So I had the opportunity to go take a look at the costumes up close and as always I do a follow up review . I don't really think you can give a completely fair review until you see it close up. And true to that ,there were definitely a few pleasant surprises.The website is up as well and I am thrilled that they made an effort to show the backs of the costumes. It was also nice to see headpiece options in the mascamp for almost every section. My guess is you will be paying last years' prices for the small headpieces but we shall see.
THE MYSTERY OF LOULAN
My opinion on this costume is still the same. Still LOOVE it! I do know some people there voiced concerns as to how the colour will look on different skin tones. In all honesty it may not be for everyone but I think because there is a gold sheen to the neutral colour , it will work for most. For me the selling point is the splash of blue amongst the neutral tones.
SILK OF RAJASTHAN
On the plus side there are a lot of nice accessories. Somehow it seemed to have even more cloth than what was shown on the road. With the exception of the green piece of cloth I thought it had for some reason. It is still not one of my favourites, I think the bar and waistband decoration is just too busy for my taste. The head piece options are cute as well.
ERI
This was also pretty much as expected.Nothing really to add to this except that the waistband has a ring in the front.On a closer look the appliques used were very different to what one typically sees so for that I give it a thumbs up.
ZARI
I really think the bra on this could have done with some more work. Its nice but I would have liked to see the bra filled in more. I love the base colour but I am still not impressed by the hanging earrings everywhere. It looks like it could have taken some more beading on the waistband as well. If I was to sign up in this section I think I would add some brown beading on the waistband and then string some gems.
TYRIAN PURPLE
I liked this even more in real, I think it moved up my list somewhat. The bra is very well done even though I prefer the deeper purple to the more burgundy colour of the bra. The chains on the belt are actually small plain coins which I prefer to the larger ones on Threads of Morocco. The design also seems much skimpier than I expected , for me that is a plus but maybe not for everyone lol. I think I would wear this costume as is and not change anything.
SERICA
Maybe I just don't understand this costume...the white cord, the white cape, the busy decoration. I dislike it even more in when I saw it. I don't even like the head piece any more. Even the choker has a piece of white cord added to it. Why does it have those clunky rectangular earrings on top of it all? This is the only costume I really struggled to find something positive about. Lets hope this suffers the same fate as Flamingo.
LAPIS LAZULI
I actually liked this much more when I saw it. I now understand when looking at it dead on that the bra is done to look like a mock corset which now makes it much more interesting to me. I still don't like the placement of the chunky gems on the bra but its definitely more flattering that I expected. The waistband ties in well the bra and has a similar detailing. In general it is still a very basic costume but it is a good colour and will look good on almost everyone.
FIRE SILK
This was the biggest surprise for the night!! The bra actually looks very well done with a silver sequined base and the red wire overlay. It is definitely wearable and is no longer at the bottom of the pack. Now I think those big red gems cheapen the costume. And i mean literally the gems look cheap compared to the other materials used on this costume and those used in other costumes. The red feathers highlighting the genital area also needs to go.
CHARMEUSE
I really love this costume, simple and sexy. The colours are just gorgeous. Be warned though, there is nothing hiding your bamcee or your front on this costume. It is extremely skimpy. Apparently they are leaving it to the long cloth on the headpiece to cover your butt! While skimpy equals good for me, it bothers me a little bit that so much of the panty is visible underneath. Maybe the panty could be blinged out as well. I believe the torso piece is detachable so that it can be worn separately (whew!). If they were really innovative they could have made it adjustable but I cannot be sure. For a floor section this has a whole bunch of accessories. This is one of my personal favourites.
OSAGE
The colour on this really pops. I had some concerns about the sun flower shaped applique on the belt but in the end I decided that it works with the costume. I think I was a bit biased about it from my first impression so thats why I let it slide but it is still one of my favourites this year.
THREADS OF MOROCCO
Funnily enough I really am not feeling this costume as much anymore. I definitely took a dislike to the coins hanging from the belt . Yes, yes I know its Moroccco themed but I preferred the smaller version used on Tyrian Purple. The gems on the belt and bra have borders and are very large. I still don't really like the gems going across the nipple rather than at the bra edge. Don't get me wrong, it is still a very pretty, very nice colour combination. I just don't think its for me.
XI LING SHI
Very extensive and detailed workmanship on this costume. Still very nice however the vertical waistband piece seems a bit stiff. Although it is well worked up, there are no gems hanging from it. Maybe because it will definitely be a stocking ripper.There is however, a lovely piece of yellow and turquoise dip dyed cloth attached which gives it some movement. Still too Cotinga for my liking but a sure stunner on the road.
MULBERRY
This costume is growing on me more and more everytime i see it. The diamantes on this costume make it look very regal. Even though the bra itself is not worked up, the use of pleated silk on it was a good alternative. The colour is a matter of preference and may not appeal to everyone but its still very attractive.
In general many section did a spandex gladiator foot piece decorated with gems. Although I like it , I think too many sections had the same thing. Maybe it was intended to be the linking factor between the sections.
We are still anxiously awaiting prices which I think will still be a determining factor for many people. Maybe even for those who are considering moving to Spice. Hopefully the will be out soon.
Thursday, August 06, 2009
Sunday, July 26, 2009
TRIBE 2K10 :SECRET OF SILK REVIEW
Ah yes, I guess the 'off season' is officially over. Although Spice beat everyone to the punch by an early launch , I was still in hibernation so more on that another time. With a frenzied attendance the Tribe launch was definitely one of teh most anticipated for the season. If you were unfortunate enough not to have a ticket on the day then you could have bought one from anywhere from $320 to $900. This is unheard of especially considering the brochure 'leaked' last week and half of Trinidad saw the costumes in adavance. I have yet to understand why people rush the event since the only thing worth seeing is the costumes. I think the party itself usually leaves something to be desired. I for one had no intention of sitting in 2 hours of traffic and made my way to the venue to open the gates.
As usual, Tribe starts their presentation at the entrance. I think the decor was a bit on a smaller scale and less elaborate than previous years but it was still well done in line with the theme . After all, we in recession right? Well you would never have thought so with the amount of people lined up to get inside from early o'clock. It looked like they were herding cattle. We were entertained throughout the night by the Shiv Shakti Digicel girls. Ok they weren't really Shiv Shakti but they dance like they was from Thailand whole night. I doh want that wuk at all!
I know no one really cares about my review of the party itself so I will just make a few comments. One, the change of the stage orientation allowed for more of the crowd to see the presentation. However the stage was so high that unless you were over 6 feet tall getting a decent pic was impossible. Yet again the models ran through their paces, as in literally ran. Fortunately their routine allowed for stationary shots. Many of the costumes found themselves in the dark which made also made it impossible to get a shot even if you had a professional grade camera with zoom lens. It was a great improvenet that they actually said the names of the sections as they were on stage.Also they actually got the HD camp to perform after the presentation!! No Machel but hey, at least they had performances!
Ok costume time.CHECK HERE for my pics from the night.
THE MYSTERY OF LOULAN
Well the drama definitely started with a bang!Everyone has been eagerly awaiting the sophomore presentation of designer Solange Shaw-Gopaul. We were instantly wowed with an over the top headpiece for the Premium and Super options. This costume is absolutely gorgeous. It has an interesting colour combination of nude, gold and blue which I cannot recall being done in recent times or ever for that matter. The design of the strapless bra and waist band for the Premium option is also gorgeous and appears even more revealing with its muted bas colours. To ocmplement it you have a fanatastic pop of blue gems. I just love how she went with the chunkier gems in the design for all costume options. The waistband is as skimpy as could be (not as though that is a problem for me) and very well done. If head pieces could kill, their would be blood on the dance floor (R.I.P MJ *sniff*). The Premium head piece could also be a weapon of mass destruction.Floor length feathers???!!! It is huge and completely stunning. You will be walking in the shade all day!I have no idea how people managing with that on the road but watch out and get the F out the way!! There is nothing I can find wrong with this costume. Nothing!Super sexy, super skimpy!!I LOOOVE IT!
SILK OF RAJASTHAN
This costume designed by Peter Elias was very predictable in my opinion. When I heard the theme, I just knew that he would come with a red indian themed costume. with cloth hanging between the legs. Compared to his popular and gorgeous presentation last year, this is definitely a downgrade.While I like the simplicty of it , at the same time it has very little wow factor for a carnival costume. For those who dont lik eto weighed down on the road, it is a good option and dont expect to get any coverage out of those cloth panels as it is still very skimpy. The sides are just ties. I realy don't like that the same material is used for the bra, waistband and one of the head piece options. With all those bells hanging from everywhere you will be jingling all day.The design itself is also very reminiscent of some of Sonia Macks past costumes. However if you were a guy, you got one of the better costumes in terms of its relation to the theme. Its a typical ethnic Indian attire but I don't know how many dudes really want to wear a turban and a long dhoti pants on the road. Those pants look like they will be a furnace!
ERI
It is indeed 'Eri' how much this costume seems like the way Silver Mist (Tribe '07) should have been. I still have nightmares about that costume.The colours are the same however the design is clearly superior. I am not a big fan of silver decoration on a silver base but and I don't really like the actual choice of beading used.Maybe I am just still traumatised by Silver Mist and am having trouble looking past that .However the costume does have the saving grace of a fabulous head piece and back pack. You spend most of your time staring at that anyway. It interesting that the coth used is a dip dyed piece of fabric, I liked that touch.
ZARI
This costume is very simple. Not a whole lot going on . This is another example where this seems to be a downgrade by the designer. There costume last year puts this one in the shade. I like the colour combination and the bra appears to be worked up nicely. I dont really like the beading at the underwire of the bra as it seem sto be throwing off the whole thing a bit. It was very difficult to get pics of this section at the launch. The belt is also nicely beaded but I don't particularly like the circular hoops hanging from the belt. It reminds me very much of a pair of earrings that I have so I keep thinking there are earrings hanging from the belt.You can get away with it on the bra but I think on the waistband its a bit of an overkill. Maybe if they had tiered the rings on the waistband instead of having them in a staright line I may have liked it more. Oh wait, the model is wearing the hoops as earrings lololol. Ok there you go..earrings on the waistband.
