FOOD vendors at Soca Broadway will get a bligh from their bossman, Iwer George.

“I done fix that already,” Iwer insisted when TnT Mirror approached him with complaints from food vendors who were paying TT$1,000 nightly for use of the venue, but were placed too far from the crowd.

It was evident last Saturday night at the Peace Concert, which featured Damien Marley along with a slew of soca stars.

“What I have done is create the venue (which is located just outside the Marathon Tunnel on the grounds of the National Stadium) smaller for the smaller shows.

“It was just too much work to remove the vendors because I placed them against the fencing,” he explained.

“But things will change from this weekend, because we will only be having big fetes on the Broadway.”

Patrons have already complained that the strip on which Soca Broadway is located is too narrow, so much less people have access to a full view of the stage.

THE biggest clash for the season will be on February 18, with the 2006 Brass Festival against Alternative Concept, the show that was created by Machel Montano and promoter Roy Maraj, as a direct rival to Brass promoter Cliff Harris.

The Brass Festival has been shifted from its traditional venue on the PSA Grounds in Long Circular, for the first time in 17 years, and will now be hosted at Soca Broadway and the soccer training field next to the Hasely Crawford Stadium.

That’s because of construction work on a mini stadium at the Long Circular site.

And word is that Alternative Concept is likely to be staged next door, at the Jean Pierre Complex, as Montano seeks a new venue to prevent a re-run of last year’s horrors, which left artistes and patrons stranded in traffic for three hours as they headed to Mobs-Two.

However, it will be a different kind of madness on Wrightson Road, with two of the biggest Carnival fetes at virtually the same venue.

Apart from the music, it will require a substantial amount of police manpower to control the crowds in and around the stadium.

“I will be using a different entrance to the west of the Stadium,” Brass festival promoter Cliff Harris, told TnT Mirror, at the same time, insisting that he knew nothing about the rival fete on his doorsteps.

“We will be using the Foreshore in that area opposite the Starlift Panyard,” he explained.

But it will be literally a sound clash, with booming boxes and several big bands squaring off at the venues that are less than 100 metres apart.

Two international dancehall acts, Beenie Man and Elephant Man, due to perform at Alternative Concept, are likely to be caught in the clash as well!

Randy Glasgow who promotes several events at the Jean Pierre Complex said the use of both venues simultaneously has never been tested.

“My first show is long before that clash and it will be on February 3, when there is also a fete at the Soca Broadway, so I will monitor to see what happens,” said Glasgow.

“Hopefully, we will see no problems.”

FAY ANN LYONS does not intend to get into the habit of explaining herself to anyone.

The former Road March queen is entertaining no questions about her wardrobe.

Instead, she has promised to have more tongues wagging for the season.

“It is not necessary to explain myself, because the critics are not my fans,” the talented daughter of TnT’s all time Road March champ, SuperBlue, told this newspaper last week.

“I don’t know why they have a problem because it was not vulgar and distasteful, rather classy and sexy,” she said, as she described her extra low-rise jeans and daring black leather halter top, which she wore to perform on New Year’s night.

“At least, I was not wearing a thong and two coconut shells,” she joked.

FAY ANN LYONS in one
of her daring outfits.

“According to the majority of the people, I looked very good,” she added.

Fay Ann admits she puts together her own wardrobe which resonates of sexy trends from Madonna and Britney Spears.

“It’s just me!

“And I shop locally, I bought that outfit right here in Trinidad,” she added for good measure.

“The Trinidad public hardly shops locally, so they won’t know what’s available.

“I shop all over the place when I travel, as long as I see something that’s unusual.”

“So, I would tell those people who had something to say to keep on watching, because there’s a lot more surprises to come,” she promised.

SECURITY bills are set to cut into profits for fete promoters who are already gritting their teeth.

But some won’t even admit as much, fearing just the mention of the word “guns and knives” will scare away even party animals.

“Crime is not really in the parties,” Cliff Harris told TnT Mirror, admitting that the real test will be with the “Fire” and “Flour” fetes carded for last night (Saturday).

“But, I know that I will be improving on the metal scanners that will be in use for the fetes,” Harris said.

“We will be using a different type of metal scanner; it will definitely be a better system.

“It’s just that we are not advertising an increase in security because people are already in a state about the crime.

“There is no need to remind them because they are conscious enough,” he added.

But Randy Glasgow, who promoters several events throughout the island, including the controversial Youth Fest, confessed that he will be “putting out extra” for security.

“I would say the bill could be just about 15 per cent higher than last year,” he noted.

“You know when, in this time, you are faced with a bill of TT$40,00 for police security at the fetes, you do not question that,” he added.

“Still, in spite of all of this, the Carnival is shaping up to be really good,” he ended on an optimistic note.