Par-la-Ville Car Park was transformed into a sweat-dripping, flag-waving, dance-until-you-drop Carnival fete on Wednesday evening.

Machel Montano, the headliner of Cup Match Summer Splash, brought a taste of his Trinidadian homeland to these shores for what turned into an unforgettable night of jumping, wining and commotion.

With hits like Vibes Cyah Done and Happiest Man Alive, Machel managed to keep the energy extremely high, some might even have called it electric, until nearly 3am when the party wrapped up.

Young and old, black and white, residents and tourists, united under the banner of soca music.

Machel stayed impartial to the outcome of the annual cricket match, rocking a St George’s shirt and Somerset cap.

“I want to know if you are ready for the biggest Cup Match in the history of Cup Matches,” the entertainer said. “Who’s taking the cup? No matter who it gets to be, Friday is going to be epic.”

I arrived at the car park shortly after 9pm, when a handful of mega soca fans were lining up to get their spot for the night.

Within the next hour or so people filled in en masse and before I knew it there were thousands of revellers at the show, put on by 441 Productions and Veterans in Action.

DJ Young Chow from New York hosted the event, but also stepped to the turntables to spin a selection of old school and more current tunes.

Local band Working Title got the crowd buzzing beforehand with cover songs of hits — people were more than ready when the headliner took to the stage.

Everyone in attendance showed him love with air horns and loud cheers and in turn Machel told us what he loved about the Island.

He gave a special tribute to the late Choy Aming, for bringing him to Bermuda as a child, and said he loved it here.

“I’m going to tell you why (I love it). First it’s beautiful and they have beautiful ladies. The whole Island is clean and the people are extremely disciplined and friendly. More than that, just like Choy brought me here, when we have Carnival here next year I am going to bring my friends.”

He brought Bermuda reggae singer Collie Buddz to the stage to sing their song Fly Away..., and just like that the night flew, or rather was danced away.

Machel performed all of his hit songs — One More Time, Bottle of Rum, and EPIC, even enlisting help from soca diva Patrice Roberts, Farmer Nappy and some talented dancers.

It was a fabulous night of fun and entertainment and proof that if Bermuda was to have a carnival sometime in the near future, we would be ready!