Cover Drive’s leading lady, Amanda Reifer, continues her journey as a solo artist with the release of her latest single, the moody and ethereal ‘Haunt You.’ As she did with her last single, ‘Ransom’, ‘Haunt You’ dropped on her YouTube channel with an accompanying looping video.
In the two minute and fifty-five second song, Reifer mourns the end of a relationship with a deceptive lover (I’m not leavin’ this bed/Until you leave my head), reflects on the lies she was told (I always thought/you wanted something more from me that’s what you always said), admits to her own naivety (Maybe I believed it was deep enough, real enough/so naive) and seemingly shares in the blame for the situation she is in (I let myself yea I let myself go/too fast in your arms yea I know).
‘Haunt You’ is available for streaming and download on all major music platforms. Listen to it below:
This year marks the tenth anniversary of Barbados’ only pop-culture convention, AnimeKon. In just a little over four months, thousand of fans of comics, gaming, film, anime, cosplay and all manner of geeky interests will congregate at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, where they’ll meet the first of the convention’s guests for year: Iwood Cosplay.
Lorentz iWood is an award-winning cosplayer, crafter and vlogger. A lover of anime and video games, he has been a professional cosplayer since 2015, when Iwood Cosplay was established “with the purpose of educating and inspiring others to not only make things but also to embody their favorite role models-fictional or not.”
He was awarded Best in Class for the Master’s Division at Anime Expo 2016, has guested at several conventions in the U.S. and in Mexico and Puerto Rico and makes cosplay tutorials on his YouTube Channel.
Learn more about Iwood Cosplay on his guest page on AnimeKon’s website and his “About Me” on his website.
Tickets for AnimeKon X: Scions of Midgard are on sale now and can be purchased online from Ticket Pal or from these locations:
A&B Music – Sheraton Centre
BCSL – Lloyd Erskine Sandiford
Carlton Supermarket – Black Rock
Cave Shepherd – Broad Street
CS Pharmacy – Bridgetown
Digicel – Sky Mall
Emerald City – Six Roads
Heroes Gamer’s Lounge – Belleville
Indigo Stationery & Gifts – Black Rock
Komik Kraze – Sheraton Centre
Lucky Horseshoe – Bagatelle
Lucky Horseshoe – Warrens
Lucky Horseshoe – Worthing
NU Look – Bridgetown
Origin – Limegrove
Rubis Service Station – Wildey
Sol – Redmans
Ticket Centre – Warrens
Watch the AnimeKon IX: World of Wonder After Movie below:
Vujaday returned with its sophomore year of the festival and this year they brought some welcomed changes. Firstly, splitting up each day into two parties instead of one, long, twelve-hour party – which was honestly a bit of a drag last year. The drink prices were also more inviting this year. A slight buzz and the amazing vibes from the patrons attending, sounds like the perfect recipe for a great festival doesn’t it? And it was. Except for the rain.
It rained and rained and rained. Making it difficult for me to attend most of the events. It surely didn’t stop any of the hardcore patrons who kept my eyes glued to my Instagram for the events I wasn’t able to attend.
Last year I said that the majority of Barbadians are not ready for an all house-music festival. This year I feel no different.
I’d hoped that Vujaday would expand the lineup to include DJs who perform other genres of music, such as trance or even trap. But I guess the promoters have a vision for the festival and are sticking to their guns. I have no problem with that, but I can’t help but imagine the revenue from local attendees drastically improving if the festival were otherwise. On that note, I wouldn’t feel as if I’m doing myself justice as a reporter if I didn’t mention their marketing.
To be very clear and very transparent: It was very white. It’s not that I’m playing the race card in any way because music has no race, but it’s hard to feel welcomed to something when I don’t see anyone in the marketing that looks like me. I heard (not from official press releases by the fesitval, but from word of mouth) that the promoters of the festival wanted more locals in attendance. I personally think that if that’s the case, then maybe they should look into including more people of colour in their marketing campaigns. Again that’s just a personal view. Vujaday will be totally fine either way.
As someone who’s not a fan of house music, I still enjoyed myself. I met some really cool people and even had a couple of minutes on stage feeling like a cool kid. If there’s another festival next year I’d 100% be attending. I just ask if anyone from the team reads this, to entertain the idea of a more genre inclusive festival.
