Rose, Belfon barred by Tent

CALYPSO ROSE (McArthur Lewis) and Denise Belfon were not allowed to perform at the House of Stars Wednesday night after they defied orders from the tent’s management and performed at the Spektakula Promotions’ “Divas of Soca Concert.” Rose, a former National Monarch and Road March winner, is contending that the “Divas Concert” was a show but House of Stars considered it a rival tent and banned its contracted singers from taking part in it. Rose told Newsday she found out that she had been dropped from the House of Stars playbill when she turned up at the tent’s Henry Street venue following her “Divas” performance. “Fifteen minutes after I  arrived at the venue,” Rose said, “I was told by the stage manager, not to bother to change my clothes because I would not be performing tonight.”

Manager of the House of Stars tent, Peter Budd, confirmed that Rose was barred from singing Wednesday night and said she will not be allowed to perform tonight too. He said in the case of Belfon, she has not yet rehearsed with the band and following her appearance at the concert she may not be singing there for the remainder of the season. Budd pointed out that Denyse Plummer, the other House of Stars calypsonian advertised to perform in the “Divas” concert, was the only one who obeyed the tent management’s directive and opted out of the Spektakula show. On Tuesday night, the three soca stars were called into the office of House of Stars director, businessman William Munro and told not to perform in the “Divas” show because it constituted “a rival tent.” However, a defiant Rose not only went ahead with her “Divas” performance, but even announced to the audience at the show that she was performing with a lawsuit hanging over her head.

All efforts to contact Munro yesterday proved futile. However, Claude Martineau of Spektakula Promotions, who promoted the “Divas” show  expressed surprise at the controversy. “It is so difficult to understand the reason and logic behind it,” Martineau said. He added that Plummer didn’t perform because she and her manager felt that they should not do it. Although last season while contracted with the Revue tent she performed at the “Divas” concert because it was not then regarded by Revue’s management as a rival tent. “Plummer and her manager were trying to argue on the premise that their contract with us was not a written contract but a verbal contract but we all know that a verbal contract is as strong as a written contract.

In any case, the contract we had with Denyse has always been a verbal contract,” said Martineau. He too contended that the “Divas of Soca Concert” was a “show” and not a “rival tent.” He also said the artistes told him that Munro had indicated to them that it was okay for them to perform at the same venue the following night at a show promoted by Randy Glasgow. “I don’t know what Munro’s story is. Traditionally, they had been allowed to perform on other shows outside of their tent,” said Martineau who insisted that the artistes had valid contracts.