The return of Machel Montano to a Carnival Monday, Monday Madness, was an event to witness. With the massive crowd that showed up, the sheer size of the Queen’s Park Oval made it worthy to host such an event.

Evolution The Band would be the backbone for the show’s first half. They blend beautifully with the scintillating vocals of Teddyson John. Never a stranger to Trinidad, and always the crooner, he came out to his hit Vent with smooth singing and all manners of wining. Next on stage was Farmer Nappy with “How ah Livin”, “Thankful,” and “Backyard Jam” to name a few; a catalog way too vast for just 15 minutes. But the show must go on and so it did with Viking Ding Dong ‘Throwing Back.”  with his big hit and then welcoming Mical Teja, the people’s champion who started his set with this year’s contribution “Energy.” and continued with  “DNA” and “Runaway,” the crowd readily became his choir. The show continued with its vast array of A-Listers, Nailah Blackman with her signature dance moves, dazzled the crowd with “Workout”, “Round and Rosie”, and “Best Self”. She seamlessly glided from hit to hit, keeping the audience in the palm of her hands ending her set with the infectious Come Home.

After a brief intermission, two massive “M” shaped LED lights adorned the stage signifying the arrival of the king of soca, The Monk, Machel Montana. Off the jump, he would have the crowd in what can only be described as a state of mania as he performed this year’s soca hit, and road march contender, Pardy. The energy was on 1000% as the crowd sang along in a deafening chorus. Flags were waving galore, and people were stumping the ground in triumph. They deserved a Pardy. Always an energetic, charismatic perfectionist, Machel Montana’s performance is one you’d wait days in the sun to see. Hit after hit after hit, the crowd never fatigued. With choreography throughout the entirety of his set, every song felt like it was meticulously rehearsed to tell us a story. Patrons loved every moment. You couldn’t tell if it was the bass of the sound system, or the patrons singing alongside you that caused your eardrums to rupture as the noise was deafening.

Machel would have a couple of big-name help during his set, namely Pumpa, Drupate, Lady Lava, and Full Blown; who, of course, are the producers responsible for this year’s infectious “Big Links Riddim”. He would also take time to give the duo their flowers, encouraging the crowd to reacquaint themselves with the many hit songs the duo has written for himself, Kerwin Dubois, and Kes, to name a few. Machel then went back into his bag of hits from the early 2000s, and somehow ended up leading the crowd into an acapella rendition of Queen’s “We Will Rock You.” All these ploys and tricks eventually round off his set with the people’s anthem, “Pardy.” As it started, so it ends with tremors being felt throughout the Oval before the Monk leaves the stage for the night. It seemed some of the crowd would leave too.

Another brief intermission and the performances continued with Ravi B. He was a much-needed jolt of energy to take us into the final leg. Starting with familiar hits like “Rum is meh Lover,” and “Prescription.” Just as he did at his very own “Homecoming”, he’d bring out the next guest, Yung Bredda to help him perform their chutney contribution, “Hot Up.” Yung Bredda then had the stage all to himself. With much gusto, he performed the nation’s favorite “Greatest Bend Over,” losing his voice in the process. In the end, it was the crowd that did the work; serenading him before he left the stage.

Our favorite Market vendor would be next, Nadia Batson and what a performance it was. There’s always an unconditional love for Nadia. Her performance was followed by Lyrikal who further carried this crowd’s energy to the limit. Who said a show after Machel is impossible? With hits like “Happy Place,” the crowd was definitely in theirs throughout his performance. Ending the set with “Rukshun,” he left the crowd in a frenzy.

In the final acts was the ever-stunning Patrice Roberts, taking the stage to keep us on our toes. And boy did she accomplish such. Her performance was worthy of a last performance. You could’ve left the fete satiated. Such is the caliber of her craft. To follow her was V’ghn who burst onto the stage to remind the crowd that the show was not yet over. Singing songs like “Finally” and “Explore,” he easily continued where Patrice left off. With time of the essence his set was shortened, but just as swiftly as V’ghn came off the stage, came Skinny Fabulous running onto the stage with nothing short of a finale-worthy performance. His last song being “Come Home,” in which he had the crowd taking the responsibility of singing Nailah Blackman’s verses.

What a show, what a closing with patrons  satisfied, and happy for the return of Machel Monday