Band launch season is in full swing this weekend, with three virtual launches last night from LUX, Colorz Entertainment and Krave the Band and a cooler fete and launch party tomorrow, Sunday, from Xhosa Barbados.
Virtual launches are a definite trend for 2019. Of the five bands that have launched so far – Khepri Kulture, Zulu International, LUX, Colorz and Krave – only one band has gone the traditional route of having a launch party/fete.
Of the announced upcoming launches – the aforementioned Xhosa, Blue Box Cart and Betty West on April 28th and Baje International on May 4th– three will be launch parties/fetes (Baje has not yet announced what form their launch will take).
LUX and Colorz kicked things off last night with their launches at 7:00 PM, presenting their costumes for Outlaws: The Pirate Era and Eden, respectively.
LUX is offering costumes in three sections – Captain Red Legs, Rebellion and The Secrets of Sam Lord – and an additional guest section, Stede Bonnet. Female costumes range from $319 USD to $995 USD and male costumes from $299 USD to $425 USD.
Click for full size images.
Coloz has seven sections – Animal Kingdom, Genesis, Heaven, Sun & Soil, Flora, Forbidden Fruit and Serpent – with prices for female costumes ranging from $275 USD/$550 BBD to $900 USD/$1800 BBD.
Click for full size image.
Krave launched one hour later, at 8:00 PM, and their theme for 2019 is “The Gilded Menageriè.” Under this theme, the band has eight sections entitled Phoenix, Maraja, Valkyrie, Garuda, Eden, Enchantress, Feywild and Golden Kai. Krave’s prices are not publicly listed.
Click for full size image.
Registration for all three bands has opened. Registration for LUX and Krave can be done on their websites and for Colorz via Carnival Pal.
Al Gilkes, Director of FAS7STAR Entertainment. Photography by Framerate Photography.
The Barbados Reggae Festival has officially launched, and its promoters are predicting the largest turn out for the festival since its humble beginnings back in 2005. During the short press briefing at its launch this year, Al Gilkes, Director of FAS7STAR, recounted the festival’s first show years ago:
“Sunday 1st of May 2005; it is not a day that is easily forgotten by the more than 15,000 people who packed Farley Hill National Park for that event. Music was [beautiful], and transcended all colours, classes, and creeds in terms of the 15,000 plus people who were assembled at Farley Hill that day. It was truly a unifying experience.”
Spragga Benz performing briefly during the launch. Photography by Framerate Photography.
Also during the briefing, press and sponsors were treated to short performances by local Reggae singer, Buggy Nhakente, and Jamaican Dancehall artist Spragga Benz, who shared his history with Buju Banton, whose Long Walk To Freedom Tour was making its next stop here in Barbados for the festival.
“… to see Wayne come out, and be the one who bring Buju Banton to the forefront as an artist and introduce him to the public. And then Buju being the one that actually came and take me and inspired me to become an artist as well. That’s a trinity right there that a lot of people don’t even recognize. So this show to me, and to all of them, is very special [and] something that we are looking forward to.”
Buju Banton’s Barbados stop is being held at Kensington Oval on Saturday, April the 27th, with a massive crowd being expected for his show. The Magnum Xpolsion Reggae Beach party will be held at Pirates Cove the following day. Sizzla and Busy Signal, both out of Jamaica, will headline that event. Kensington Oval is also set to host the Mount Gay Vintage Reggae Show and Dance on the 30th, featuring the likes of George Nooks, Admiral Tibet, Barrington Levy, Judy Boucher and Mikey Spice.
After revealing that they’d begun work on a new EP in January (just a few months after the release of their first), Sundown Superhero is ready to unleash all new music: the first single from the upcoming EP, this Friday, April 5th.
The band made the announcement last week when they shared a photo of the EP’s producer, Jordon Silva, on their Instagram. The EP – the title of which has yet to be revealed – will feature six tracks that bassist of the band, Craig Haniff, described as “relatively new” and sharing “the same musical energy and lyrical theme.” The EP was recorded in four days.
The new single comes almost exactly a month after the band’s last release; a music video to their song “Honey’s Hit The Floor”, which was featured on their debut EP Wake Up The Neighbourhood.
