UPDATE: Showtime Band boycotts Road March 2015
“We don’t want to make it a big deal. We just not doing it for the obvious reasons,” a source close to the band told Virgin Islands News Online.
Showtime Band won the Road March title six years in succession before yielding last year to VIBE, considered a breakaway band from Showtime.
The results, however, came amidst much controversy as Showtime band claimed the rules were changed in the middle of the competition and refused to accept that VIBE had won and insisted there was a tie. The band had even produced evidence to support their claims.
Both lead singer Eustace ‘Boss’ Freeman and band manager Ottley Hodge had declined to comment on the issue, with Hodge only saying that “there will be a meeting this afternoon (July 23, 2015)”.
However, when contacted the following day they both declined to comment.
See previous article published July 23, 2015
Showtime band uncertain for 2015 Road March
- allegedly still upset about losing title last year, claiming it was stolen from them
One of the Virgin Islands most popular and successful bands, Showtime, is uncertain about participating in this year’s Road March as part of the 2015 Emancipation Festival activities, according to sources close to the band.
Showtime band won the Road March title six years in succession before yielding last year to VIBE, considered a breakaway band from Showtime.
The results, however, came amidst much controversy as Showtime band claimed the rules were changed in the middle of the competition and refused to accept that VIBE had won and insisted there was a tie. The band had even produced evidence to support their claims.
Now word reaching this news site is that the eight times Road March champions could boycott the 2015 competition over their disagreement with last year’s results.
Both lead singer Eustace ‘Boss’ Freeman and band manager Ottley Hodge declined to comment on the issue, with Hodge only saying that “there will be a meeting this afternoon”.
It is not clear who the band will be meeting with.
Apart from dominating the Road March for years, Showtime band has often successfully represented the territory overseas. Digicel recently signed an exclusive two-year agreement as the Platinum Sponsor of Showtime band.
Virgin Islands News Online will bring you more details as they come in.
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39 Responses to “UPDATE: Showtime Band boycotts Road March 2015”
MASA stop advertising sh*t on the ppl news sites.... ahu go sit down wid dem chunez deh......
Showtime did not jump up and suggest it was a tie.............. The chairman himself announced on the radio, last year, that it was a tie.
So to all the critics above, I ask you this........ If you were in a tie situation and the board decided to just give the top prize to the other competitor........would you stand up for yourself or leave it?
I know some people are gonna say leave it , but if you do that's your choice. Showtime has a right to stand against something that isn't right and this ain't right.
Another thing I am tired of is people from the other camp.......Camp Vibe...... Just negatively commenting because they are basically the opposition. Y'all need to grow up.....in fact if we have Showtime fans doing the same thing......which is just being negative towards anything that includes Vibe....y'all need to grow up too.
We have a name for people that just follow blindly and don't thing for themselves.
We call dem sheep.
Pick your camp. That's a good thing, but when issues arise think for yourself and be fair minded. We all have to live on this island together.
P s.... To the first poster......... The current Showtime has a right to claim 5. 6. 8. Roadmarches even if the band has new members. It's all in the name and who owns it. It s done legally... Not by raw opinion........ That goes for the issue now that have been brought forward from last year.........
What's your point? ........there was different membership last year when the band had something wrongly done to dem so........this year they shouldn't make sure that it's know that this kind of behavior is unacceptable even if the band has the same leaders, singers and name......SHOWTIME
A band provides music, entertainment, escape, and for some, relaxation and contentment. What measures the success of a band's music? The number of road March titles won? Or putting its music out there year after year with the hope of someone somewhere enjoying it? Ultimately I guess they may view what they are doing as just this which is neither here nor there. However, what showtime fail to realize is their decision (yes, it's theirs) is bigger than the four walls of Tortola, the VI festival committee and the petty minds of the people in charge of and making decisions on behalf of the band.
The band is a representation of the BVI and not just some random group. Where is that representation? The conceited and small minds of persons who claim they are standing up for something need to look at the whole picture and make decisions which are in the best interest of the band and not their household or the constraints of their minds. Man the whole situation is a disappointment. Whatever happened last year is 365 days in the past. They need to keep pushing, win, lose or draw, keeping in mind why they provide their service. Boycotting only makes them appear to be sore losers and immature. Perseverance and staying focused to their end game should be paramount. But as you said they have a right to their own opinion -even if it changes the perception of whomever is watching (in and outside the BVI) of the band.
Self accolade is no accolade. If they feel disenfranchised, so what? A band is a public thing. Like being a politician, wRongful and sometimes baseless and unfair conclusions will be drawn. We all could agree this has happened many times, but has our politicians pouted and abandoned the course? Another example is Nick Friday's comeback with 'man terrible and woman bad ( the stanza - how you ah go hold a show, and to you all the awards go? Everybody laughing for he's a poppy show) and 'none ah dem can't mek tune like me', songs when he felt Jam Band was robbed of songs which could have potentially given them more road marches. Did Jam Band decide that they would spite the process to make a "stand"? No, because that's maturity. They countered by singing on the matter and those songs ended up road marches as well. Now that's how to prove a point!
Anyway, the die is already cast, the deadline to enter expired. Hopefully some thought, considering all aspects will be considered next year and the powers that be in showtime will have grown. In the interim, I wish all bands well and encourage everyone to stay safe during the festival season.