After a four-year hiatus, the highly anticipated water-themed soca event H20 made a triumphant return, with organizers and attendees noting that the venue filled up much quicker than in previous years. The energy was so high that a massive crowd was still actively partying at 7:30 in the morning.
Despite the overwhelming success, the event faced a few minor logistical hurdles regarding its signature water elements and audio.
Organizers initially planned to run a direct mainline water feed from the Central Water and Sewerage Authority (CWSA), which would have allowed them to pump water all night through multiple cannons on both sides of the venue. However, at the last minute, the CWSA determined that leaving a 4-inch line open without restriction posed too high a risk of emptying the public water supply. Because the CWSA could not prioritize the party over the island’s population, organizers had to pivot back to using limited water tanks, resulting in high volumes of water but for a shorter overall duration.
Additionally, the massive size of the crowd created unexpected audio challenges. While the music was “thumping” during the Thursday sound check, the capacity crowd in the relatively narrow venue ended up absorbing much of the sound. Reviewers noted that the event has seemingly outgrown its current audio capabilities, suggesting that multiple sound systems may need to collaborate in the future to adequately reach the entire crowd.
Some attendees were disappointed they never got the traditional cue to “fling their shirts”, humorously noting they had to go home with all their clothes still on.
To ensure the show ended properly, the police granted the event an extra 40 minutes to accommodate the final performances, a move organizers said prevented an “absolute travesty”.
Reviewers praised the excellent local performances that anchored the event. A major highlight of the night was Jasper, who embraced old-school soca culture by committing to a character for hours; he played the role of an old man with a stick, playfully tripping over cracks in the venue. Other highly praised performers included Skinny and Problem, with Problem officially closing out the show in “fine style”.