Dec. 27, 2006 — Hundreds of revelers showed off their "tramping style" as the High Voltage Band took to the streets of Frederiksted Tuesday evening, heralding the opening of the Crucian Christmas Village with music and wild abandon.
The streets were filled and overflowing as throngs of young people (and some not so young) were drawn to the Calypso beat like a magnet. The blue flashing light of the lead police car, closely followed by the band, perched atop a flatbed trailer, was a beacon lighting the way to the dancing and fun, traditionally marking the official kickoff of the hottest party of the year on St. Croix.
As the street party progressed through the West End streets, beginning at the Post Office on Fisher Street, the band pounded out a series of high-energy sounds enticing the crowd to move their bodies to the beat. There were as many spectators lining the sidewalks as there were dancers, but soon enough it was hard to tell the spectators from the revelers.
As the music got closer and the beat got louder almost to the point that one could feel the bass reverberating through their body passive onlookers in the wake of the dancing horde became active participants, swept up by the infectious sounds.
Trampers being the orderly bunch they are consistently obeyed the directions of the vocalists. "Wok up hard wok up harder," the vocalist bellowed.
And the crowd followed in unison. One lively bunch formed a human chain — their arms around each other's waist — as they wound through the crowd, never missing a beat.
"This is the part of festival I love," shouted 16-year-old T'kisha Williams, who came to the tramp with a group of friends. "After this, we are going on the carnival rides!"
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