Popular local band Exodus took home the coveted Road March title for this year’s Summer Festival. The title made them the most popular band of the year. Exodus nabbed the prestigious award during the Parade and ‘Street Jam’ segments of the Festival and was announced winners on Sunday August 9. The championship earned the band 5000 EC dollars.

Presentation of cheque by Nagico at latest

The award cemented a victory they captured in the Rainbow FM-Nagico Road March Call-in Competition which was held live during the Festival on Rainbow FM. This title earned them 500 US dollars and was handed over by Nagico Sales Representative Carlyn Carty.

Nagico Marketing Manager for Anguilla and St. Maarten, Jasmine Payne, praised and congratulated Exodus for what she described as “a job well done.” She remarked that the popular vote “said it all” even before they received the Road March Award.

Payne indicated that her company’s search for the most popular band was designed to reflect how ‘the people’ judged contending local bands this year. She added that Exodus shared a similar philosophy to Nagico: “When people say what they have to say we respond…that’s why we did this because we know that competitions are usually keen and the bands compete vigorously for the awards. We wanted for the people themselves to really have a say, have a vote in who they wanted; to say ‘well these are the people who represent me on the road.’ Representing what I feel and the carnival spirit and that’s what it was about.”

Payne pointed out that her company was always involved in the community. “We don’t just try, we do it. It’s about action. We get involved in the community, we support culture, we support our artists, not only in Anguilla but throughout the Caribbean,” She remarked.

The Nagico Representative thanked Exodus for representing a part of what she described as the Heart of the Community and embodying the carnival spirit. She also thanked Rainbow FM for facilitating the on-air competition.

Payne highlighted increased local sales efforts and responding to community needs during the present global economic situation as some of Nagico’s plans for the future.

Lead Singer in Exodus Band Tyrone (Latest) Brooks commented that the members of his band did their best and people responded, that response was embraced, loved and cherished. He stressed that many people doubted his band’s ability to succeed. “In my life I’ve always been doubted…so my task is always to prove people wrong. This was another chance to prove people wrong,” he remarked.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Brooks thanked Rainbow FM, Nagico, other media including The Anguillian, and the general public. He said without public support, they “could not be here.”

Mr. Brooks, who recently worked with the AIDS programme on a summer project to help segments of youth in the community, took the opportunity to reach out to Anguilla’s young people: “Whether in school or whatever you are doing…don’t give up, just keep pushing because once you believe, dreams will come true.” He encouraged them to be positive.

The Lead Singer revealed that the money from Nagico was earmarked to produce a video that would be presented to the principals of the television channel, Tempo. He said the world needs to know about Anguilla’s music. He noted that their new award was just a step in their dream. “This is just the beginning…the real aim is to do Anguilla proud,” he stressed.

Heineken was the Main Sponsor of Exodus this year. Keivelle Lake of Tropical Distributors and Heineken extended congratulations to the band and expressed his pleasure to have worked with its members. He noted the hard work but stated that Heineken was always proud of the performances of the bands they had sponsored over the years. He said that, for the past five years, his company had sponsored four Road March Champions.

Mr. Lake anticipated a continued working relationship with Exodus. He said they made Anguilla proud and encouraged them to keep up the good work.

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