Wednesday night, but was anyone else? Lyrics such as these have been driven into our minds for so many years that they have started to lose the magic they once held.

No longer do they flow through our bodies and carry us along with the beats and melodies of the band. Even so, many of us are still willing to let the lyrics and tunes flow through our wallets and purses, calling us to pay for the hope of an exciting show.

Great Sound Production's Annual Cup Match soca concert wasn't much of an event this year. But it was saved by veteran reggae band Third World, which opened for Arrow. There was no local talent showcased and very little excitement or `sting' emanating from Arrow's presence.

Despite a great light show and the quality of the sound-system (provided by Pro Audio), the general feeling from those in attendance was disappointment and a "heard it all before'' sense of boredom in Arrow and his entourage. But Third World was a big hit.

The Jamaican reggae group opened the concert at about 10 p.m. and had the crowd bubbling from the start, all the way to the close of their performance around midnight. The band, draped in festive colours and wild hats, played classic tunes which rolled through the crowd, lifting us up and down with the simple beat of a drum or strum of an electric guitar.

Each song included long instrumental gaps allowing each member of Third World to show off his talent -- carrying the crowd out on a musical tangent and whipping them back to reality in time for the next tune to elevate the masses to an even higher level. Among the most appreciated moments of Third World's performance were the songs, "96 Degrees in the Shade'', "Committed'', and "Reggae Ambassador''. The group had the entire complex entranced by the drums and lyrics which seemed to explode at just the right time.

Many eyes and ears will never forget the introduction of the electric cello to reggae music, a melodious sound that had the crowd cheering for more as Third World left the stage. The cheering would not stop until they came back for an encore, and that they did.

Arrow seemed to know that Third World's performance had come across in a big way. In actuality, it seemed to cast a shadow over him and his band before they even started.

Arrow never even made it close to living up to his reputation as the `king of soca'.

Third World had the crowd revved up for Arrow, and when his band -- including two new horns -- struck up their tune, the crowd was more than ready for the melody and bass-line that resounded from the speakers. And as Arrow stepped onto the stage, the crowd roared with appreciation, for the little man all decked out in a multi-coloured suit.

From that point forward, his performance deteriorated, although he attempted to excite the crowd with hits such as Pressure, "Hot-Hot-Hot'', "O'la Soca'' and "Jam Bermuda''.

As the crowd lost interest in Arrow, the trickle to the gate turned to a steady flow, with many concert-goers not even bothering to listen to his closing notes. One man leaving the concert asked his friend in a sarcastic tone, "Have I heard this stuff before?'' His friend laughed before answering, "For the last three years!'' MATHEW MACDONALD VOCAL POWER -- Lead singer of Third World Rugs (Bunny) Clark.