TYRIAN PURPLE
I think the bra on this costume is fantastic, both the working and the cut of the bra is attractive. I would have like to see a bit more on the waistband but it is still very attractive and oh so skimpy.The one piece of cloth hanging down the front seems to be an afterthought. I think it could do with some beading hanging down on either. If i was in this section I would either do that and leave the clothe or remove the cloth completely and fill it in withthe chain.side as well, just to fill in the front a bit. The bustle and headpiece on this frontline is also fantastic. I love the colour combination of the deep purple and blues. This is one of the best designs that Gail has produced .
SERICA
So the Thai inspired headpiece is nice......Seriously I can't find many positive things to say about this costumes. Its defintely towards the bottom of my list. The other floor headpiece is probably the only one in the band I think is just plain ugly. The bra and waistband have this working on it that is just plain confused. I am all for contrast , but I doh know how the white tie in with the whole thing. I guess cause they going for the Greco-Roman theme so they literally had white plus red. The white and gold cord on the waistband cheapens the costume and it looks off.The beads and cord hang straight down in the front in a way that is not even graded and I don't know why they decided to make the waistband asymmetric by adding more cord over one thigh. And then we have the white cape.....I doh mind that it have a cape but the white just looks out of place. This section also does not seem to have a frontline option , I thought I may hav emissed it but the brochure also just has two headpiece options.If that is the frontline then its surely not worth the extra expense.
MULBERRY
I always say that designing a green costume is usually very difficult. Super Mo Mo made this look easy with this costume. I was iffy about it when I saw it in the leaked brochure even though the frontline was fabulous but was sold on it when I saw it in reality.She kept it simple and used the fabric as the costume focal point. The fabric covered bra was simply highlighted with complemenatry cololours and just a small dash of fuschia for contrast.The frontline accessories seem very functional and will stay out of your way, although you may still poke someone's eye out.The caged bra for the premium option is also gorgeous but seems I don't think it fit very well on the model.It seemed that her boobs were squished and ready to lap out at any moment . That may be a hit or miss depending on your measurements.Its not a risk I am willing to take on the road.
LAPIS LAZULI
The photos in this brochure can be very deceiving for this costume. The bikini is actually purple not blue and the gems are shades of blue. The headpieces are nice but I don't like the bra design. I think the colours and the materials chosen were very pretty but I don't like how it was used in the design of the bra pattern. I don't like the vertical line of the silver beading and would have prefered to see it angled a bit more in contour with the shape of the boobies. The waistband itself is nice but the beading hanging down is very short. Even though there is a lot of working on it that I am sure was costly, the lack of length in the beading and the lack of additions to the anything hanging from the bra makes it appear to be average and boring when viewed from a distance. The cape does give it a bit of a kick.
HABOTAI
Welcome back Lana!! I am so glad she is back in the game cause she always brings something worth looking at to the table. Now I love the colour, the beading on the bra and waistband is simple but nice. A lot of diamante in this costume and you just look blinged out! Then again, she let the fabric do some of the work. I also like the blinged out head piece which frames your face. This is not for everyone and I am sure leaves a horrendous tan line but it is looks gorgeous in pics if you wnat to be on the cover of the Daily Express.The only thing I don't get is the black tassles. I don't mind the black but why it has to be tassles??? I would take every one off. The backpack for the frontline is also over the top and stunning. I think the chop sticks are a bit questionable but hey, it is an asian inspired costume. The bustier individual for this costume with the wide brimmed hat was definitely very different .I am not sure how i feel about the floopy hat but its stillall very couture. With this option you dont seem to get a waistband.
FIRE SILK
One of my least favourites. This pretty close to a red and silver version of Silver Mist with a poonky feather in the front. Again, maybe thats why I don't like it. Its not an ugly costume although the poonky feather needs to go but its just not doing anything for me. The floor headpiece is tame compared to the other sections. The Thai looking back pack for teh frontline nad it head piece is a big improvement although I think they could have given the frontline a different bra. The accessories for both frontline and floor for this costume also just look cheap. Compared to the other costumes it is just blah.
CHARMEUSE
Welcome back Lana!! Wait, did I say that already? I LOOOVE IT! The colour combination is so pretty and using teh circles to make the belt is fabulous. Yeah it may be reminiscent of Macchu Picchu (Tribe Year1) but who cares!! Cause Macchu Picchu is still my pick for best costume ever. Its super skimpy, super sexy and yet it has the cloth pieces hanging as an elegant touch. Only thing I would be worried about is that torso connection which are notoriously problematic but it seems an easy fix. The headpieces are also gorgeous and the frontline back pack.The Individual back pack is out of this world.
OSAGE
I don't think there was a person who did not say "WOW!" when they opened that brochure and saw this on the first page. This is hands down the best costume Gail has blessed us with.The most unique part of this costume is the 3-d orange gems used on the bra and waistband. Everyone knows I am not a fan of appliques but it actually works fabulously in this case. I would not change a thing.Even the leg accessories are cute. Just fabulous all round. AH-PLAUSE.
THREADS OF MOROCCO
The brochure has most people wondering for a costume that seems this nice, what could be wrong with the bra that they had to hide it? But no fear, the bra is heavily beaded and edged in big gems. It makes it look plain from a distance but close up its more appealing. I am on the fence about the bra for myself personally but its still beautiful. If Macchu Picchu and Isis A has a child it would be this costume. I now knocking them for it because they were both gorgeous costumes and has produced a gorgeous child. It did however take a bit to grow on me.I was not sure of the beading hanging from the waistband but when i saw how it was used on the front line bra and headpiece I really like it.The frontline is just hot for days. My congratulations to all who have the confidence to wear that bra whichis little more than a pastie with a curtain of beads. The accordian material gold capes is ole school but works well with the costume. The headpiece is also very over the top.
XI LING SHI
Ok, Ok, it is a gorgeous costume. The colour combination just jumps out at you. The frontline option is just dripping with diamante from every crevice. Floor length feathers in two tones. Its one and only downfall is that it looks like a remix of Spangled Cotinga. So much so , that is has been given the nickname Spangled Canary.(I eh make that up eh!!) As pretty as it is , I just can't seem to overlook that it seemed to use some of the leftover material from last year.I am all for saving the planet but I think it came too close on the heels of Cotinga. For someone who actually played in Cotinga it got crossed of my list immediately. For those who did not get into the overcrowded Cotinga section ...Yay! Now you have a second shot.Gorgeous all the same though!
RANDOM INDIVIDUALS
I don't know what to say about a few costums that seemed to be just thrown in as an afterthought and could not be connected to any section. In particular the green and pink that was seen after Silk of Rajasthan. The poor girl spent the whole time on stage holding up the headpiece. The costume itself was Fugly.It looked cheap and tacky. Then they had the butterflies which look like they went in Island People storage warehouse and sneaked out a few.I stood up there trying to figure out how the wings were attached and it just had a rod stuck into the side of the waistband. Really? But them all in the garbage.
In summary:
MY Top 5 : Loulan, Charmeuse,Osage,Threads of Morocco,Xi Ling Shi.
MY Bottom 3:Fire Silk, Silk of Rajasthan,Serica
Check Saucy for her two cents.
As usual, Tribe starts their presentation at the entrance. I think the decor was a bit on a smaller scale and less elaborate than previous years but it was still well done in line with the theme . After all, we in recession right? Well you would never have thought so with the amount of people lined up to get inside from early o'clock. It looked like they were herding cattle. We were entertained throughout the night by the Shiv Shakti Digicel girls. Ok they weren't really Shiv Shakti but they dance like they was from Thailand whole night. I doh want that wuk at all!
I know no one really cares about my review of the party itself so I will just make a few comments. One, the change of the stage orientation allowed for more of the crowd to see the presentation. However the stage was so high that unless you were over 6 feet tall getting a decent pic was impossible. Yet again the models ran through their paces, as in literally ran. Fortunately their routine allowed for stationary shots. Many of the costumes found themselves in the dark which made also made it impossible to get a shot even if you had a professional grade camera with zoom lens. It was a great improvenet that they actually said the names of the sections as they were on stage.Also they actually got the HD camp to perform after the presentation!! No Machel but hey, at least they had performances!
Ok costume time.CHECK HERE for my pics from the night.
THE MYSTERY OF LOULAN
Well the drama definitely started with a bang!Everyone has been eagerly awaiting the sophomore presentation of designer Solange Shaw-Gopaul. We were instantly wowed with an over the top headpiece for the Premium and Super options. This costume is absolutely gorgeous. It has an interesting colour combination of nude, gold and blue which I cannot recall being done in recent times or ever for that matter. The design of the strapless bra and waist band for the Premium option is also gorgeous and appears even more revealing with its muted bas colours. To ocmplement it you have a fanatastic pop of blue gems. I just love how she went with the chunkier gems in the design for all costume options. The waistband is as skimpy as could be (not as though that is a problem for me) and very well done. If head pieces could kill, their would be blood on the dance floor (R.I.P MJ *sniff*). The Premium head piece could also be a weapon of mass destruction.Floor length feathers???!!! It is huge and completely stunning. You will be walking in the shade all day!I have no idea how people managing with that on the road but watch out and get the F out the way!! There is nothing I can find wrong with this costume. Nothing!Super sexy, super skimpy!!I LOOOVE IT!
SILK OF RAJASTHAN
This costume designed by Peter Elias was very predictable in my opinion. When I heard the theme, I just knew that he would come with a red indian themed costume. with cloth hanging between the legs. Compared to his popular and gorgeous presentation last year, this is definitely a downgrade.While I like the simplicty of it , at the same time it has very little wow factor for a carnival costume. For those who dont lik eto weighed down on the road, it is a good option and dont expect to get any coverage out of those cloth panels as it is still very skimpy. The sides are just ties. I realy don't like that the same material is used for the bra, waistband and one of the head piece options. With all those bells hanging from everywhere you will be jingling all day.The design itself is also very reminiscent of some of Sonia Macks past costumes. However if you were a guy, you got one of the better costumes in terms of its relation to the theme. Its a typical ethnic Indian attire but I don't know how many dudes really want to wear a turban and a long dhoti pants on the road. Those pants look like they will be a furnace!
