‘Dark horse’ London heads for the Big Yard

BRIAN LONDON, the 2004 Young King, topped the semi-finalists at the Calypso Fiesta show at Skinner Park, San Fernando, on Saturday and has made it to the Big Yard for the very first time.

London gave a sterling performance with “Win Back We Nation” and “We Free” to capture the judges’ nod and take him to the Calypso Monarch finals at the Dimanche Gras show on Sunday night at the Queen’s Park Savannah. London, a TTEC employee, is considered by many to be a dark horse in the race for kaiso honours this year. Four former Calypso Monarchs are among the 11 finalists who will be challenging Singing Sandra for the title on Sunday night. They are Shadow, Sugar Aloes, Luta and Chalkdust. Others who have made it to the final round of the competition are, De Fosto, Ras Kommanda, Heather MacIntosh, Kizzy Ruiz, Protector and Skatie. The reserves are Valentino and Crazy. These finalists are asked to contact TUCO’s head office at 9 am today for information on their rehearsal dates and to collect their competition kits.

Shadow, who won the Monarch title four years ago, was a hit with the Skinner Park crowd serving up “Hornerman” and “Cocoyea.”  Chalkdust, a five-time Monarch, was his usual witty self with two compositions — “One Caribbean” and “Lal Rumshop.” Sugar Aloes, the 2002 Monarch was again a favourite with the crowd. One of his songs “Never Again” tells of the calypsonian’s prediction that the UNC will never see the corridors of Government again. Ras Kommanda will carry the South’s flag at the finals.  He really stirred up Skinner Park with “Sando Alive.”  Complete with dancers, Ras Kommanda sang his heart out for his first trip to the Big Yard. Heather MacIntosh makes another appearance at Dimanche Gras, so too will be Skatie and Protector. De Fosto is hoping to add another title after he was crowned the King of both Pan competitions organised by Pan Trinbago and TUCO in the last week.