By: Nikia Wells

It’s 3am. Another Junkanoo group is about to hit Bay. The bright, white, overhead lights illuminate the normally jam-packed downtown streets that are now devoid of traffic, blaring horns or the normal bustle of the straw markets and vendors. It’s all road, flanked by spectators. The goat skin is hot. The dancers are tuned up. And, brass is ready. 

Bragging rights and pride are up for grabs. But, most importantly, the groups are ready for those three laps that they spent 365 days preparing for. 

They live for the deep, booming pound of the drums, and the ring of carefully tuned metal vibrating through their body. And, no matter how burnt their hands, how on fire their feet are, or how bent up, break up, or pop-down their bodies feel from spending months, weeks, days, and hours crafting their costumes… the moment that they hear the roar of “SHOWTIME!”, that sweet, sweet Junkanoo music instantly hits different. 

While the Showman team is accustomed to nurturing the stomachs of their diners with a weekly culinary international tour, they know that it isn’t enough to simply feed the belly. There is perhaps a no more impactful way to nourish the mind, than through music, and Showman recently announced their support of Black Box Live – a celebration of Bahamian music that showcases the talent of many home-grown musicians. 

There have been countless international studies on the emotional and psychological impact of music. But, long story short – music makes us feel. Be it happiness, joy, passion, hypes us up for the gym, or pulls that sweet whine out from the most demure of reserved of us when rake & scrape hits…. 

Music is in a word – powerful. 

Much like food, music has a practical side. The theory and the technical skills to create this sound or that beat can be taught. But, music truly has no rules. If it sounds good and it evokes something good within others, then it is good music. It doesn’t matter if it has been created by a professional musician or a single person scraping away at a rusty ripsaw – a sound can fill us up in the same way that a hearty meal can.