ERI
It is indeed 'Eri' how much this costume seems like the way Silver Mist (Tribe '07) should have been. I still have nightmares about that costume.The colours are the same however the design is clearly superior. I am not a big fan of silver decoration on a silver base but and I don't really like the actual choice of beading used.Maybe I am just still traumatised by Silver Mist and am having trouble looking past that .However the costume does have the saving grace of a fabulous head piece and back pack. You spend most of your time staring at that anyway. It interesting that the coth used is a dip dyed piece of fabric, I liked that touch.
ZARI
This costume is very simple. Not a whole lot going on . This is another example where this seems to be a downgrade by the designer. There costume last year puts this one in the shade. I like the colour combination and the bra appears to be worked up nicely. I dont really like the beading at the underwire of the bra as it seem sto be throwing off the whole thing a bit. It was very difficult to get pics of this section at the launch. The belt is also nicely beaded but I don't particularly like the circular hoops hanging from the belt. It reminds me very much of a pair of earrings that I have so I keep thinking there are earrings hanging from the belt.You can get away with it on the bra but I think on the waistband its a bit of an overkill. Maybe if they had tiered the rings on the waistband instead of having them in a staright line I may have liked it more. Oh wait, the model is wearing the hoops as earrings lololol. Ok there you go..earrings on the waistband.
TYRIAN PURPLE
I think the bra on this costume is fantastic, both the working and the cut of the bra is attractive. I would have like to see a bit more on the waistband but it is still very attractive and oh so skimpy.The one piece of cloth hanging down the front seems to be an afterthought. I think it could do with some beading hanging down on either. If i was in this section I would either do that and leave the clothe or remove the cloth completely and fill it in withthe chain.side as well, just to fill in the front a bit. The bustle and headpiece on this frontline is also fantastic. I love the colour combination of the deep purple and blues. This is one of the best designs that Gail has produced .
SERICA
So the Thai inspired headpiece is nice......Seriously I can't find many positive things to say about this costumes. Its defintely towards the bottom of my list. The other floor headpiece is probably the only one in the band I think is just plain ugly. The bra and waistband have this working on it that is just plain confused. I am all for contrast , but I doh know how the white tie in with the whole thing. I guess cause they going for the Greco-Roman theme so they literally had white plus red. The white and gold cord on the waistband cheapens the costume and it looks off.The beads and cord hang straight down in the front in a way that is not even graded and I don't know why they decided to make the waistband asymmetric by adding more cord over one thigh. And then we have the white cape.....I doh mind that it have a cape but the white just looks out of place. This section also does not seem to have a frontline option , I thought I may hav emissed it but the brochure also just has two headpiece options.If that is the frontline then its surely not worth the extra expense.
MULBERRY
I always say that designing a green costume is usually very difficult. Super Mo Mo made this look easy with this costume. I was iffy about it when I saw it in the leaked brochure even though the frontline was fabulous but was sold on it when I saw it in reality.She kept it simple and used the fabric as the costume focal point. The fabric covered bra was simply highlighted with complemenatry cololours and just a small dash of fuschia for contrast.The frontline accessories seem very functional and will stay out of your way, although you may still poke someone's eye out.The caged bra for the premium option is also gorgeous but seems I don't think it fit very well on the model.It seemed that her boobs were squished and ready to lap out at any moment . That may be a hit or miss depending on your measurements.Its not a risk I am willing to take on the road.
LAPIS LAZULI
The photos in this brochure can be very deceiving for this costume. The bikini is actually purple not blue and the gems are shades of blue. The headpieces are nice but I don't like the bra design. I think the colours and the materials chosen were very pretty but I don't like how it was used in the design of the bra pattern. I don't like the vertical line of the silver beading and would have prefered to see it angled a bit more in contour with the shape of the boobies. The waistband itself is nice but the beading hanging down is very short. Even though there is a lot of working on it that I am sure was costly, the lack of length in the beading and the lack of additions to the anything hanging from the bra makes it appear to be average and boring when viewed from a distance. The cape does give it a bit of a kick.
HABOTAI
Welcome back Lana!! I am so glad she is back in the game cause she always brings something worth looking at to the table. Now I love the colour, the beading on the bra and waistband is simple but nice. A lot of diamante in this costume and you just look blinged out! Then again, she let the fabric do some of the work. I also like the blinged out head piece which frames your face. This is not for everyone and I am sure leaves a horrendous tan line but it is looks gorgeous in pics if you wnat to be on the cover of the Daily Express.The only thing I don't get is the black tassles. I don't mind the black but why it has to be tassles??? I would take every one off. The backpack for the frontline is also over the top and stunning. I think the chop sticks are a bit questionable but hey, it is an asian inspired costume. The bustier individual for this costume with the wide brimmed hat was definitely very different .I am not sure how i feel about the floopy hat but its stillall very couture. With this option you dont seem to get a waistband.
FIRE SILK
One of my least favourites. This pretty close to a red and silver version of Silver Mist with a poonky feather in the front. Again, maybe thats why I don't like it. Its not an ugly costume although the poonky feather needs to go but its just not doing anything for me. The floor headpiece is tame compared to the other sections. The Thai looking back pack for teh frontline nad it head piece is a big improvement although I think they could have given the frontline a different bra. The accessories for both frontline and floor for this costume also just look cheap. Compared to the other costumes it is just blah.
CHARMEUSE
Welcome back Lana!! Wait, did I say that already? I LOOOVE IT! The colour combination is so pretty and using teh circles to make the belt is fabulous. Yeah it may be reminiscent of Macchu Picchu (Tribe Year1) but who cares!! Cause Macchu Picchu is still my pick for best costume ever. Its super skimpy, super sexy and yet it has the cloth pieces hanging as an elegant touch. Only thing I would be worried about is that torso connection which are notoriously problematic but it seems an easy fix. The headpieces are also gorgeous and the frontline back pack.The Individual back pack is out of this world.
OSAGE
I don't think there was a person who did not say "WOW!" when they opened that brochure and saw this on the first page. This is hands down the best costume Gail has blessed us with.The most unique part of this costume is the 3-d orange gems used on the bra and waistband. Everyone knows I am not a fan of appliques but it actually works fabulously in this case. I would not change a thing.Even the leg accessories are cute. Just fabulous all round. AH-PLAUSE.
THREADS OF MOROCCO
The brochure has most people wondering for a costume that seems this nice, what could be wrong with the bra that they had to hide it? But no fear, the bra is heavily beaded and edged in big gems. It makes it look plain from a distance but close up its more appealing. I am on the fence about the bra for myself personally but its still beautiful. If Macchu Picchu and Isis A has a child it would be this costume. I now knocking them for it because they were both gorgeous costumes and has produced a gorgeous child. It did however take a bit to grow on me.I was not sure of the beading hanging from the waistband but when i saw how it was used on the front line bra and headpiece I really like it.The frontline is just hot for days. My congratulations to all who have the confidence to wear that bra whichis little more than a pastie with a curtain of beads. The accordian material gold capes is ole school but works well with the costume. The headpiece is also very over the top.
XI LING SHI
Ok, Ok, it is a gorgeous costume. The colour combination just jumps out at you. The frontline option is just dripping with diamante from every crevice. Floor length feathers in two tones. Its one and only downfall is that it looks like a remix of Spangled Cotinga. So much so , that is has been given the nickname Spangled Canary.(I eh make that up eh!!) As pretty as it is , I just can't seem to overlook that it seemed to use some of the leftover material from last year.I am all for saving the planet but I think it came too close on the heels of Cotinga. For someone who actually played in Cotinga it got crossed of my list immediately. For those who did not get into the overcrowded Cotinga section ...Yay! Now you have a second shot.Gorgeous all the same though!
RANDOM INDIVIDUALS
I don't know what to say about a few costums that seemed to be just thrown in as an afterthought and could not be connected to any section. In particular the green and pink that was seen after Silk of Rajasthan. The poor girl spent the whole time on stage holding up the headpiece. The costume itself was Fugly.It looked cheap and tacky. Then they had the butterflies which look like they went in Island People storage warehouse and sneaked out a few.I stood up there trying to figure out how the wings were attached and it just had a rod stuck into the side of the waistband. Really? But them all in the garbage.
In summary:
MY Top 5 : Loulan, Charmeuse,Osage,Threads of Morocco,Xi Ling Shi.
MY Bottom 3:Fire Silk, Silk of Rajasthan,Serica
Check Saucy for her two cents.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
The Lost Tribe:Carnival 2k9
So usually I would have two separate posts for the review of Monday and Tuesday on the road. I am not even going to go through the effort because I think the two days were almost identical in the overall experience.
Now I had intentionally laid low over the weekend because I was fighting the cold and did not want to jeapordise my chances for hitting the streets. Monday morning I was still a bit drugged up but most excited for the days activities. This was clearly reflected in my Monday wear which comprised of a full kit with ,matching boots and all. As per usual my crew was running late and had to haul tail to catch the band on Park street. Although the weather was a bit inclement it was holding up nicely and the sun was blazing nonetheless. It was quite obvious from the get go that Tribe had not cut their numbers and there were a million people in the band. However we still seemed to be making a good pace along the roads.
I was glad that the DJS gave the crowd the opportunity to 'vote' for their Road March prior to crossing the stage at the Savannah. This resulted in Destra's Bacchanal being played as opposed to Faye Ann's song. I personally feel Destra's composition is by far a better road march composition than Faye Ann and was too glad that I did not have to hear Faye Ann all day. It should be noted that Tribe is a very ugly band to look at on Carnival Monday and Tuesday (pm). If you are a tourist, this is not the band to watch costumes, its the band to party. I personally think women could at least make a better effort with their Monday wear. You don't have to wear your costume but oh gosh man, a extra hot shorts is $60 from Tribe and looks much better than a pair of denim shorts and a wife beater tank top. At the very least try and get a colour that matches your section! I made a point to bling out both days , hopefully I can try and set a new standard for Monday wear. I know Saucy was not easy herself either on Monday. There were actually some entire sections that were MIA on Monday e.g Golden Dove, Owl. I literally saw not more than 2 people for each of those sections on Monday.
