Sat | Nov 23, 2024

Xodus crew takes on the road, bus stops and more

Published:Monday | July 11, 2022 | 12:07 AMSade Gardner/Staff Reporter
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Eletia ‘Miss Dottie’ Kelly, 82, says she has never missed a carnival.
Nicholas Nunes/Photographer
Eletia ‘Miss Dottie’ Kelly, 82, says she has never missed a carnival.
Georgia Bayley takes a ‘kotch’ on the truck of a police service vehicle.
Nicholas Nunes/Photographer
Georgia Bayley takes a ‘kotch’ on the truck of a police service vehicle.
When the trucks and the street could no longer contain their exuberance, these revellers climbed atop a Guardian Group bus stop.
Nicholas Nunes/Photographer
When the trucks and the street could no longer contain their exuberance, these revellers climbed atop a Guardian Group bus stop.
A head-turner, Carly Cooper was among a few women who jumped in platform boots. ‘ I was going for a rave kind of feel and look so we’ll see how long they last,’ she said, though she had almost completed the first half of the march.
Nicholas Nunes
A head-turner, Carly Cooper was among a few women who jumped in platform boots. ‘ I was going for a rave kind of feel and look so we’ll see how long they last,’ she said, though she had almost completed the first half of the march.
Action Stilt Walkers added some excitement to the parade.
Jamila Litchmore
Action Stilt Walkers added some excitement to the parade.
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Chunky, variegated feathers climbed a fence on Trafalgar Road to dance atop a Guardian Group bus stop as trucks on the Xodus route blasted soca favourites during Sunday’s road march.

The spirited and daring revellers were among several who found themselves on tall structures and the usual sitting on police car trunks at the first local carnival since 2019.

Among those trekking down the road was 82-year-old spectator Eletia ‘Miss Dottie’ Kelly, making quite the impression in her crop top and short shorts.

“I have never missed a carnival and I’m happy it’s back,” the great-great-grandmother said. “COVID couldn’t mek me miss nothing. I go anywhere.”

Trinidadian Asia Yentyl was just as happy to be there, adding that “it’s good to see people free up now, ‘cause it’s post COVID”. She attended the last local carnival in 2019 and gave her thumbs up for the first half of the road march.

“I’m trying to get a little taste of carnival before I go to Trinidad next year, so this is a warm-up and it has been good.”

Also sporting his flag was Spain native Santiago Moran, who simplified, “It’s carnival; I need to be here.” Moran has called Jamaica home for the last five years and jumped with Xodus at the last carnival.

Speaking of Xodus, the band saw to it that revellers were kept hydrated and buzzed with bar trucks by brands like Smirnoff and 876, and cooling towels for those in need. The cool-down was not only appreciated on the hot afternoon, but needed when you have ‘fire’ DJs like King Taj and Trinidad’s Selectah Kerry responsible for “bumpas” touching the asphalt and whining trains filling the streets.

Blazing from the Johnny Walker truck, Selectah Kerry reeled out soca classics like Rupee’s Blame it on the Music, Atlantik’s All Aboard and Square One’s Iron Bazodee, before taking it up a notch with current favourites, including Ricard Drue’s Professional and Bunji Garlin’s Differentology.

Stilt dancers, indeed, had their respective view of the action, but so too did several spectators who lined both sides of the route which covered Waterloo, Hope, Lady Musgrave and Trafalgar roads. From the baby to the elderly, people came out to not only capture the excitement, but pull up with their own igloos and crews to be part of the extended ‘soca famalay’.

sade.gardner@gleanerjm.com