Spring has only just begun and it’s barely the end of March, but we’ve already had two Kadooment band launches for the upcoming Crop Over Festival this summer. “Less is more” appears to be a running theme with this year’s launches. Khepri Kulture held theirs very early with an invitation only media launch at the Savannah Hotel last month and Zulu International did a virtual launch on social media as well as a pop-up viewing at Sheraton Mall and Aeon Bar & Grill.
Zulu International pop-up viewing at Sheraton Mall. Click for full size image.
Accompanied by the Pompasette Tuk Band, the models paraded through the mall starting and ending at Aeon. The spectacle attracted a lot of attention from mall patrons, many of whom followed along and stopped to capture photos and videos on their smartphones.
Zulu International’s theme for this year is “Welcome to Paradise” and the band is offering costumes in five sections:
Andromeda – Inspired by the local botanical garden and named for the character from Greek myth.
City Lights – Inspired by Bridgetown at night.
Crystalized – Inspired by Harrison’s Cave.
Sandaled – Inspired by the white sand beaches of Barbados.
Sunken Treasure – Inspired by the valuable cargo lost in shipwrecks.
Andromeda, City Lights, Crystalized, Sandaled and Sunken Treasure frontline costumes. Click for full size image.
Costume packages range from $400 USD – $1300 USD for female costumes and $315 USD – $350 USD for male costumes. Registration is available on the band’s website, along with more information on the costumes and pricing.
Visit our Facebook page for photos from the pop-up viewing. Watch Zulu International’s virtual launch below:
The launch of the second International Bashment Soca Monarch Competition, hosted by Salt, was held this evening and was streamed live on the Caribfyah YouTube Channel.
The first iteration of the competition was held last July at the Kensington Oval in Barbados, with a winner-takes-all prize of $40,000 USD. Barbadian soca ariste Lil’ Rick emerged the winner with the song “Bend It”, beating out Jagwa de Champ, Jah Reddis, Rhea, Scrilla, Porgie & Murda, Stiffy, Marzville, Jus D, Stabby, Freezy and Sita.
DJ Ras
Competition ambassador, DJ Ras, kicked off the launch by announcing several changes that have been made to the competition for this year; the competition will now be held at Pirate’s Cove and will include a beach party, there will be no other competitions on the night, artists can submit songs that are a 50/50 fusion of bashment soca and any other music genre, songs submitted for this year’s competition must have been written and produced on or after January 1st, 2018 and there will no longer be a winner-takes-all prize: the prizes will total $120,000, with the winner taking home $60,000 and other prizes, second place receiving $15,000 and other prizers and third place $5,000 and other prizes. Furthermore, all entrants will receive appearance and performances fees.
Michelle Staughn of 4D Entertainment, the promoters behind the competition, explained that the decision to no longer have a winner-takes-all prize stemmed from listening to the artistes, who expressed the desire for at least those who place second and third to get a prize. The location change was due to Pirate’s Cove having a “greater party atmosphere” and it’s reputation for hosting similar events.
Registration for the competition opens on April 1st and closes on May 30th and there will be a public vote, like there was last year. The event will take place on Saturday, July 6th, from 9 PM.
Mr. Killa
International Soca Monarch winner, Mr. Killa, will headline the beach party and be joined by top artists and DJs who have yet to be announced. On March 29th, early bird tickets will go on sale at $30 and will be available for purchase online through TicketPal.
Ms. Pamela Roach, the Marketing Manager of Yello, explained that the goal of the competition is to give young soca artistes and performers the chance to develop and that Yello’s involvement is a reflection of their “…resolve to support and promote our local and regional heritage and culture, knowing how important a role culture plays in uniting communities and businesses across the region…”
Of particular note in Minister of Small Business, Entrepreneurship and Commerce, the Honourable Dwight Sutherland’s address, was the announcement of plans to create a one-stop shop at the Ministry of Commerce, which will “…allow the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs…to become the administrative agent for a one-stop shop for [the] issuing of permits and licences via an e-service platform.” He stated:
“…we intend to include seasonal licenses…a ninety-day license for the festival, whereby you can have one licence as opposed to repeatedly going for liquor licences and event licences, we will have a broad base seasonal licence that will cover the entire Crop Over season…and this will cover activities for national and local festivals…[W]e’re looking at multi-year licences for businesses and hotels as well and…we intended to enact new legislation that will govern the execution of entertainment licenses for the gathering [in] 2020 and beyond…before Crop Over this year you will have a new regime, and thereafter by the end of the year. For our 2020 gathering, you will have something called an entertainment license.”