I applaud Tribe for their organisation on the road and for the lunch stop. However I think its time they realise that they definitely need to provide more tents and blankets for lunch. They should just get that big tent they use for the Indian Expo in Macoya and put everything under there and give we some cold breeze. I guarantee you no one likes to sit in blazing sun or pouring rain to eat lunch. One gripe I have with them is that in the 5 years that I have been in Tribe they still seem to have the SAME number of bathrooms every year.Now I could be wrong but what I do know is that the LINES never seem to improve from year to year. And aside, ladies if you have to pee you need to start stripoing from outside the bathroom in the line and waistbands get put back on outside the bathroom. They have a full length mirrors outside to fix make up and freshen up. That is not for inside a stall. The lunch stop Monday was also waaaaay too long and my 'International food' which consisted of corn pie, spanish rice and baked chicken was way to dry.
After lunch Monday was just a huge mass of people following behind a truck. The security actually seemed to be making a great effort to keep non masqueraders out of the band. That is of course with the exception of the gentleman who was holding the rope and wining on me at the same time.When I asked if he was not working , he told me that was his wuk too. It was then I noticed that security no longer had numbered T shirts which make it impossible to identify individuals. It wa also difficult to pick out security supervisors.
I definitely was not too impressed when we bent the corner on Tragarete road and I realised we were heading straight back to Stanmore Ave to wrap up the day. It was still daylight at this point and was probaly just barely 6pm. Never in my entire 13 years playing mas have I ever wrapped up so early from playing mas. Being that I was not feeling 100% I was cool about it and figured that the next day would be more eextended.I would have been much happier if theyhad made a little block and come back again.
Tuesday I reached the band a bit later than usual. I actually had to take the shuttle for the first time ever and must say it was well done.Breakfast was still serving when I arrived so I was happy with that as well. It was nice to see that people were actually in their sections but it was early still. Shortly therefafter Tribe security pissed me off. I had a visiting friend who has played with us for the past 3 years who is unfamiliar with Trinidad. While getting ready to cross the stage a security personnnel grabbed her and began to pull her out the section and told her to get in her section. She had to tell him to take his hands of of her and tried to come back to us to tell us what he had said. Firstly, Tribe is not competing for anything, they werenot even registered for competition. When they were, they never made a big deal about being in your section especially as we always stay to the sides and not in the middle. So of course we were all annoyed by the rudeness and the physicality of it all.Before she could even take the two steps to tell us that she would meet us lower down after the 'stage' another security personnel accosted her again. She again was forced into a physical and verbal confrontation and ultimately chose to walk further down to meet us on the 'stage'. This was absolutely uncalled for especially considering Tribe could not possiblyhave won anything or lost points for it.
My headpiece was thrown on a truck shortly thereafter because it was just too hot. How ironic it was that it would begin pouring rain before we even made it around the savannah.I was absolutely soaked in no time and it looked like it would not be letting up for the rest of the day. Fortunately I have a friend who lived close by and was able to freshen up and change into my 3rd pair of stockings during lunch. By the time we got back to the band, there were congregating on Elizabeth St. I made the mistake and leave my friends for a moment and it was impossible to find them back in the jam. I had to climb a wall to make myself visible for them to find me .In doing so I sw lots of costumes from different bands. The majority of which came from Elements.(I not talking about the Elements people in Tribe costumes eh , that is for a next day).
In my humble opinion it was at this point where it began to go downhill in terms of the 'Tribe experience'. My section happened to be with Hypa Hoppa's truck. This truck was in the middle of the Red 96.7 truck and the Xcaliber truck. So basically the entire band was trying to monopolize teh space between these three trucks in the middle. It was impossible to move freely far less dance freely. It was even harder to breathe as the quality of the air was renk.Drinks was a fight up as well. I am quite sure that the drinks truck grew once again. Some of them were extremely tall and I saw several people with difficulties getting drinks. One guy who was taller than me came up behind me and ordered over my head and got his drink first. Then I realised we were taking the same route as Monday...umm so what happen to St.James?It move?
Then we had the people who in the jam insisted on travelling through the band in the opposite direction . If you wish to do that, just pass on the sides!! Especially if you still have on a headpiece. On that note, if you feathered headpiece is soaked and it looks like a skeleton on your head its time to THROW IT AWAY. It cannot be saved!!! These same said people are the ones who want to be carrying on the baddest and stabbing people at the same time. By the time we were on Ariapita Ave, Hoppy was pleading for people to get in their section and quickly realised the futility of it all. He eventually resorted to telling the judges it is 'One Tribe so we refuse to get in our section". The crowd was beginning to get unbearable at this point and the worst thing about it is that they were only masqueraders around me. I can't say there were many stormers. That tells me that Tribe just has too many people period. Everybody can't be in the Tribe, there has to be some cut off point at some time people please!! A trip to the bar became an excursion and you were never sure to find back your crew even if you all went together. And then a bar lady has the audacity to tell me 'one drink per person' after I have to fight thru 10 000 ppl ???NAH!
So said so done, it was just a pass by Victoria square and we were back on Stanmore and party done. AT exactly 6:40pm we were back on Stanmore Ave. In my entire life I have NEVER finished a parade route so early. Given that they had an 'after party' which I did not even attend because nobody TOLD ME that was the plan. But I would still have preferred more time on the road actually moving.
In all I still enjoyed myself on the road because I am obsessed with Carnival and being on the road in costume is half the battle. Better yet since I was able to jump in more than one section this year. If it was not for that, this Carnival will be very low down on my list of 'bess Carnivals'. When I first registered I was so relieved that Tribe was making an effort to reduce numbers after listening to their masqueraders complaints from last year. Whatever their good intentions were it was clearly not followed through. Right now I feel like a Poison Deja Vu. That should be their theme for next year 'Deja Vu'. Because the outrageous size followed by the addition of Machel is very reminiscent of the downfall of Poison.Honestly if this was your first year on the road with Tribe, you eh get the 'Tribe experience' yet. MY Tribe experience involved no waiting or fighting up with drinks, no suffocating masses of people, no men (masqueraders or otherwise) accosting me for a wine and all the room in the world to play my mas. As it is I need protection from people in the band because they don't give you a chance!!! If you can irritate a die hard masquerader as myself Tribe then clearly changes need to be made. I love and applaud your organisation, your stellar customer service, your gorgeous costumes but all of that becomes NULL AND VOID if when we reach on the road your masqueraders are uncomfortable.
In all fairness I did hear rumours of bootleg id bands being sold for IP and Tribe at $600 a pop which could explain why there were so many more people in the band on Tuesday without costumes. I noticed this on the road before I heard this speculation but could not notice any difference in the bands that I sw in un-costumed people. How anybody could pay money and come out in regular clothes on a Tuesday is beyond me!!
I tell myself I playing individual next year. But I saw how even the individuals and the FL masqueraders had an impossible time making their way down the road. Why the hell would I want to go through that? I hope they had friends to get them drinks cause that would have been a lost cause. I was not suprised when I heard some people left Tribe and went by Spice etc just to get relief from the jam. There will undoubtedly be many people who dont care either way and jam or no jam they paying their money just for the 'Prestige' of being 'in with the in crowd' in Tribe. Tribe, I just letting you guys know, a lot of your foundation crew are hating it more and more. My carnival crew has been with you from since Pleasures days and left the band early! Something that is completely unheard of in our circle and has NEVER happened in 13 years even with Poison. I myself hardly even drank alcohol just because it was a nuisance to get it.You guys desperately need to get things back under control!!
For all who played this year and who have never played and still want the Tribe experience, is better you try the Spice experience or the Elements experience (God spare them all) because at this point the Tribe experience , at least when it comes to the Tribe road experience,has been lost!!
Now I had intentionally laid low over the weekend because I was fighting the cold and did not want to jeapordise my chances for hitting the streets. Monday morning I was still a bit drugged up but most excited for the days activities. This was clearly reflected in my Monday wear which comprised of a full kit with ,matching boots and all. As per usual my crew was running late and had to haul tail to catch the band on Park street. Although the weather was a bit inclement it was holding up nicely and the sun was blazing nonetheless. It was quite obvious from the get go that Tribe had not cut their numbers and there were a million people in the band. However we still seemed to be making a good pace along the roads.
I was glad that the DJS gave the crowd the opportunity to 'vote' for their Road March prior to crossing the stage at the Savannah. This resulted in Destra's Bacchanal being played as opposed to Faye Ann's song. I personally feel Destra's composition is by far a better road march composition than Faye Ann and was too glad that I did not have to hear Faye Ann all day. It should be noted that Tribe is a very ugly band to look at on Carnival Monday and Tuesday (pm). If you are a tourist, this is not the band to watch costumes, its the band to party. I personally think women could at least make a better effort with their Monday wear. You don't have to wear your costume but oh gosh man, a extra hot shorts is $60 from Tribe and looks much better than a pair of denim shorts and a wife beater tank top. At the very least try and get a colour that matches your section! I made a point to bling out both days , hopefully I can try and set a new standard for Monday wear. I know Saucy was not easy herself either on Monday. There were actually some entire sections that were MIA on Monday e.g Golden Dove, Owl. I literally saw not more than 2 people for each of those sections on Monday.
