a great year, so what can we expect from you? Yes everybody knows I was with Asylum, I was with Xtatik and you know what I have the advantage and I learned a lot from performing with these two bands. I have been through so much and I only have the All Mighty for providing me and keeping me in this light. I love performing. I love entertainment. If I was not singing I would be an actor!

Berbice, you have always behind the scenes over the years, so how you feel as you are now mainstream?
I love the culture and I really want to thank Bunji Garlin for encouraging me.

Lil Rick, you were here last year and was on the card with Machel, now back here again ... any thoughts or feelings? I just want to thank PoisonUK for bringing me back to the UK to perform for the lovely people in London and I really look forward to entertaining the masses and having a grand time.

With that being said we had a few conversations with the artistes and enjoyed the ole talk while making our way down to the PoisonUK Afterwork Party where all the stars would make a cameo and lime meet some fans... who knows what could happen! Speaking of which, have you ever seen a pink dog??

Amiel aka Under Mi Guinnes (Guinness Juice) aka Scorn Juice
Always Forward Never Buss

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Related Galleries
Notting Hill Carnival 2009 Coverage