AJ’s Calypso Tent makes a welcome return to the UKs Caribbean festival season in 2025. “Celebrating Carnival Arts & Windrush Day”, once again the nation’s best in the “first music of the Caribbean”, calypso and its international offshoot, soca, appear on the show.
Headliners are multiple Monarch and arguably the most popular UK calypsonian, G String with Referendum and Stirring The Pot; former Groovy Soca Monarch and Calypso Monarch, Brown Sugar, Send Dem to Jail and Equal Opportunities; exciting bashment-soca singer, DeeVine (Jam For Life); and celebrating 40 years as a singer-songwriter, is De Admiral AKA Jeffrey Hinds with The Windrush Generation.
Veteran artists, Rev B, King Clivus, Music Man and Master Link are chief support on the bill alongside newcomers, Dame Polly, Amanda Innis and Clifton Medford. The beautiful voices of the Kaiso Gems backing singers, AJ’s All Stars and host, Andre “McGenious” Shepherd add support to the show from 7.30pm, which will be held on 14 June at South Reading Leisure Centre, Northumberland Avenue, Reading, Berkshire, RGZ 8GH.
AJ’s Calypso Tent founder, Jeffrey Hinds, debuted under Admiral Jack’s sobriquet in 1985 with the songs Bring Back Morality and Pan Mania. Hinds was inspired by legends Lord Kitchener and The Mighty Sparrow, and is enthusiastic about the significance of this year’s Tent: “Carnival Arts are underpinned by Steelpan, Mas, Calypso and Soca. These arts are extremely important for Caribbean cultural expression in the UK. The show’s title also marks the importance of Windrush Day on 22 June, commemorating the post-war arrival and contributions to the UK of West Indian people from the Caribbean islands.”
For tickets and information, please visit Eventbrite.