I applaud Tribe for their organisation on the road and for the lunch stop. However I think its time they realise that they definitely need to provide more tents and blankets for lunch. They should just get that big tent they use for the Indian Expo in Macoya and put everything under there and give we some cold breeze. I guarantee you no one likes to sit in blazing sun or pouring rain to eat lunch. One gripe I have with them is that in the 5 years that I have been in Tribe they still seem to have the SAME number of bathrooms every year.Now I could be wrong but what I do know is that the LINES never seem to improve from year to year. And aside, ladies if you have to pee you need to start stripoing from outside the bathroom in the line and waistbands get put back on outside the bathroom. They have a full length mirrors outside to fix make up and freshen up. That is not for inside a stall. The lunch stop Monday was also waaaaay too long and my 'International food' which consisted of corn pie, spanish rice and baked chicken was way to dry.
After lunch Monday was just a huge mass of people following behind a truck. The security actually seemed to be making a great effort to keep non masqueraders out of the band. That is of course with the exception of the gentleman who was holding the rope and wining on me at the same time.When I asked if he was not working , he told me that was his wuk too. It was then I noticed that security no longer had numbered T shirts which make it impossible to identify individuals. It wa also difficult to pick out security supervisors.
I definitely was not too impressed when we bent the corner on Tragarete road and I realised we were heading straight back to Stanmore Ave to wrap up the day. It was still daylight at this point and was probaly just barely 6pm. Never in my entire 13 years playing mas have I ever wrapped up so early from playing mas. Being that I was not feeling 100% I was cool about it and figured that the next day would be more eextended.I would have been much happier if theyhad made a little block and come back again.
Tuesday I reached the band a bit later than usual. I actually had to take the shuttle for the first time ever and must say it was well done.Breakfast was still serving when I arrived so I was happy with that as well. It was nice to see that people were actually in their sections but it was early still. Shortly therefafter Tribe security pissed me off. I had a visiting friend who has played with us for the past 3 years who is unfamiliar with Trinidad. While getting ready to cross the stage a security personnnel grabbed her and began to pull her out the section and told her to get in her section. She had to tell him to take his hands of of her and tried to come back to us to tell us what he had said. Firstly, Tribe is not competing for anything, they werenot even registered for competition. When they were, they never made a big deal about being in your section especially as we always stay to the sides and not in the middle. So of course we were all annoyed by the rudeness and the physicality of it all.Before she could even take the two steps to tell us that she would meet us lower down after the 'stage' another security personnel accosted her again. She again was forced into a physical and verbal confrontation and ultimately chose to walk further down to meet us on the 'stage'. This was absolutely uncalled for especially considering Tribe could not possiblyhave won anything or lost points for it.
My headpiece was thrown on a truck shortly thereafter because it was just too hot. How ironic it was that it would begin pouring rain before we even made it around the savannah.I was absolutely soaked in no time and it looked like it would not be letting up for the rest of the day. Fortunately I have a friend who lived close by and was able to freshen up and change into my 3rd pair of stockings during lunch. By the time we got back to the band, there were congregating on Elizabeth St. I made the mistake and leave my friends for a moment and it was impossible to find them back in the jam. I had to climb a wall to make myself visible for them to find me .In doing so I sw lots of costumes from different bands. The majority of which came from Elements.(I not talking about the Elements people in Tribe costumes eh , that is for a next day).
In my humble opinion it was at this point where it began to go downhill in terms of the 'Tribe experience'. My section happened to be with Hypa Hoppa's truck. This truck was in the middle of the Red 96.7 truck and the Xcaliber truck. So basically the entire band was trying to monopolize teh space between these three trucks in the middle. It was impossible to move freely far less dance freely. It was even harder to breathe as the quality of the air was renk.Drinks was a fight up as well. I am quite sure that the drinks truck grew once again. Some of them were extremely tall and I saw several people with difficulties getting drinks. One guy who was taller than me came up behind me and ordered over my head and got his drink first. Then I realised we were taking the same route as Monday...umm so what happen to St.James?It move?
Then we had the people who in the jam insisted on travelling through the band in the opposite direction . If you wish to do that, just pass on the sides!! Especially if you still have on a headpiece. On that note, if you feathered headpiece is soaked and it looks like a skeleton on your head its time to THROW IT AWAY. It cannot be saved!!! These same said people are the ones who want to be carrying on the baddest and stabbing people at the same time. By the time we were on Ariapita Ave, Hoppy was pleading for people to get in their section and quickly realised the futility of it all. He eventually resorted to telling the judges it is 'One Tribe so we refuse to get in our section". The crowd was beginning to get unbearable at this point and the worst thing about it is that they were only masqueraders around me. I can't say there were many stormers. That tells me that Tribe just has too many people period. Everybody can't be in the Tribe, there has to be some cut off point at some time people please!! A trip to the bar became an excursion and you were never sure to find back your crew even if you all went together. And then a bar lady has the audacity to tell me 'one drink per person' after I have to fight thru 10 000 ppl ???NAH!
So said so done, it was just a pass by Victoria square and we were back on Stanmore and party done. AT exactly 6:40pm we were back on Stanmore Ave. In my entire life I have NEVER finished a parade route so early. Given that they had an 'after party' which I did not even attend because nobody TOLD ME that was the plan. But I would still have preferred more time on the road actually moving.
In all I still enjoyed myself on the road because I am obsessed with Carnival and being on the road in costume is half the battle. Better yet since I was able to jump in more than one section this year. If it was not for that, this Carnival will be very low down on my list of 'bess Carnivals'. When I first registered I was so relieved that Tribe was making an effort to reduce numbers after listening to their masqueraders complaints from last year. Whatever their good intentions were it was clearly not followed through. Right now I feel like a Poison Deja Vu. That should be their theme for next year 'Deja Vu'. Because the outrageous size followed by the addition of Machel is very reminiscent of the downfall of Poison.Honestly if this was your first year on the road with Tribe, you eh get the 'Tribe experience' yet. MY Tribe experience involved no waiting or fighting up with drinks, no suffocating masses of people, no men (masqueraders or otherwise) accosting me for a wine and all the room in the world to play my mas. As it is I need protection from people in the band because they don't give you a chance!!! If you can irritate a die hard masquerader as myself Tribe then clearly changes need to be made. I love and applaud your organisation, your stellar customer service, your gorgeous costumes but all of that becomes NULL AND VOID if when we reach on the road your masqueraders are uncomfortable.
In all fairness I did hear rumours of bootleg id bands being sold for IP and Tribe at $600 a pop which could explain why there were so many more people in the band on Tuesday without costumes. I noticed this on the road before I heard this speculation but could not notice any difference in the bands that I sw in un-costumed people. How anybody could pay money and come out in regular clothes on a Tuesday is beyond me!!
I tell myself I playing individual next year. But I saw how even the individuals and the FL masqueraders had an impossible time making their way down the road. Why the hell would I want to go through that? I hope they had friends to get them drinks cause that would have been a lost cause. I was not suprised when I heard some people left Tribe and went by Spice etc just to get relief from the jam. There will undoubtedly be many people who dont care either way and jam or no jam they paying their money just for the 'Prestige' of being 'in with the in crowd' in Tribe. Tribe, I just letting you guys know, a lot of your foundation crew are hating it more and more. My carnival crew has been with you from since Pleasures days and left the band early! Something that is completely unheard of in our circle and has NEVER happened in 13 years even with Poison. I myself hardly even drank alcohol just because it was a nuisance to get it.You guys desperately need to get things back under control!!
For all who played this year and who have never played and still want the Tribe experience, is better you try the Spice experience or the Elements experience (God spare them all) because at this point the Tribe experience , at least when it comes to the Tribe road experience,has been lost!!
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
I am a Spangled Cotinga skettel!
After some delays yesterday at Cascadia ( no fault of Tribe), I was finally able to collect my costume in Cotinga. Since then,I have heard a slew of complaints about the costume and I must put in my two cents on the matter as I am in the same boat with them all.
By now, most of you should know that I was also unfortunate enough to suffer through the Silver Mist debacle last year and was one of the first people to get the mark that things were not as they should be. So I for one am picky when it comes to my costume and not putting water in my mouth to say it as it really is. As a direct result of the SM issue, Tribe improved on their inspection procedures during production of the costumes to ensure quality control. For this year alone I have heard reports of several instances where the costumes were reworked to improve or fix slight defects (before distribution!)
First off let me say, my costume looks almost EXACTLY like I expected it to.I say almost only because I myself did not overscrutinize as I would usually do and didn't notice that the costume has gold detailing and not silver. I have boots that would look better with silver detailing but I can acknowledge that it was MY BAD that I did not pick up on it sooner. So I eh vex with them for it and so what if I have to get new earrings. In truth and in fact I should have realised this from the get go because the chain was always backed with gold, a pic I posted on this blog myself. If anything, if you have questions you should just have checked it yourself. Ask a friend or email Tribe if you had to. If it is that somebody in Tribe tell you silver when it was gold ...well then maybe you have a leg to stand on. If not is is YOUR responsibility as a masquerader to check this before you spend extra money on accessories.
The one issue I had with my costume is that I had some gems that were fallen off the bra and were not in my box. Some of the gluing could have been done neater but nothing I could not just pick off myself. I did not even fret ( yes ME did not fret), I just ask the girl to get me some more gems and I will stick them myself. Tribe surprised me and all my going beyond that and telling me I getting a whole new bra. YAY! Better yet! The new bra was perfect! If I really scrutinise, (and I will later) , I am not sure my bra has the same number of beads as the prototype. Nonetheless my bra is well covered and thats all that mattered to me.
Ok so the headpiece in the original pics looked more like a fountain head. The newer pics with the black background showed two versions. I was GLAD when I got the fan version of the headpiece because I was not feeling the fountain head and felt it was an improvement. Yeah ok, if you LOOOVED fountain head , I could understand why you would be grumpy but its definitely still gorgeous!! Tell me what difference it will make once it get wet down?( as it's sure to)
Secondly all who say get their Cotinga costume and say "OH my GAWD ! It sooo skimpy!What I will do??!" . A big fat STEEEEUPPPPPS. What planet allyuh living on? Really? And which point was Cotinga not one of THE skimpiest costumes in the band? Thats like signing up in Brazilian Macaw and saying ," OMG why my boobies outside?!". Cotinga on stage , at the launch and on display at the camp since last year August is exactly as it is today. If you are reading this you might have stumbled upon the special mention I made about the back of this costume LAST YEAR ! Don't say I did not tell you so! It never had beads on the side and it was always NON existant at the back. For those of you who have not checked the link and want an understanding of how skimpy it is...think of the back of the waistband as a built in thong. But anyone who actually checked out the costume could easily have known this.
