Too Many “Upscale” Events & Waning Love For Soca Music Being Blamed For Shift In Fete Culture
Since the start of the 2024 Carnival season, there’s been talk about a possible shift in fete culture here in Trinidad and Tobago. While this discourse is not new, it’s definitely heightened in recent times, compounded by the smaller than usual crowd at Army Fete (and the fact that those present seemed to have a more tempered approach to feteing than the usual Army crowd.)
While there are pockets of people who are still feteing with the usual abandon, there’s no denying that the general fete aura, the vibe, is changing.
Amid increasing reports of fete attendees opting to rock on the spot instead of moving in accordance with the instructions issued by artistes/djs, Your Caribbean Guide reached out to a few industry experts to document their thoughts on this worrying phenomenon.
Toronto-based DJ, Dr Jay, said it’s easy for people to blame DJs, but he believes that waning love for the genre is contributing to the shift in fete culture.
“It just seems like the love of the music isn’t there as much. If you love the music, you stream it. You cannot blame radio stations, you cannot blame DJs. For me as a DJ, I play what the people want, so if I hear that the people want a certain song, a certain vibe, we have to play it. So for me, I would say to you as a patron, stream the music, download the music, post the music… we see certain songs go viral we have to play it so don’t just kinda sit back idly then wonder well how come this isn’t playing or how come that isn’t playing. So what I’ve noticed is that people aren’t doing that because they don’t truly love it.”
Kittian-born, Virgin Islands artiste, Pumpa said the chism between fete culture in years past and what is being upheld as fete etiquette at this current time, is growing exponentially. He attributes this in part, to the increasing number of “upscale” events on the Carnival calendar.
“We all can kinda feel the shift in terms of the crowd responses and different stuff like that but I always try to give my utmost best and the crowd has been receptive towards me, you understand? But I have seen years before where Trinidad was definitely the shake down place, you understand. It definitely has a shift right now and I don’t know exactly what we could do because the shift going but I just feel like we have to give the people them a thousand and see what we could get from there and probably step away from some of these upscale events. We need more Stink and Dutty, we need more Jam Nation… We need more stuff like that I think. It have too much upscale events. Army fete was surprising to me because when I think about Army Fete, I think about fence shaking and them kinda thing, you understand? But the vibes, definitely changing, you could feel it changing.”
Vincy bad boy, Problem Child, said the shift is global and not just confined to the Caribbean region.
While admitting that there is in fact a change in the way people respond to the music at events, Yung Bredda is determined to identify the silver lining.
He told YCG:
“It doesn’t matter if the crowd stand up or if the crowd wave you know. I like when the crowd stand up too, they’re attentive, they’re listening to what I’m saying so they could hear my music and go home and research and say yea boy, he good. But when the crowd having a good time too and all, it’s even a better vibe because it’s good to see the people enjoy themselves.”
Commenting on performing to crowds who are more focused on recording performances, Lyrikal said he understands the need to document experiences.
“I personally understand it, sometimes it might affect the reaction from the crowd, you mightn’t see enough hands or whatever but at the end of the day everybody want to document something you know. When you go somewhere and see your favourite artiste after the season or after that day you want to have that memory you want to go back and say ay, this was me then, this was me in Carnival 2024 in Army Fete, you know what I mean? So how else would you really have a memory or documentation of where you were or what you were doing? So I get it, that is the times we’re in right now so it doesn’t really bother me personally, but I get what other people does be saying oh put away your phone and enjoy yourself, but people want to document, you know what I mean?”
Do you agree that there is in fact a shift in fete culture? What do you think is at the root of it?
