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“Ah want tuh go
Big people party
Make de music take over me
Ah want tuh jump up whole day
Whole night
Ah want tuh whine up whole day
Whole night.”

The TJJ Crew was ready to go to a Big People Party as Bishops was finally legal when it turned 18 years old on February 1st 2014!  And the 18th time around this original Bishops Committee had the management of this event down to a science as every nook and cranny of BAHS compound was used for specialty booths, food stalls and premium drinks bars by Angostura and Ciroc.

With the ring of the school bell Old Hilarians’ Carnival Fete was off with a bang as the ‘taal’ of the Unity Tassa Drummers ushered a rhythmic procession of patrons into the compound.  While on the inside DJ Alicia ‘D’ Duchess set the tone by warming up the crowd with Groovy Soca music as patrons made their way through the cuisine court sampling some of the standard dishes that you would get at any All Inclusive.

But before you had time to digest your first meal it was time for the live entertainment to begin.  The first of four bands to hit the stage was 2013 National Chutney Soca Monarch Raymond Ramnarine and the band Dil E Nadan.  Ramnarine et al, all dressed in casual attire as if they just came from liming around the corner, made solid attempts to move the crowd during their hour long set.  However the overall atmosphere during this earlier period of the fete made the audience react in a more reserved manner.

Up next was veteran big band Roy Cape All Stars featuring Blaxx.  The always professional Blaxx steered clearly away from vulgarity and instead used humour to excite the crowd as he joked that everyone only wants him to sing Farmer Nappy’s ‘Big People Party’ instead of his own songs.  Needless to say he had to concede to the Big People request as the brass horns blared with the infectious melodious chorus sending the crowd into a frenzy!

In quick succession were Destra and her band Bakanal.  The self-proclaimed ‘Queen of Bacchanal’ entered the stage wearing a netted cat-suit that was two sizes too small and left nothing to the imagination.  Needless to say her choice of outfit became more of a distraction for the sophisticated audience who all gasped when they thought that they were about to see a wardrobe malfunction as she jumped and wrapped her legs around a male patron whom she had earlier welcomed onto the stage.

Finally to close the night was the Asylum Vikings featuring Bunji Garlin and Fay Ann Lyons both dressed in Bishops’ signature navy blue.  The announcement of the Asylum Vikings had even made Trinidad & Tobago President Anthony Thomas Aquinas Carmona leave the VIP veranda and come downstairs to backstage to get an even better view to enjoy Bunji’s performance.  And what a great concert styled show was put on by the Viking and Viqueen as they did not need any intricate dance moves or pyrotechnics to enhance their performance, but simply used two microphones and two microphone-stands.  So good was their repertoire, which ranged from Soca, Rapso and even Electronic Dance Music, that it could rival any music festival!

In the end even though Bishops has some logistical issues when attempting to move through the crowd while negotiating large trees, it is still a must go to event for any Carnival year with its great food and good vibes.  After 18 years Bishops has definitely outgrown the school’s compound and maybe it’s time to move the stage and the live entertainment part of the party onto a secured Keate Street so that patrons are better accommodated.  And again special mention must be made about the song of the night ‘Big People Party.’  Old or new, Farmer Nappy’s Big People Party is a BESS tune with its big band sound that echoed across the compound as patrons chipped to steel pan music out of the school.

Keiron was there... where were you?

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>> View Old Hilarian's 2014 Carnival Fete Gallery
>> View Trinidad Carnival 2014 Coverage