PICONG and political commentary dominated the opening night of Kaiso Showkase calypso tent at Palms Club, San Fernando on Friday night, with the usual bashing for the opposition and praise for the ruling party.

The lone UNC alderman Colin Lezama on the San Fernando City Corporation, sat in silence, with a smile and sometimes a smirk, among his cheering PNM colleagues who raised their hands and applauded as the calypsonians pounded his party and leader.

Dressed in yellow dress and shoes, the UNC’s party colour, Alicia Richards got the most encores for her satire called De Crush, in which she explored the “real relationship” between Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar and former AG Faris Al-Rawi.

There was raucous laughter from the time the diminutive and plump calypsonian hit the stage, telling the story of the "lady from Siparia" who sat opposite Faris when he was AG, always on his case blaming him for every situation in the country.

Richards, intimating she was really masquerading a crush, batted her eye lashes as she sang, “Everything is Faris, Faris, Faris, Ah wonder how Gregory does feel,” – a reference to Persad-Bissessar's husband.

Rolling out new verses as she was called back, she suggested that having “finished with Faris she now attack Foster, he name she began to slander, saying he is a land grabber, madam Siparia crying Foster, Foster, how Gregory does feel,” ending with “Rowley, Rowley, Rowley," – adding government minister Foster Cummings and the Prime Minister to song.

Enjoying multiple encores also was Tameika Darius for stage presence, in costume as an African queen, and a song which dealt with the name-calling spat between government minister Camille Robinson-Regis over Persad-Bissessar’s Indian middle name and Persad-Bissessar's comeback about her "slave" name.

[caption id="attachment_998237" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Keon Calliste pays tribute to his grandfather, Leroy "Black Stalin" Calliste at Kaiso Showkase, Palms Club, San Fernando on Friday night. - Ayanna Kinsale[/caption]

As a woman of African descent, Darius said she was insulted by the reference, as she had no choice in choosing a name, saying that was no "jahaji bai" as Brother Marvin once sang, but Jahaji Bash – the title of her 2023 contribution.

The trend continued with Queen Victoria (Victoria Cooper Rahim), dressed in a red one-piece, who referred to the Prime Minister as a “hard working man” congratulating him for the gas deal with Venezuela before delving into her song Good Advice.

Mr Mack (Victor Mc Donald) also had the packed house in stitches with his humorous rendition and matching antics of Go Outside and Play, threatening as the captain to open the door of the plane and send questionable lawyers, opposition politicians, some public servants and union leaders outside to play.

El Drago (Ainsley Myers), wearing dark shades, almost knocked down a huge painting of the late Black Stalin, as he made his way on stage to perform Party Stop, Party Start. Quick reflex action by MC Damien Melville, sa