July 17, 2024
Subject: Fantastic time as promised on Friday at First Citizens Fusions event.
Following a four-year hiatus, First Citizens Fusions in association with
C&W Business returned just in time for the epic 50th anniversary of Crop Over
celebrations sweeping the nation, and music-lovers were in for a magical trip
down memory lane.
First Citizens Fusions returned to the 50th anniversary of Crop Over
lineup on Friday, July 19 at 8 p.m., which was staged at the prestigious and
spacious grounds of Ilaro Court and featured the Festival Band, led by the
Barbados Police Service Band’s Director of Music Andrew Lynch and the
Crop Over 50th Anniversary Band, led by Barbadian cultural icon Nicholas
Brancker.
Chief Executive Officer of the NCF and Event Producer Carol Roberts, was
thrilled to meet the longtime demand of audiences to see the Festival Band
perform outside of the competition space and provided a night of music unlike
any other.
“You will be seeing not only the current members of the band, but a lot of the
former members of the band coming on stage for guest performances”, she
stated before sharing more about what the audience can expect.
“It’s that exceptional combination of the songs that we know, reinterpreted,
reimagined and transformed into musical experiences that we are sure to
love”, Roberts said. And it turned out as she said.
Patrons also enjoyed a plethora of local talent that took them on a sublime
journey. The star-studded cast consisted of Adrian Clarke, Bumba, TC, Madd,
Roger Gittens, Mike Sealy, Red Plastic Bag, The Mighty Gabby, Kid Site,
Serenader, James Lovell, John Roett, Jermone Waithe, Nikita and Lil Rick.
Event sponsors First Citizens Bank have been on board with the NCF/Crop
Over since their entry into the Barbados market in 2011 and their CEO Claire
Jordan described both the partnership and the decision to reintroduce this
event as “a happy reunion”.
“A nation’s culture resides in the heart and souls of its people. At First
Citizens, supporting homegrown cultural events, such as Crop Over, is an
important thing to us.
“It is the cornerstone of the group’s corporate social responsibility. It is our
belief that festivals such as Crop Over enhance the very fabric of our
communities and by extension the lives of our Bajan people. By supporting
initiatives like Fusions, we are doing our part to uplift the vibrant cultural
landscape that benefits everyone,” said the First Citizens CEO.
The NCF CEO Carol Roberts had emphatically issued a call to all and sundry to be part of the
event which will fuse talents, art forms and eras.
“Whether you’re part of the production team, you’re part of the performing
cast, you’re a sponsor, or you’re one of the patrons, we outside”, she
explained.
First Citizens Fusions tickets were $100
