Allison, the Queen of Irie

Allison, the Queen of Irie

Allison Hinds, the Queen of Soca, owned the crowd at the TD Irie Music Festival.

Eyesers will recall my up close and personal interview with Barbadian sensation Allison Hinds in Jamaica – needled her about the D.J. come bring the needle thing.

Well, once again Eyes had the opportunity to be up close with the Queen of Soca at the 12th TD Irie Music Festival at Nathan Phillips Square on Aug. 1- where allyuh see is people. She gave the King of Soca Machel Montano a run, or was that a wine, oops, a Bajan wuk-up, methinks, fuh his money!

Thanks Team Irie for your hospitality and access granted. By the way, a pleasant thing happened on my way to the successful TD Irie Music Festival – I met some of my beloved Village friends from Guyana.They told Eyes this is what they do for the past 12 years … Irie! Fuh real.

Hinds, crowned the undisputed Queen of SOCA by fans worldwide, told the massive audience: “Allyuh like what you hear and see … Dem wanted to put me out to pasture. But I still have it … Right?”

And she proceeded to do her thing with her powerful, emotional vocals and high energy that she is known for in the Caribbean and the world, with the dynamic Soca DJ Group D’ Enforcas – sweet fuh days.

Yes, the ‘Roll It Gal’ of international fame, even dropped, for the first time, her soon-coming remix, and the audience lapped it up.

Also putting the “eh” in Reggae? Richie Spice, Etana, Messenjah, Sattalites and so on. In addition to the musical presentation, TD Irie Fest presented a one-hour showcase featuring a variety of African Canadian dance ensembles including: Beyond Sound, Empijah, Esie Mensah, Caribbean Dance Theatre, MandingFoliKan, Don and Tsingory and Dance and Music of Madagascar.

Missed it? No prob Eyesers, this free music festival celebrating Caribbean-African culture with music, dance, spoken word, literature, art and food happens again with other headliners: Richie Stephens and David Rudder are yours for the Summer Festival enjoyment, come Aug. 23 and 24, respectively, at Celebration Square in Mississauga.

See ya inna yard. Irie.