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Veteran show-stoppers light up Calypso Festival

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Two bishops: Roman Catholic Bishop Kurtz (second from left) and visiting Barbados Bishop Jason Gordon hailed ‘Lord Necktie’ and ‘Little Flea’ Reuben McCoy at the Calypso Festival.

It seems that Dale Butler and his Atlantic Publishing House and Darlene Hartley’s My Thyme Group only produce spectaculars, of first one variety then another.The latest was on Sunday, a Calypso Festival at Fourways Inn, featuring a cast of show-stoppers including veterans Stan “Lord Necktie” Seymour, King Trott, David Moniz, June Caisey, Duke Joell, Rudy Ford and Brant Wilson. They were all in impeccable form taking us back to the fabulous showcase days of The Clay House Inn and Jungle Room and other hot spots.Interestingly, patrons packed the ‘Palm Garden’ at Fourways to capacity, many being turned away at the door. Chief patron was the bubbly radio and TV personality Dianne Carson. The Roman Catholic Bishop Kurtz accompanied by Bishop Jason Gordon, who was visiting from Barbados ad is a keen calypso lover, were caught up in the spirit generated by the Bermuda legends. One had to be really stiff-necked not to be captivated by the wit and humour of the renditions of ‘Lord Necktie’ Seymour and ‘Little Flea’ Reuben McCoy.Seymour’s ‘Man Smart but Woman Smarter’ was about the husband when confronted by his wife about his late return home nights barefacedly explained he had been caught up in The Bermuda Triangle. Then one night he became wide awake when wifey came home explaining she had got lost in the Bermuda Triangle.There was plenty to laugh about with spontaneous singing by the audience and applause generated by the MC, Darlene Hartley as each of the legends took their places in the spotlight, and she explained the colourful artefacts decorating the tables, especially the Talbot Brother hats, made by Denny Richardson.The sound system did have its periodic complications, but it did not deter too many people as they sang along. While the Festival could conceivably become an annual event, Part Two is set for tomorrow when Calypsonians and comedians Denny Richardson, John Dale, Stuart Hollis and Charles Jeffers. will be featured with others at Fourways.

‘Lord Necktie’ with June Caisey, the only female legend spotlighted at Sunday’s Calypso Festival.