Seriously, it really irritates me when people sign up for a costume without checking it thoroughly and complain about things that were obvious from the inception. As for those who are upset that they did not get more beads... I ask ...why should you? Ok, the bigger bra sizes would appreciate more beading to cover the whole bra..fair enough. Give them some beads Tribe.But why you vex if the waistband only have 1 bead hanging on the side when it ALWAYS did . If you do not make special arrangements in ADVANCE then all you will get is the exact same things as everybody else. How Tribe could be responsible for adding more beads beforehand to satisfy an individual's idiosyncracies? Worst yet, why would anyone sign up in a section that is clearly skimpy and then complain it skimpy? If you signed up for a thongs..don't ask why yuh bumcee outside!! I tried on my costume with a thongs and even I feeling exposed so yuh know what...I might just cool myself and wear my regular bikini. Problem solved! I for one know what I was getting into because I took the time to check it out, front and back. And for all those who had the good sense to do the same and know what time it is, I want you to say it with me ....I AM A SPANGLED COTINGA SKETTEL! AND I LOVE IT!
By now, most of you should know that I was also unfortunate enough to suffer through the Silver Mist debacle last year and was one of the first people to get the mark that things were not as they should be. So I for one am picky when it comes to my costume and not putting water in my mouth to say it as it really is. As a direct result of the SM issue, Tribe improved on their inspection procedures during production of the costumes to ensure quality control. For this year alone I have heard reports of several instances where the costumes were reworked to improve or fix slight defects (before distribution!)
First off let me say, my costume looks almost EXACTLY like I expected it to.I say almost only because I myself did not overscrutinize as I would usually do and didn't notice that the costume has gold detailing and not silver. I have boots that would look better with silver detailing but I can acknowledge that it was MY BAD that I did not pick up on it sooner. So I eh vex with them for it and so what if I have to get new earrings. In truth and in fact I should have realised this from the get go because the chain was always backed with gold, a pic I posted on this blog myself. If anything, if you have questions you should just have checked it yourself. Ask a friend or email Tribe if you had to. If it is that somebody in Tribe tell you silver when it was gold ...well then maybe you have a leg to stand on. If not is is YOUR responsibility as a masquerader to check this before you spend extra money on accessories.
The one issue I had with my costume is that I had some gems that were fallen off the bra and were not in my box. Some of the gluing could have been done neater but nothing I could not just pick off myself. I did not even fret ( yes ME did not fret), I just ask the girl to get me some more gems and I will stick them myself. Tribe surprised me and all my going beyond that and telling me I getting a whole new bra. YAY! Better yet! The new bra was perfect! If I really scrutinise, (and I will later) , I am not sure my bra has the same number of beads as the prototype. Nonetheless my bra is well covered and thats all that mattered to me.
Ok so the headpiece in the original pics looked more like a fountain head. The newer pics with the black background showed two versions. I was GLAD when I got the fan version of the headpiece because I was not feeling the fountain head and felt it was an improvement. Yeah ok, if you LOOOVED fountain head , I could understand why you would be grumpy but its definitely still gorgeous!! Tell me what difference it will make once it get wet down?( as it's sure to)
Secondly all who say get their Cotinga costume and say "OH my GAWD ! It sooo skimpy!What I will do??!" . A big fat STEEEEUPPPPPS. What planet allyuh living on? Really? And which point was Cotinga not one of THE skimpiest costumes in the band? Thats like signing up in Brazilian Macaw and saying ," OMG why my boobies outside?!". Cotinga on stage , at the launch and on display at the camp since last year August is exactly as it is today. If you are reading this you might have stumbled upon the special mention I made about the back of this costume LAST YEAR ! Don't say I did not tell you so! It never had beads on the side and it was always NON existant at the back. For those of you who have not checked the link and want an understanding of how skimpy it is...think of the back of the waistband as a built in thong. But anyone who actually checked out the costume could easily have known this.
Seriously, it really irritates me when people sign up for a costume without checking it thoroughly and complain about things that were obvious from the inception. As for those who are upset that they did not get more beads... I ask ...why should you? Ok, the bigger bra sizes would appreciate more beading to cover the whole bra..fair enough. Give them some beads Tribe.But why you vex if the waistband only have 1 bead hanging on the side when it ALWAYS did . If you do not make special arrangements in ADVANCE then all you will get is the exact same things as everybody else. How Tribe could be responsible for adding more beads beforehand to satisfy an individual's idiosyncracies? Worst yet, why would anyone sign up in a section that is clearly skimpy and then complain it skimpy? If you signed up for a thongs..don't ask why yuh bumcee outside!! I tried on my costume with a thongs and even I feeling exposed so yuh know what...I might just cool myself and wear my regular bikini. Problem solved! I for one know what I was getting into because I took the time to check it out, front and back. And for all those who had the good sense to do the same and know what time it is, I want you to say it with me ....I AM A SPANGLED COTINGA SKETTEL! AND I LOVE IT!
Monday, February 16, 2009
AC7 REVIEW
Well boy the traffic for AC like it started from EARLY. At around 11pm when i finally got out the house there was not a park in the environs of the stadium. Peopler were trying to fit all how on the sidewalks, double parking on ppl..all kinda madness. You would think after buying a 'Platinum' ticket you wouldat least have a chance at a parking spot in the stadium...but nooooo the stadium parking was reserved for the artistes and 'invited guests.Fortunately we had someone holding a spot close by and were able to park pretty easily once we navigated the traffic.
So we started the trek to the stadium. I apparently was the only person in my group who actually looked at the map in the papers to see where was what.Both general and Platinum had the same first point of entry. There were hundreds of general adminission ppl fighting up at the scaffolding gates. The police were actually just picking people out the line and searching them which can tell you how shady some of them appeared. We just looked at each other like WTF.So basically we had to walk arund the stadium along with the thousands of general people to get to the platinum entrance which was past the general entrance. Now I don't know if this is how it always I have been able to park inside the stadium on previous occasions but the arrangement seemed do defeat the purpose of 'Platinum' guests. We got to another checkpoint which which again had throngs of people. In attempting to run up the side of the masses we were forced into teh pack by police. After not moving anywhere for a few minutes we again tried to run up the side, only to realise that we were on the right track because they was one single lane for the Platinum patrons to bypass the crowd. In fact, this was the general entrance at the marathon tunnel. We were just lucky to see the sign otherwise we would have been stuck in the jam for hours. Sowe were able to pass through and go to yet another checkpoint which was the actual Platinum entrance at the covered stands. I almost died laughing when I saw a group of fellas going up the spiral stairs in the lobby which is very different to the stadium stairs and clearly led to nowhere! A guard had to run them down but they really thought they were going to the concert that way.I guess they have never been to the stadium.
Yet again the migration up the stairs and down the stands was congested since there were only two available stairwells for use and only two bridges to cross to get onto the grounds. The grounds were very well lit almost bright as day. It was clearly noticable that the Platinum section was lacking in numbers. I figured most ppl were still fighting up in traffic and it would fill up eventually. So we headed to the bar only to find that it was sponosred by ANgostura therefore there was no Johnny walker. I think the men in my party almost had an anxiety attack at this discovery and spent the next half hour going to every single bar to see what they could come up with. Apparently they had Blu vodka and Grey Goose available to buy by the bottle yet everybar was already sold out of it!! This meant that everyone was resigned to drinking beers and black bottle all night. I for one drank nothing but LLB. I could not believe in the Platinum section that the OPTION was not available to buy. Almost everyone I ran into was complaining about the lack of Premium liquor. Worse yet you also had to buy food.
During thsi period of srink hunting Shurwayne was on stage performing and I was basically ignoring him because I had seen him the night before. It did not escape me however that Shurwayne had included some familiar rhythems in his performance that I associated with Machel. I had made the same observation the previous night at Voodoo when Shurwayne used the track that Machel would use to introduce the 'Powderpuff girls'. At the time I thought litlle of it but shortly thereafter news filtered from backstage that Machel had totally tripped out on Shurwayne for using some of 'his' tracks during his AC performance. From all reports it was a pretty heated argument. (Machel later addressed the incident on a live interview on th elocal CNC 3 Channel this evening and minimised the incident).We were all anxious to see if Machel would even grace us with his presence.
The lights were dimmed soon after and whaddya know....parachute men in the sky! I was like WTF once again because I was QUITE sure that thsi was how he started the show last year. This time he did not even pretend to be one of the men in the air.Come on...better than that Machel. I must say Machel and Co. always give their all and they put on a great show but in truth and fact , their was very little difference between last year and this year. It was obvious that they did not have as many patrons in the Platinum section as they did last year.
Some highlights of the show included the performances of Busy Signal and Skinny Fabulous. Two kid stars from the Boy Boy Musical also had a two feature performances. Don't ask me how their parents gave them permission to be up after 2am. Strangely enough, the biggest forward of the night came from the Chinese segment where they introduced Chinee, winner of the Synergy Soca Star. I give him props for his achievements but would love to see what he comes with after his current song about being Chinee. He then introduced teh original Chinee soca star..Chinese Laundry. And you would swear it was Jay-z or something the way the place throw down!
Patrice and Zan pulled their weight with the usual selections. Pitbull joined Machel onstage as the show was winding down and it was pretty much a repeat of last years performance. Yeah ok , we all still love 'Defense' but he had little else to wow us. His newer tunes don't get much hype including the other one with Machel ( yeah the one where he calls every country and says they get crazy). Lucky for us (scarcastic) Lil Jon managed to make his flight this year but I can't say it made a big difference to the performance. Yeah, he might be a big hip hop artist if it was a summer concert but to come and sing your tunes from last year during Carnival...Lil Jon was kinda whack. 'The floor is on fire' went over well with the crowd but again Lil Jon had very little input into it.I was not amused when Lil Jon said he would be on the road and I am praying he is not in Tribe cause I definitely doh want to hear that crunk sheet on the road.
