The BVI's
Showtime Band has continued to excel since its formation in 1999. The band has
won five consecutive road march titles and continues to shine.
When British Virgin
Islanders think about their annual festival, they look forward to celebrating
their culture with both food and music. The music for festival time in the
British Virgin Islands is the VI's own style of calypso and soca. Traditionally,
the islands were known for fungi music, which is played with handmade
instruments such as the ukulele and the squash. Since the 1980s, with the
influences of Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua, St. Kitts and Nevis and the nearby
U.S. Virgin Islands, the BVI has cemented its own brand of calypso music.
BVI's Festival
Music
Several bands have come out of the BVI, including
Caribbean Ecstasy, with songs like "Push Pipe" in the 1980s, Adjik with
"Ram," Awesome Crew and Prime Time, who sang "Bernie,"
inspired by Weekend At Bernies (1989). The band Elvis White also comes from the
BVI and they sang the hit "Sexy Waist." In 1999, Showtime Band came
on the scene and made an impact instantly. Today, they have accomplished eight albums,
several hits, a growing fan base and road march titles.
Who is Showtime
Band
Showtime's lead
vocalists are Raul "Jougo" Sprauve, Renrick, "Mac Daddy"
Massac and Eustace "Boss" Freeman, all original band members since 1999.
Kerry Nichols is on keyboards, LeeSean Smith handles the drum machine, also
called the rhythm box, and Glen Lamothe is a guitarist. Jougo's brother, engineer,
Ramon Sprauve and Osbert "Cushung" Pole, the bass guitarist, were both
members of the 1990s BVI sensation, Primetime. Kevin Sweeney, a rhythm box
'genie,' is also a founding member of Showtime and is currently on a short hiatus.
Crystal Frett and Andrea Sweeney are also contributing members of the band.
The managers are
Roger Frank and Ottley Hodge, another founding member. Since its inception, the
band has gone through several metamorphoses, but stands strong today, and gave
several outstanding performances during the BVI's 2011 Emancipation Festival.
Showtime has not only performed for audiences in the BVI, but has also shared
their music with fans in St. Thomas and St. Croix in the USVI and in Miami.
They have collaborated with both local and regional artists. Locally, they have
worked with hip-hop artist, Aaron 'Da Jedi' Parillon, in "Invisible"
and with [Lincoln Ward](http://www.lincolnward.com/) in "See You
Again."
They have also
shared tracks with Sowande and Terra Mike and teamed with Trinidad and Tobago's Shurwayne Winchester on the
2007 Road March, "Soca Pledge Remix," from their 'The Family' album.
Most recently, they teamed with singer and producer, AJ, of the former Xtaushun
Band who sang "Energy" and with JJ, formerly of Xtreme Band, for
another Road March. The collaboration resulted in the 2011 Road March
"Buns of Steel." Other Road March songs from Showtime include
"Hula Hoop" in 2008 and, in 2009, "Circles" which may be
deemed their biggest hit. In 2010, two songs won, "Yo-Yo" and "Whine
Like Crazy," both from the I Am album. Older songs that are recognized by
fans include "Madoo," and "B.V.I.," a tribute to the BVI's beauty
and culture.
How Road March is
Determined
For local bands, during the festival, the
prize sought is the coveted Road March title, a competition in which only BVI
bands can compete. The winning Road March song is chosen from the songs that
are played in front of the judges during the August Monday parade. The person
charged with ensuring that the Road March competition was properly handled in
2011 was Miss Nakema Bell of the BVI Festival and Fairs Committee. According to
Miss Bell, the Road March judges consider the total number of times a song is
played by a DJ or a band, the originality and creativity of the song and the
band's overall performance of the song. Bands have to submit an application and
compact disc with the songs to be considered as contenders for the Road March
title. The song with the most points at the end of the parade is declared the
winner. In 2011, there were two dedicated judges for the Road March
Competition.
What's Next for Showtime Band
2011 proved
to be another successful year for Showtime Band. They are booked regularly in
the BVI in Tortola and in Virgin Gorda and are getting positive feedback from
their fans. In addition, they recently released their eighth album, The
Journey, with eight tracks, including "Buns of Steel, "Pushing Bush"
and "Surround Me." According to co-manager, Roger Frank, Showtime is aiming
at a sixth consecutive Road March title in 2012. In the near future, they hope
to perform at New York's annual West Indian Day Parade. Roger also shared that
"the (fans') support has been tremendous and had a driving force to keep
the band going." The band regularly performs community service by linking
with a cause of their choosing to show their gratitude for the support of their
fans. For more information and for bookings, please visit their Facebook page.
Sources:
- Telephone Interview with Roger Frank, co-Manager of the Showtime Band on September 6, 2011
- Telephone Interview with Nakema Bell, BVI Festival Committee on September 2, 2011
- Showtime Band Facebook Page
- Showtime Band is 2011 Road March Champion, BVINews.com accessed September 6, 2011
No comments:
Post a Comment