Revelllers dancing to the sounds of the Burning Flames during J’Ouvert morning festivities in the streets of St John’s on Carnival Monday. (Photo by Gemma Hazelwood)
ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Plagued by controversy for its lyrical content, multi-title Road March winners Burning Flames copped top honours last night as the Carnival curtains came down with their “Kick Een She Back Doh” song.
The song, which has been playing local radio stations for several weeks, climbed to the top of the local weekly countdown and was played on the road 74 times before finally winning the Patrick A Michael Memorial trophy.
Lead vocalist Torian “Onyan” Edwards was unavailable for comment at press time, owing to the last lap session on the streets of St John’s.
Burning Flames also won the sweetest sounding jam band on the road for 2012 J’Ouvert.
Alexandrina Wong, President of Women Against Rape (WAR), a feminist group that had led the charge for the song to be banned from the airwaves under the guise that it advocated rape and violence against women, said she was not surprised by the win.
“The tune was always popular so I am not surprised that they got the Road March, however I hope they are more tactful when composing music,” Wong said after the announcement at Carnival City last night.
Ricardo Drue’s Superman and Tian Winter’s Raving tied for the first place spot behind Burning Flames with their songs being played 27 times.
Last year’s jumpy soca monarch king Joel “Hard Knaxx” Lewis’ song I Baba was the next most popular with 26 plays.
Joe Mikes was awarded the Road March T-shirt champs.
Edwards was not the only repeat winners. Revellers took home the 12th consecutive win with ‘Sudden Destruction’ in the large band segment, followed by LIME Dynamics’ “The Journey Within” and Beautiful People’s “God, Goddesses and Angels” placed second and first, respectively.
In the medium bands segment, Ali and Associates won with “The Taste of 35 Years”, with Fantasy 268’s “Caribbean Gems” grabbing first runners-up and Spirits’ “In the Material World” taking second.
Just Friends took the title for mini band of the year with “Celebrating Five.”
On J’Ouvert morning, the judges awarded Burger King-King Casino as the first band on the road. Best organised went to Wadadli Broom Master, Cheese Cake Factory was the first jam band on the road and Panache Steel Orchestra was the first steel band on the street.
(More in today’s Daily OBSERVER)