I actually made my exit during their performance which I can only presume wrapped up the show. This was mainly due to the fact that the set up was the same as last year and I anticipated another crushing mob when the whole VIP tried to get across to itsy bitsy bridges. We got out of there quickly and was speed walking out the stadium in 5 mins only to be face with the daunting task of cutting through the mob of exiting general patrons. We risked it as it was still early and only a few people were exiting and were then able to cut through to the back gate to exit the stadium.I was in St.James buying a burger within 10 minutes. I was spared the traffic which I am sure would have been just as paiful as that going to the venue.
All in all, if you went last year then you missed nothing this year.In fact , you probably did not miss anything in general that you could not see at one of the other fetes. I actually watched 'Boy Boy and the Magic Drum' on TV before I went to AC so their were no surprises for me.If you had paid money to go in then it was highway robbery cause the bars were crappy. Its still convenient for the older folks who want to sit and see the show but they also have to fight up for parks and deal with the masses of people to get to and from. Compared to the show Machel had two years ago with Peter Minshall's input, the show is heading downhill. There were actually more special guests last year and I think I enjoyed it more (maybe cause I had a few drinks). My advice, if you want to go to Machel's longest performance where he performs most of his hits, then go AC but if you want a whole drinks and entertainment package you are better off elsewhere.
So we started the trek to the stadium. I apparently was the only person in my group who actually looked at the map in the papers to see where was what.Both general and Platinum had the same first point of entry. There were hundreds of general adminission ppl fighting up at the scaffolding gates. The police were actually just picking people out the line and searching them which can tell you how shady some of them appeared. We just looked at each other like WTF.So basically we had to walk arund the stadium along with the thousands of general people to get to the platinum entrance which was past the general entrance. Now I don't know if this is how it always I have been able to park inside the stadium on previous occasions but the arrangement seemed do defeat the purpose of 'Platinum' guests. We got to another checkpoint which which again had throngs of people. In attempting to run up the side of the masses we were forced into teh pack by police. After not moving anywhere for a few minutes we again tried to run up the side, only to realise that we were on the right track because they was one single lane for the Platinum patrons to bypass the crowd. In fact, this was the general entrance at the marathon tunnel. We were just lucky to see the sign otherwise we would have been stuck in the jam for hours. Sowe were able to pass through and go to yet another checkpoint which was the actual Platinum entrance at the covered stands. I almost died laughing when I saw a group of fellas going up the spiral stairs in the lobby which is very different to the stadium stairs and clearly led to nowhere! A guard had to run them down but they really thought they were going to the concert that way.I guess they have never been to the stadium.
Yet again the migration up the stairs and down the stands was congested since there were only two available stairwells for use and only two bridges to cross to get onto the grounds. The grounds were very well lit almost bright as day. It was clearly noticable that the Platinum section was lacking in numbers. I figured most ppl were still fighting up in traffic and it would fill up eventually. So we headed to the bar only to find that it was sponosred by ANgostura therefore there was no Johnny walker. I think the men in my party almost had an anxiety attack at this discovery and spent the next half hour going to every single bar to see what they could come up with. Apparently they had Blu vodka and Grey Goose available to buy by the bottle yet everybar was already sold out of it!! This meant that everyone was resigned to drinking beers and black bottle all night. I for one drank nothing but LLB. I could not believe in the Platinum section that the OPTION was not available to buy. Almost everyone I ran into was complaining about the lack of Premium liquor. Worse yet you also had to buy food.
During thsi period of srink hunting Shurwayne was on stage performing and I was basically ignoring him because I had seen him the night before. It did not escape me however that Shurwayne had included some familiar rhythems in his performance that I associated with Machel. I had made the same observation the previous night at Voodoo when Shurwayne used the track that Machel would use to introduce the 'Powderpuff girls'. At the time I thought litlle of it but shortly thereafter news filtered from backstage that Machel had totally tripped out on Shurwayne for using some of 'his' tracks during his AC performance. From all reports it was a pretty heated argument. (Machel later addressed the incident on a live interview on th elocal CNC 3 Channel this evening and minimised the incident).We were all anxious to see if Machel would even grace us with his presence.
The lights were dimmed soon after and whaddya know....parachute men in the sky! I was like WTF once again because I was QUITE sure that thsi was how he started the show last year. This time he did not even pretend to be one of the men in the air.Come on...better than that Machel. I must say Machel and Co. always give their all and they put on a great show but in truth and fact , their was very little difference between last year and this year. It was obvious that they did not have as many patrons in the Platinum section as they did last year.
Some highlights of the show included the performances of Busy Signal and Skinny Fabulous. Two kid stars from the Boy Boy Musical also had a two feature performances. Don't ask me how their parents gave them permission to be up after 2am. Strangely enough, the biggest forward of the night came from the Chinese segment where they introduced Chinee, winner of the Synergy Soca Star. I give him props for his achievements but would love to see what he comes with after his current song about being Chinee. He then introduced teh original Chinee soca star..Chinese Laundry. And you would swear it was Jay-z or something the way the place throw down!
Patrice and Zan pulled their weight with the usual selections. Pitbull joined Machel onstage as the show was winding down and it was pretty much a repeat of last years performance. Yeah ok , we all still love 'Defense' but he had little else to wow us. His newer tunes don't get much hype including the other one with Machel ( yeah the one where he calls every country and says they get crazy). Lucky for us (scarcastic) Lil Jon managed to make his flight this year but I can't say it made a big difference to the performance. Yeah, he might be a big hip hop artist if it was a summer concert but to come and sing your tunes from last year during Carnival...Lil Jon was kinda whack. 'The floor is on fire' went over well with the crowd but again Lil Jon had very little input into it.I was not amused when Lil Jon said he would be on the road and I am praying he is not in Tribe cause I definitely doh want to hear that crunk sheet on the road.
I actually made my exit during their performance which I can only presume wrapped up the show. This was mainly due to the fact that the set up was the same as last year and I anticipated another crushing mob when the whole VIP tried to get across to itsy bitsy bridges. We got out of there quickly and was speed walking out the stadium in 5 mins only to be face with the daunting task of cutting through the mob of exiting general patrons. We risked it as it was still early and only a few people were exiting and were then able to cut through to the back gate to exit the stadium.I was in St.James buying a burger within 10 minutes. I was spared the traffic which I am sure would have been just as paiful as that going to the venue.
All in all, if you went last year then you missed nothing this year.In fact , you probably did not miss anything in general that you could not see at one of the other fetes. I actually watched 'Boy Boy and the Magic Drum' on TV before I went to AC so their were no surprises for me.If you had paid money to go in then it was highway robbery cause the bars were crappy. Its still convenient for the older folks who want to sit and see the show but they also have to fight up for parks and deal with the masses of people to get to and from. Compared to the show Machel had two years ago with Peter Minshall's input, the show is heading downhill. There were actually more special guests last year and I think I enjoyed it more (maybe cause I had a few drinks). My advice, if you want to go to Machel's longest performance where he performs most of his hits, then go AC but if you want a whole drinks and entertainment package you are better off elsewhere.
VOODOO REVIEW
Well I was not planning to do anything Friday night but just so happens a ticket for Voodoo fell into my lap and I could not let it go to waste! Although I know most people would have gone to Misty Ridge or Army fete, the Voodoo fete also sounded like it had potential as it was priced at $250 drinks inclusive. and thrown by the Sunnyside Up crew. It was held at Crew Inn in Caguaramas so it was an easy drive to the venue. I arrived around 11:00pm and was suprised to see then number of cars that were already there. I got practically one of the last available spots in the compound.
So a short stroll has us at the front gate which had this huge BATTERY inflatable arch and they scanned in our tickets. First impression......where everybody? The place looked empty but I figured it was still a bit early and they had time. It was hard to miss the ABSOLUT martini bar which was very well set up and included a lounge area with giant white bean bag chairs. I was quite impressed with the setup. A little while after I discovered a tequila bar and they were serving up the good stuff, the Jose Cuervo, and had girls walking around the party handing them out.The Margarita bar was also pretty impressive. It had no lounge but four different types of margaritas to choose from and they were WELL made. Th eother bars were stocked with the basics and Chivas instead of Johnny walker. Now usually I would blast a bar for this but their cocktail bars more than made up for it!
At the time I arrived I did not know it was a drinks inclusive and that you had to pay for the food. When I did get hungry I saw the selection was very limited to burgers, fries and hot dogs. I was a bit disappointed with the selection choices as for those watching their weight they were pretty much left hungry. I must say that the burgers were laffable, the patties were paper thin! And I am not exaggerating. If I have to pay for it anyway at least let me get a wider range. No bake and shark? Doubles?
Ok this is not really crucial but at first I thought that they did not have enough bathrooms for the people they expected. In the end it was just as well but they had only one sink and the male and female were just set up in a dark hole right next to each other. I should add in their defense they had ample product placement with CHARMIN toilet paper in all the stalls. How bougie is that ? You could have pick Soft Charmin or the Strong Charmin. Just in case you really needed to take a dump in a portable toilet you were fix!
Well my friends I and I took up residence close to the margarita bar. The venue was a bit awkward in some places as it was in the carpark and there were some obstacles and dividers throughout. It could have ben lit a bit better for these spots but in general it was a good space. A look around the venue saw that the crowd had not gotten too much bigger. It was an interetsting mix though. I saw ppl I thought would be in Misty Ridge and there was also the occasional tourist. They probably had about 100-150 people in all. I doubt they made money but everyone seemed to be having a great time.
The live entertainment was started off with Shurwayne Winchester who gave a very energetic performance. At one point a guy was screaming that he see Shurwayne do the exact same performance last year. For the most fun I would have to agree but i could not hate on Shurwayne too much because the whole band all looked like they were having so much fun on stage.His song 'Release the Energy' is actually a pretty good soca for the road and I am kinda surprised it has not gotten more airplay.