Follow Yello Barbados and the International Bashment Soca Monarch on their social media pages for updates on this year’s competition.
As fans of local pop-punk band, Sundown Superhero, await brand new music from their upcoming sophmore EP – which they teased back in January – they’ve released a new music video to tie us over until then.
The video for “Honey’s Hit The Floor”, the fourth track on their debut EP Wake Up the Neighbourhood, premiered on the band’s YouTube channel yesterday morning. It stars local musician and producer Simon Pipe and Serena Ward as a fighting couple at the end of their relationship. The band plays in the background of the action and hand the couple cards.
Here’s what the band had to say about the video:
Zeitgeist: Was the 24-hour time constraint a help or a hindrance? Philip (Drummer): The advantage with this particular style [of] video is that things don’t have to be perfect. The more time we spent on trying to perfect it, the further we’d be drifting from our original concept, so in a way it did help. Plus we had the help of the very talented and professional Nathaniel Gunby (who helped with the choreography), Simon Pipe and Serena Ward who instantly jumped into their roles and made everything run smoothly.
Z: How did you come up with the concept for the video?
Emile (Vocals, Guitar): We all sat around a table the night before the shoot with a notebook and pen in hand. After throwing around a few ideas, we decided we wanted to highlight the disparity of the song’s somber message with a lighthearted and fast-paced video. As Phil mentioned, limited time forced us to be creative with the few resources that we had. The handwritten signs display the duality of thoughts and emotions experienced by our leading characters as they cope with their dysfunctional relationship, which eventually meets its demise. We raided our homes for furniture and props, we took very few takes of each scene, and truly fit the whole filming process into a 6 hour period – and still had time for lunch in the middle!
Z: Was it difficult getting the timing right for the long takes?
Craig (Bass, Vocals): I wouldn’t use the word difficult, but it’s something that if we didn’t get right, the energy and flow of the video wouldn’t have been conveyed the way we wanted it to. It did mean that we had to pay a lot more attention to our performance shots since there wasn’t much “chop and drop” that could be done in the edits.
Watch the video for “Honey’s Hit The Floor” below:
Singer, actor and dancer Du-Wayne Hinds yesterday morning announced his casting in the UK production of Disney’s The Lion King, the stage adaptation of the beloved Disney animation classic. The musical debuted in the United States in 1997 and in the UK in 1999 at the West End’s Lyceum Theatre. It is the third longest running show on Broadway with over 8,500 performances and over 7,500 at the Lyceum Theatre. It is the highest grossing Broadway production of all time with over $1 billion.
Hinds has been cast as part of the ensemble and as understudy to Simba actor Nick Afoa, a former rugby player from New Zealand. In theatre, an understudy is an actor who learns another’s role in order to replace them at short notice, should the need arise.
He released his first EP, Breathe, in 2016 and the single, “What If”, last year. In 2014, he earned two scholarships for the American Music and Dramatic Academy – where he would have pursued a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts – and held a fundraiser called “From Barbados to Broadway” to secure the remaining funds he needed. Hinds went on to study Theatre Arts at the University of the West Indies’ St. Augustine campus, from which he has graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree. He has trained in ballet, African dance, ballroom, and hip-hop.
Cover Drive’s leading lady, Amanda Reifer, continues her journey as a solo artist with the release of her latest single, the moody and ethereal ‘Haunt You.’ As she did with her last single, ‘Ransom’, ‘Haunt You’ dropped on her YouTube channel with an accompanying looping video.
Lorentz iWood is an award-winning cosplayer, crafter and vlogger. A lover of anime and video games, he has been a professional cosplayer since 2015, when Iwood Cosplay was established “with the purpose of educating and inspiring others to not only make things but also to embody their favorite role models-fictional or not.”
