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Safety first — I Love Soca makes pioneering comeback

Published:Saturday | July 17, 2021 | 12:06 AMKrysta Anderson/Staff Reporter
The promoters behind I Love Soca Ja (from left): Ian Bourne, Andrew Bellamy, Ricki Walsh and Denver Holt.
The promoters behind I Love Soca Ja (from left): Ian Bourne, Andrew Bellamy, Ricki Walsh and Denver Holt.
Renee Lee is happy to be back outside to celebrate the summer with soca.
Renee Lee is happy to be back outside to celebrate the summer with soca.
Soca angels (from left) Alannah Chambers, Chante Waysome and Terari Pessoa are masked and ready for the night’s festivities.
Soca angels (from left) Alannah Chambers, Chante Waysome and Terari Pessoa are masked and ready for the night’s festivities.
Power couple – party promoter Jermaule ‘Nino’ Adair and social media influencer, Shanice ‘Shanzi’ Allen, supported the first staging of I Love Soca since December 2019.
Power couple – party promoter Jermaule ‘Nino’ Adair and social media influencer, Shanice ‘Shanzi’ Allen, supported the first staging of I Love Soca since December 2019.
Soca friends take it down to the ground on the National Stadium East field for the highly anticipated staging of I Love Soca 2021.
Soca friends take it down to the ground on the National Stadium East field for the highly anticipated staging of I Love Soca 2021.
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The laughter, the smiles, the revelry. Jubilation was at an all-time high among eager patrons who finally stepped outside on Wednesday for the first staging of I Love Soca since December 2019.

The long-overdue event is the largest of its kind since the start of the pandemic, making history as the first such event to début since the country’s reopening earlier this month.

Emancipated from the physical confinement of indoors, some revellers showed up early in anticipation of securing their spots on the reserved grounds.

With the new normal still in full effect, organisers implemented a few changes while staying true to its festive charm. The contemporary approach included hosting the event at a new venue, National Stadium East.

Promoters ensured attendees had no option but to follow safety protocols. There were temperature checks and sanitisation stations throughout the venue, complete with washstands, regularly announced reminders to wear masks and sanitisation from the roving Kleen Up Kru.

But truth be told, the presence of the familiar branded backdrop, lit hearts and I Love Soca sign were all the reassurance socaphiles needed to make this fête their home. No compromise could be detected: not in venue, not in vibes and certainly not in the quality of carnival music taking Jamaicans, the Caribbean and the diaspora on a ‘wining’ journey of epic proportions.

The dynamic DJ duo of Bloodline Franco and Tony Cross had the attentive crowd in a frenzy, chippin’ and gyrating to hits like Rock and Come in, Go Down, Ducking and Big Bad Soca, among others. Playing mas got even more interactive with tracks like Hulk, Lost and Found and Monster Winer, and if partygoers got too rowdy for comfort, DJs and security personnel were on the scene to diffuse the situation quickly and ensure everyone was safe.

Copper Cyclone and Richie Ras were all hits and no misses as they ignited the audience with the best that soca has to offer. But the entertainment package was not over yet. Making special appearances were dancehall artistes D’Yani, Yaksta and Laa Lee, who created havoc with Dirt Bounce. And just when we thought it couldn’t get any better, the ‘Warlord’ Bounty Killer took to the stage, throwing us back to the heyday of the ‘90s.

If you weren’t present, Andrew Bellamy, managing director of I Love Soca Ja, said you missed being outside.”This was the first official outside fête, and the people shell it down”.

Bellamy praised his team for all the hard work put into this seamless execution. “It has been the greatest team effort,” he told The Gleaner. He described the two to three weeks prior to the main event as tedious, but he was happy to be working with the government ministries and the authorities to understand the guidelines and find out what to put in place.

“I Love Soca is a very strong brand, and I say that with no apology. We clearly have a standard to maintain. From our set-up to the execution, the experience had to be on a certain level. Our patrons look forward to their cups, for instance,” he explained further. Creating this environment that is a little bit different from the typical party, he said, was an investment.

Reaching the target on pre-sold tickets, considering it’s a Wednesday in the middle of summer, was a milestone that he was excited to accomplish. “We figured it was the right opportunity; people are yearning to party in a safe way. We had fêting zones in the general area, which allowed friends to chill together. That way, they can stay in their area and not worry about anybody.”

The VIP vaccination-only section came with a bit of backlash on social media. In his address to the comments, he was honest in stating that the backlash came from how it was communicated. “[The] vaccination-only section is to encourage that vaccination is the way forward. And we created a premium experience, with drinks and a deck overlooking the party. They were able to go back and forth if they so desired.”

“We were the first to do it; I have no problem being the guinea pig. We expected this backlash, and until we reach herd immunity, this is going to be a part of the future,” he added confidently.

So what’s next? I Love Soca will be jetting off to New York as part of the Xaymaca weekend at the end of the month.

krysta.anderson@gleanerjm.com