Kingston’s carnival calendar kicked off in earnest Saturday night as GenXS staged its aptly named Touchdown welcome party at Janga’s Sports Bar & Grill in St Andrew. Designed as a meet-and-mingle for overseas masqueraders who landed hours—or even minutes—earlier, the soirée swiftly transformed weary travellers into ready-to-fête revellers.
From the first track, Trinidad’s DJ Lord Hype set a sunset groove that blended soca staples with dancehall crowd-pleasers, easing newcomers into the island rhythm. Tag-teaming on the mic and decks, hype-man-turned-selector Lurbz punctuated each transition with quick-fire call-and-response, ensuring suitcases were forgotten and flags went up.
By the time the clock struck 11, the tempo spiked. Producer-DJ Travis World commandeered the booth, unleashing a barrage of 2025 road-march contenders that turned the lounge into a shoulder-to-shoulder jam session. Within minutes, Janga’s shaded patio pulsed like a full-scale fete: drinks lifted skyward, whistle blasts ricocheting, and flight tags doubling as impromptu wristbands.
For many attendees, Touchdown wasn’t merely a pre-party; it marked the psychological start of Carnival week. “The minute Travis dropped the first riddim, the jet lag disappeared,” one patron laughed between jumps. “Now I know I’m in Kingston—for Carnival.”
By close, GenXS had accomplished its goal: taking a roomful of globe-trotters and syncing their heartbeats to Jamaica’s soca cadence. Kingston’s streets may still be quiet, but after Touchdown, the countdown to Carnival Sunday is officially rolling.