Next up was Kees and the Band who had to cut back their full band performance and stuck to singing on tracks because of the low turn out. They still gave an enthusiatic performance and had only minor hiccups with the cd changer. After this, I decided to make it an early night as I had lots of Carnival errands the next day. The vibe still seemed strong but I don't know if it would have lasted all night. In all I think they have a good potential to make that fete a 'must go' but I was not suprised by the turn out as I say very little ads for it anywhere prior to the event. They need to put more effort into their marketing and they may make a splash next year. So then it was onwards to AC...you don't want to miss that review!
Monday, February 09, 2009
Panorama 2K9 semis aka "I'm not drunk!"
So I have not been to Panorama Semis since they took down the North stand. I was quite traumatised by that event. I was also braksing from going because the very thought of being in that hot sun whole day was a deterrent. I don't do hats so that was not an option for me. But I had a friend coming in for the pre-carnival activities and that was the one thing she had to do so ........I take the chain up!
So being that my vehicle is under repairs I had to bum a drop with some friends. This worked out just fine cause I had no intention of being a designated driver that night.However, no matter how hard I tried to get them to duck the sun they all wanted to reach early.Being Trinis...our 1pm arrival at the Savannah easily turned into 2pm. It turns out we were right on time. The place was just beginning to fill up and you could have still secured a good spot for your whole crew. As we were about to enter the front gates a short rain spell passed over but it held up pretty nicely thereafter.The sky remained overcast for most of the day(thankfully).
First off let me tell you..TSTT pan lime is the best deal you can possibly get for an 'all inclusive' side. I get my money's worth after the first drink. (Special thanks to the TSTT Marketing Team for good looking out!).Food, drinks, riddem section plus ticket for $250? What! It was clear early on who had the biggest crew....it was a dead heat between Bmobile and Red Ants Posse.Both of whom were well decked off in their coordinated outfits. These two sides had really organised bars and food distribution stalls and the riddem sections were not far. From the time I see Johnny Walker and Red bull running freely I know is a best lime. I eat geera pork, aloo pie, roti, chicken , bake and shark and pholourie to no end!There were a few other large sides who were notable including Island People and Angostura.Noticeably absent were some other 'large band' representation. Suprisingly present was a Kaotic pan side.
Needless to say, most of the people I knew (or did not know) were very drunk, very quickly.I had a gentleman approach me who asked if my belt was difficult to loop.To which I responded most politely "not at all" cause I just had to see where he was going with this.He said," You missed a loop". I then had to point out to him that NONE of the belt was looped because it was too wide to get into the belt loops. Of course, he was quite embarrassed and I asked him to just stop while he was ahead and enjoy the rest of his night.
So being that my vehicle is under repairs I had to bum a drop with some friends. This worked out just fine cause I had no intention of being a designated driver that night.However, no matter how hard I tried to get them to duck the sun they all wanted to reach early.Being Trinis...our 1pm arrival at the Savannah easily turned into 2pm. It turns out we were right on time. The place was just beginning to fill up and you could have still secured a good spot for your whole crew. As we were about to enter the front gates a short rain spell passed over but it held up pretty nicely thereafter.The sky remained overcast for most of the day(thankfully).First off let me tell you..TSTT pan lime is the best deal you can possibly get for an 'all inclusive' side. I get my money's worth after the first drink. (Special thanks to the TSTT Marketing Team for good looking out!).Food, drinks, riddem section plus ticket for $250? What! It was clear early on who had the biggest crew....it was a dead heat between Bmobile and Red Ants Posse.Both of whom were well decked off in their coordinated outfits. These two sides had really organised bars and food distribution stalls and the riddem sections were not far. From the time I see Johnny Walker and Red bull running freely I know is a best lime. I eat geera pork, aloo pie, roti, chicken , bake and shark and pholourie to no end!There were a few other large sides who were notable including Island People and Angostura.Noticeably absent were some other 'large band' representation. Suprisingly present was a Kaotic pan side.
Now I can't speak to previous years on 'The Greens' but if ever the intention was to turn panorama into a big cooler fete then it was a resounding success. Up to now I cannot tell you who play and what they play.I dare you to find 5 people who can. It was all about the riddem section, the drinks and the lime. Nonetheless the vibe was off the hook.( See video below!) The tents were set up like a bazaar or a tent city and most of the crowd stayed close to the tents where their bars were. They were a few risers constructed near the entrance but they were so far back I dont know how it possible to hear or see anything if you were really interested in the true purpose of the event.The grass had a plastic interlocking floor system that kept the mud to a minimum but it still was a bit iffy when wet. I saw a few ladies with heels on...yes heels...and for the life of me could not figure out how that was practical. That was an accident waiting to happen.
Needless to say, most of the people I knew (or did not know) were very drunk, very quickly.I had a gentleman approach me who asked if my belt was difficult to loop.To which I responded most politely "not at all" cause I just had to see where he was going with this.He said," You missed a loop". I then had to point out to him that NONE of the belt was looped because it was too wide to get into the belt loops. Of course, he was quite embarrassed and I asked him to just stop while he was ahead and enjoy the rest of his night.
I found it quite interesting that the crowd inside was generally of an uptown persuasion and a fairer complexion. It was very much like any premium all inclusive that you could have attended.Even the Laventille Riddem Section was employed by Red Ants .I felt very comfortable roaming the venue even after it started to get dark. I know for sure that the large bands did not start performing until after dark but after being there for about 7 hrs and seeing the bar packed up and gone there was little motivation to stay past 10pm. That and the fact that I had drank a good portion of the Johnny Walker in the bar.
On our way to the exit we were cut off by the large crowd that had gathered to support the riddem section supplied by the Insomniacs. I must really give my hats off to this side cause they still had tons of energy for how late it was. My eyes may have deceived me but I believe that it was KMC himself that was on the riser that began singing 'I'm not drunk' which basically mash down the whole of Panorama. We definitely couldnot leave until that session was over.
I had such a grand time and was in such a good mood when I left that for just a moment I remembered what sweet sweet Trinidad used to be like before the bandits took over. The walk back to the car was not as pleasant as my day. It always sucks having to find your car , in the dark, in the savannah. Fortunately I had 3 strapping bodyguards for company. We soon found ourselves on the 'track' which i guess is where everybody else in Trinidad was liming who did not pay to get in the hoity toity 'Greens'. There was a huge MASS (no pun intended) of people. I was enthused at first cause I saw some of the big bands passing by like Desperados. This is the first time for the day that I was able to actually hear the true beauty of the instrument. The vibe seemed just as hype. As we approached Renegades the crowd got extremely thick all of a sudden. I had a crazy dude next to me shouting that everybody should walk with their hands in their pockets in such a crowd. How right he was. Moments later one of my large friends had his chain grabbed. Fortunately he had quick reflexes and was able to grab on to it before the little bandit got hold of it but not before it snapped. By the time he spun around he could not pick out who had grabbed him. Even if he did ,he probably would have risked personal injury. I am just astounded at the boldfaceness of todays bandits cause not only was this guy large but his chain was inside his shirt. That just sour the rest of the night.... I went home happy but disappointed at the spiraling decay of our country in such a time of merriment.
I am sure that I will be back next year but it seems that it will be with a new sense of caution. When it gets dark...like party done. I really hope that Carnival does not suffer the same unfortunate fate cause I'm accustomed shutting off the music truck come Carnival Tuesday.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
BLUE RANGE ALL INCLUSIVE REVIEW
Yeah, so I still late with it but say what.I think Saucy's review was pretty much on point. I always like this fete primarily because its cheaper than the rest and I always have a safe VIP park reserved. Its quite amusing to note that a few years ago this fete was classified as the 'Old People Fete' and the Blue Range Cooler Fete was the 'Young People Fete'. Well Saturday night seemed that like the young people take over. On top of that, it has grown significantly. The committee is now utilising some road space and had to reorientate the entire venue to pack in more people. Even though it was packed , there was still enough room to move around easily. No stress by the bar either. I am still trying to establish whether or not it had Jonny Walker behind the bar cause no one I spoke to actually SAW a Walker bottle. But I won't be mad at them, worth giving that up if it meant adding Machel and keeping teh price down. I can't believe people actually looking to scalp this party now. WOW!
I think they did well to simplify the menu and spend their money on the performances. Not that they got their money's worth with Bunji's performance. But the addition of Machel was definitely a plus. Its no point comparing his act to Bunji's because if you blinked ( or went to pee) you would have missed Bunji. So it was very easy for Machel to steal the show.I even heard comments that he performed better than he did in ONE fete with his band. I cant say for myself because I am also boycotting overpriced fetes. (Potentially next on the chopping block...Beachouse). I dont eat much in fetes to begin with. As long as I have some finger food to absorb some of the liquor and keep me half sober..I good. I really don't care to have tandoori chicken and anything of an exotic nature when I know I drinking and wining.
I have a feeling that demand for this fete will drive up the price,especially since the Blue Range committee seems to be trying to be a bit selective this time around. However, if they maintain it at this level, the overpriced 'ultra all inclusive' may have a hard time sustaining itself.
I think they did well to simplify the menu and spend their money on the performances. Not that they got their money's worth with Bunji's performance. But the addition of Machel was definitely a plus. Its no point comparing his act to Bunji's because if you blinked ( or went to pee) you would have missed Bunji. So it was very easy for Machel to steal the show.I even heard comments that he performed better than he did in ONE fete with his band. I cant say for myself because I am also boycotting overpriced fetes. (Potentially next on the chopping block...Beachouse). I dont eat much in fetes to begin with. As long as I have some finger food to absorb some of the liquor and keep me half sober..I good. I really don't care to have tandoori chicken and anything of an exotic nature when I know I drinking and wining.
I have a feeling that demand for this fete will drive up the price,especially since the Blue Range committee seems to be trying to be a bit selective this time around. However, if they maintain it at this level, the overpriced 'ultra all inclusive' may have a hard time sustaining itself.
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