The King of Soca Machel Montano will kick off a historic four-night residency at the iconic Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York, USA, Starting this Friday.
The showcase will run from August 30 to September 2, and will mark the first time soca music takes center stage in a full concert at the legendary venue.
Widely regarded as a cultural cornerstone of African-American history, the Apollo Theater is where Bill Cosby’s comedy went mainstream, Jimi Hendrix’s guitar solos became lore and Michael Jackson first moonwalked.
Montano says it is significant milestone for him.
“It’s definitely a significant milestone,” Montano said when presented with the full weight of that rich history. “It’s so funny, because I’ve been there in 1984 or 85. I’m not sure if I performed, but I do remember meeting people like Mike Tyson, El DeBarge and Jimmy Buffet.”
Unfortunately, there are no photos of an eight-year-old Montano at the Apollo – his then-manager Margot Jordan forgot to load film into her camera – but the experience remains vivid in his memory. “We always laugh about that moment,” Montano continued, “but this is really my first time taking soca to such an iconic venue and its very significant and important because these legendary spaces give you a certain feeling, it puts it on the record, it sets soca into that standard that a venue like that has set for the world and to be invited to be there is such an honor.”
Montano says he will share his big moment with his “brothers and sisters of soca”, using the opportunity to showcase the diversity of the genre. Former bandmate and childhood friend Farmer Nappy (Darryl Henry), to T&T soca acts Nadia Batson, Nailah Blackman, Viking Ding Dong (Andre Houlder), New York-based GBM Nutron (Jason Carter) and Vincentian Skinny Fabulous (Gamal Doyle), among others will join Montano on stage at the Apollo.“ Always when we go to these iconic venues we taking all of soca. As much as we can. We reached out to all the top acts, we invited everyone that we know as the major players in the game,” he said.
No stranger to the international limelight, Montano has previously sold out concerts at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, the UBS Arena in Long Island and the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
While in New York Machel Montano will also receive the Entertainer’s Key to the City from New York City Mayor Eric Adams before headlining a free-to-attend celebration concert at Roy Wilkins Park in Queens, New York.
