Family-friendly events during Carnival are often hard to find. This year, popular band Freetown Collective (FTC) will add to the choices available with their event, Free the Carnival, on February 1 at Sound Forge, located at #1 Christopher Samuel Drive, Mucurapo Road.
The event will feature performances by Freetown Collective, new calypsonian Jimmy October and rapso band 3 Canal, as well as food, drinks and merchandise from local vendors. Vendors will include Svadisa Creations, Chef G, Twigs Naturals, Jennelle Forde, Oh Gourm Snocones Delight, and Not Just Desserts Catering, among others.
The band is comprised of lead guitarists and vocalists Muhammad Muwakil and Lou Lyons, along with backup vocalists Shanna and Malene Joseph and Tishanna Williams. In a release, the band said “Jimmy October refers to his music as New Calypso and Freetown’s Lou Lyons has stated that he is the evolution of a calypsonian. Both October and Freetown are excited to honour those who paved the way for them to be able to have this expression, one of those being 3 Canal, who have paved their own way and continue to blaze their own path.”
The event will also be a celebration of the upcoming launch of Freetown Collective’s first soca EP, scheduled for launch just after Carnival 2020. The first song off the album, Feel The Love, a collaboration with DJ Private Ryan, has already been released to a positive response. The band said the collaboration with Ryan was due to a longstanding friendship between the DJ and Muwakil. “Private Ryan and Muhammad Muwakil are long-time friends, having both attended St Mary’s College, and we are great admirers of what he’s done for our culture. When we made a decision to enter the Soca arena we asked ourselves, who better to enter with than Private Ryan, who is himself a curator of Soca? Somewhere between talent, friendship and experience, we realised that this was a no-brainer.”
The band said the music they create is about how they feel and who they are. “We’re unashamed to bring the theme of love to Carnival music. We were created from love and for love. Questions that we often fail to ask ourselves is: do we feel loved? Can we feel love? This song, Free the Love, is meant to provoke questions such as these.”
The band said they were looking forward to an event which would showcase their growth over the years. “The first time we threw a show we literally sang to an audience of about ten people, well-wishers and the genuinely curious mostly. It has been such an indescribable joy to watch this family grow, to watch ourselves grow. The music has allowed us to touch corners of the earth we barely dreamed we would and touch so many hearts in the process, and all on the idea of a dream! Through this event, we’ve dared to dream again. We’re hosting something grand – a family-friendly space where everyone can be themselves and have lots of fun. We’re excited and looking forward to having a great time with everyone.”
They said the name of the event was chosen following a decision to create a space where people can be their true selves. “We want to create a space where they can relax and listen to the sweet sounds coming from the stage or they can dance to their heart’s content. We’re inviting everyone to come dance, laugh, cry, sweat out whatever 2019 left behind with us at SoundForge on February 1. By freeing ourselves, we will inevitably free the Carnival.”
Tickets are $250TTD and are available at Paper Based Bookstore in Normandie Hotel, One Yoga in the Queen’s Park Oval, My Care Optical in Brentwood, Chaguanas, Lost Tribe Mas Camp, all NLCB Outlets nationwide and online at Suntixx. Tickets purchased on the night using debit or credit cards will carry an additional three percent bank surcharge.
Free the Carnival begins at 7pm. The Show starts at 8.30pm
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