The Lashing Dogs

Held at the Festival Grounds on December 21 and 22, Fungi Fest brought together several local bands and others encompassing the USVI, Anguilla, St. Kitts and St. Maarten.

The show started late on the first night and after an apology from the VI Fungi Fest Committee, the first band took to the stage.

KoKo and the Sunshine Band from St. John’s kicked off the event releasing some of the classics including “Mavis”, mixed with Christmas favourites: “We Are Here” and “Ho, Ho, Ho” – a song that adds an island twist about Santa visiting the Caribbean .

Following the performance, lead singer of the band, Mahlon “KoKo” Pickering recognised the weak attendance, but remarked to the VI Standpoint that one must recognise that the event is an attempt to revive the Fungi culture in the VI.

“This is one of the best things that has happen in recent years for Fungi music,” Pickering said.

Close to 20 performances were expected but about 80 percent took to the stage.

The average time between each performance was about fifteen minutes, with MC Irvin “Brownie” Brown keeping the event lively with jovial interjections.

Some of the other bands that performed on the first night were: Unity Vibes from Virgin Gorda, Native Rhythms from St. Croix and Leon and the Hot Shots out of St. John .

On the second night, there was a larger attendance but not impressive.

The bands that performed included: the Serenaders band from Carrot Bay, the Gospel Fungi Band, the Originals, Jingle Bells String Band from St. Kitts, Four Strong International and two bands from Anguilla –Smokey and the Boys, and Energetic Superflies led by the Mighty Springer, a twelve times Calypso Monarch.

The Superflies energetically performed several Soca songs and proved that a Fungi band can string any song by their performance of an up-tempo version of Taurus Riley’s “She’s Royal”.

The Fest saved the best for last and on both nights the Lashing Dogs, considered the best Fungi Band in the BVI, ended the performances in grand style.

On both evenings, lead singer, Aubrey Forbes expressed the hope that the next Fungi Fest will be better attended.

Several decades after Fungi music made its way around the island, some of the instruments have been refashioned through technological advances.

However, it was refreshing to see that most of the bands still used some of the traditional instruments, which included, the triangle, politos, squash, ass pipe and a wash pan for bass.        

The originality is still very much alive in the music, but the support for the art form needs a breath of life.

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