If I was a judge, she would have been marked so far down for allowing too long an instrumental intro with no visual props to explain the purpose of the music leading to the main course of her tune – she lost the crowd almost immediately. She also shocked the audience in her 2nd tune “Stand Firm,” by playing 9/11 footage of when people from the Twin Towers were jumping from the building to get away from the flames – “Oh My God, must we remember that?” I heard one woman say…

Effective use of audio intro was shown in Mr Impact’s skit of if Trinidad is taking over Barbados, “Where Is My Country?” featured more Bajan insularity re: Caricom at its worst.

Impact – rather than be a victim, why is Barbados not trying to take over the Caribbean if we are the most developed Caribbean country? We should be stamping the broken Trident everywhere!

Sheldon Hope’s “How Much Longer?” is almost David Rudder-esque in concept yet Bajan in its composure and delivery in wondering how much more terrorism or irresponsible fathers and other global/societal ills would plague not only Barbados & The Caribbean but the entire planet before we realise what is the best thing to do to go fwd.

Then a man proud to be a born-again Christian yet remain topical and lyrical! I salute and admire Romeo’s determination to be wheeled on to the stage and then use his walking cane like how a maestro uses a baton to maneuver the orchestra, which is what he did with the crowd! Sorry, he only earned 9th place!

Blood’s performance was competent but not memorable, his topics were a bit too intellectual for the night – “If & When” featuring a visual cameo by Sir Don, along with “Duckworth & Lewis“…

Classic on the other hand was just that – opening his tune with a skit on himself and proper use of wireless mic’s to ensure the skit’s audio carried to the crowd easily. “Ah Wasn’t Dey” is one of those clever attacks where you absolve yourself yet explain the assault as if you may have done so. “Dey Done See,” a play on duncey as in stupid, was Classic’s other barrel and I’m surprised he was not higher!

De Announcer successfully aborted himself with his 2nd song, “Silent Scream,” what appears to be an obvious Pro-Lifer’s tract on abortions carried out regardless of circumstances – he might have earned the people’s respect if he had not decided to be so macabre and emotional in his rebuttal… The song’s intro showed destroyed foetuses as a children’s party singing “Happy Birthday” played – no warning, just so, these wash of mangled flesh and curdling blood… Was it really appropriate for a night like Pic O’De Crop?

This was sad as he really carried himself well for the 1st tune, “De Biggest Loser,” which not only looked at General Elections earlier this year, but at how Kid Site and Gabby did not make the Finals.

The best part of Red Plastic Bag’s stint was the costume change to depict “De Government Change,” Mya Daniel & Tamara Marshall were part of his backing vocalists, but really I found him strident and his alleged lyrical mastery seemed to have changed that night or maybe even this season, as while I was aware of the tune weeks ago, it never chased around in my head like AC’s songs, which had massive crowd appeal…

Also trying too hard was John King, “A Hard Song” was how folk expect him to return with a song that’s very good – or hard, with lyrics that hit hard and therefore hard to compose – it showed, at least he managed to avoid the obvious route of sexual innuendo.

For me, the show should have ended there with Kings and Queens on display while judges tabulate, instead what appeared as a peccadillo at the end was an item worth beginning the night’s festivities – the fact that a female Alto Sax was in the band for Finals for the 1st time and this actually tickled emcee Mac Fingall no end as Kelly-Ann Patrick, who is now furthering her studies at USA’s Berklee College of Music, originally attended Lodge like himself as student & teacher!

(Mac sailed high in the face of Fate last nite, luckily unlike Icarus, he remained floating! He told the crowd there’d be no rain until 2:00 am, and you know? Strangely enough, he was right – PHEW)

After the show, some of the media had a chance to interact with the winner directly – I was able to ask Adrian if there were any similarities to his victory in 2001 and here in 2008, he acknowledged via his daughter, who also doubled as impromptu publicist, that there were some parallel factors… The songs on both occasions had strong melodies and appealed to a wide segment of the public.

He also admitted that his family egged him on to share licks in his tunes as he is usually too nice. In fact, he says more than one calypsonian gave lyrics on themselves for “Put that In Ya Song,” which he penned shortly before Judging Night of July 11th.

In addition, the new monarch gave a shout-out to Adrian Weatherhead, who scripted the lyrics for his other tune “I Am A Bajan,” which examines all of the aspects and melting-pot nationalities that make us what we are and therefore no one element of society should be marginalised for any reason.

The concession stands sold food reasonably – like $4 for a Hot-dog or $5 for a Burger, but they jook in your eye for booze! If I had ordered a small Grey Goose vodka that’d be $45!! I can go to Bush Bar in Spring Gdn and get it for half that… I understand and now comprehend why there was a lot of food-smuggling that night! Listen, you may be trying to compensate for the rental of the booth, but if you have sufficient volume with tough but fair pricing, then you have no need to worry!

As it is, many Bajans and a few tourists seem to prefer the Stadium for use, as you can eat and drink yet still see the show – but at Kensington? It’s one or the other! Yet if Barbados paid so much to have Kensington Oval so spranctious, then you gotta use it for something, especially while the Stadium gets renovated…

Finally – before I go, the car park attendants need some Dale Carnegie, ok? If I am not told where to park then how can you shout at me like I already know the rules? “ERLEICHDA,” as Tom Robbins said in Jitterbug Perfume – translation; “Lighten Up!“