KANDRE' MCDONALD, Freelance Writer
The crowd enjoyed the music at Hardwine: the ultimate Soca Party at Students Union UWI, Mona on Friday. - NATHANIEL STEWART PHOTO
HARDWINE - 'THE ULTIMATE Soca Experience', aged last Friday at the Students' Union, UWI, Mona lived up to its name.
The party was in full swing from minutes to midnight, courtesy of Kurt 'The Party Animal' Riley who spun electrifying soca music. The crowd on the inside 'got on bad', while the mass on the outside jostled to get in.
Once inside, the mood was nothing short of electric. The heavy bass, energy boosting soca songs being spun by 'The Party Animal' and the crazy, gyrating, whistle blowing and flag - waving crowd created a carnival-like atmosphere.
Most females were clad in 'eye catching' attires that left nothing to the imagination. Some men could be seen sneaking in to gyrate, while others - blatantly went in 'for the kill.'
CHANGED THE TEMPO
At about 12:30 a.m. Kurt changed the music from the hard pace, heavy tempo soca beat to a much smoother reggae beat, reeling off songs like Dennis Brown's Revolution, Tenor Saw's Ring the Alarm, Tony Rebel's If Jah, and Junior Gong's It Was Written. This switch in genre lasted a mere five minutes or so but the crowd enjoyed it.
When Kurt made the switch back to the soca music the crowd went wild again.
Arif Cooper then joined Kurt Riley onstage, and the two wasted no time in getting the crowd jumping, waving, dancing and shouting. While Arif was busy mixing the music, Kurt kept the patrons on their 'toes', with some sassy dialogue.
Arif Cooper was soon left to control the turntables by himself. And while Arif did a great job, the crowd seemed spent midway his stint. But Arif soon found the formula. He played a few of the popular songs that rocked the house earlier and the crowd just sprang back to life again.
The 'Mixmaster' was not to be left out and added to the flavour by spinning a few crowd favourites.
The three selectors were onstage mixing at some minutes to 2 a.m. but the crowd on the outskirts seemed not to have been feeling the energy. However, those in the heart of the crowd were in for a treat with 'The Mad Bull Run'.
With the centre of the rear dance floor clear and 'Mad Bull' fever thumping from the speakers, the selectors set off a crazy run by the 'Mad Gang' who charged down the centre of the crowd.
At about 2:15 a.m. lawmen could be seen in and around the venue and soon after the announcement was made. The party had ended.
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