Shipwrecked: The Africa Edition

There have been so many band launches recently that I am officially behind on blogging but bear with me, my next blog will feature the theme of TOO MANY DAM SMALL BANDS and the need for unity within the environs of Notting Hill Carnival. Can you imagine if all these small bands join up what a glorious spectacle it would be to see 5 large sized bands on the road, uniform, bursting with winery on Carnival Day?

Anyway that's another blogpost. I went to Busspepper after I was consoled with a few complimentary tickets and because I wanted to see Shipwrecked. The theme for the first two years have been boss, and last year the Asian spin was so welcome that this year I guess it was imperative to have Shipwrecked in Africa. I was very impressed with the spin on the costuming- the leopard print is hawt hawt hawt and because I truly believe in the half way house of the fun mas as a midway point between full on costume and what I hate- TSHIRT mas- I have to give them their kudos. Patrons can opt for leggings or short shorts and the costumes are complete- hat, gloves, the works!

I jammed with Shipwrecked last year and I must say I think they have a bit of a reputation as some stoosh Trinis but go see for yuhself! They were all cool in the band in my opinion but the circle seems tight, almost impenetrable to be honest. Everybody in de band know everybody either from Convent or Bishops or elsewhere so if you looking to make friends or for a man for de day yuh might be in the wrong place.

Contact the bandleader for details including pricing etc.

Pics to follow.

De Pan Drama

I promised to be back when I had more news- according to the reports from my insider, there are many things which militated against the Panorama competition this year. Allegedly, funding was cut by 10,000 because it was felt that the event was not generating enough revenue! So the Greater London Authority said they would fund it but this cut was imperative.This information was relayed to the pan association by Chris Boothman who told the panmen that this year no appearance fees were to be paid because the amount equated to the figure budgeted for appearance fees.  The Pan Association pushed back and said utter disrespect- we want all our money, thanks! As Paul Keens say... who tell them do that? GLA removed all the funding! A few weeks later, the PanMen decided to backtrack and said they would accept the reduced figure- the GLA said no.

To provide some context to this whole debate, Mas and other entities (Calypso etc). do not really receive appearance fees. Pan was the only association who received appearance fees- and there had been some issues of lack of proper accounting procedures (as there always ultimately is in these kinds of things).

My take on the whole issue is as follows:

First of all, this underlies the need for effective representation for all aspects of our culture. We need a cadre of professionals fighting and battling our corners. We need negotiators and persons versed in procurement and marketing and sponsorship. To do so, we need to move away from the "Association" mentality, and run our industries like businesses.

Secondly, we cannot continue to have issues with accounting and management of funds. Accountability is the new buzz word and post recession, this will increasingly become a criteria to justify slashing budgets. If there are a few crooked people involved, they absolutely NEED to go.

Thirdly, organisations need to get less lazy about their own survival. Lots of other Carnival organisations obtain Lottery funding or Arts Council funding. Was Pan so complacent that it thought it was entitled to GLA funding? Can some of the monies received be used to hire an administrator who would submit application forms in time to ensure that there is no such disaster.

Apparently its back to Kensal Rise this year. Which might not be a bad thing, given that at last it is out of Hyde Park because we all know that the Notting Hill bougies don't like the fact that for two days their streets become West Indian again. My sources also tell me that they are considering moving Carnival to the Olympic Village. Not over we dead body! This is no Brazil velodrome style carnival- we play street marse!

A group of concerned individuals have started a group called SOCA- Save Our Carnival Associations- with a view to increase dialogue and to provide professional and networking services for our carnival associations. Anyone wishing to join should email the Griot and I would put you in contact.

Big Bad Bachanal Mas

All yuh Bachanal Mas is HUGE this year. I have been reliably informed that the band boasts over 500 costumes and there are 80 people in Blue Devils alone.

So all of all yuh who sticking, doh get leff:

Sunday Liquid Gold:


£25.00 for first 100 £30.00 after that

Includes: Tshirt, Bandana, Cup, Body Paint, Full Premium Bar, Soft Drinks, Security and Music Truck
Here is their sold out list so far:

ADULTS

ARAWAK OPTION A - £130.00

ARAWAK OPTION B - £160.00 (SOLD OUT)

ARAWAK MALE - £120.00 (SOLD OUT)

ARAWAK FRONTLINE - £220.00 (SOLD OUT)



FANCY INDIAN OPTION A - £130.00 (SOLD OUT)

FANCY INDIAN OPTION B - £160.00 (SOLD OUT)

FACNY INDIAN MALE - £130.00 (SOLD OUT)

FANCY INDIAN FRONTLINE - £220.00 (SOLD OUT)



MIDNIGHT ROBBER OPTION A - £125.00

MIDNIGHT ROBBER OPTION B - £155.00

MIDNIGHT ROBBER MALE - £115.00

MIDNIGHT ROBBER FRONTLINE - £210.00 (SOLD OUT)



BLUE DEVIL OPTION A - £125.00 (SOLD OUT)

BLUE DEVIL OPTION B - £160.00 (SOLD OUT)

BLUE DEVIL MALE - £120.00 (SOLD OUT)

BLUE DEVIL FRONTLINE - £215.00 (SOLD OUT)



JABMOLASSI OPTION A - £125.00 (SOLD OUT)

JABMOLASSI OPTION B - £160.00 (SOLD OUT)

JABMOLASSI MALE £110.00 (SOLD OUT)

JABMOLASSI FRONTLINE - £225.00 (SOLD OUT)



PIERROT GRENADE OPTION A - £125.00

PIERROT GRENADE OPTION B - £155.00

PIERROT GRENADE FRONTLINE - £210.00 (SOLD OUT)



SOUCOUYANT OPTION A - £130.00 (SOLD OUT)

SOUCOUYANT OPTION B - £160.00 (SOLD OUT)

SOUCOUYANT FRONTLINE - £215.00 (SOLD OUT)



YOUNG PEOPLES COSTUMES 14 TO 17YRS

ALL SECTIONS - £85.00



CHILDREN

IMP MALE AND FEMALE - £60.00

IMP FRONTLINE £100.00



BABY DOLL FEMALE ONLY - £55.00

BABY DOLL FRONTLINE - £100.00 (SOLD OUT)

ALL CHILDREN 5 AND UNDER £30.00

Sweet like Brown Sugar

I am not sure whether this lady oils her voice before she sings or whether it is just some natural Trini style honey, but she is indeed the woman with a golden voice. Her songs come straight from her belly, and she is definitely one of the more gifted calypsonians in the Tent in that she has it all: Melody, Lyrics, and boy, Rendition. Her delivery is impeccable- she sings in the style of a true calypsian- rhapsodic but with hard hitting punchlines and emphatic movements and gestures.

Seeing Brown Sugar in action is truly seeing a storyteller, a traditional griot delivering her stories. She is one of over 6 females in the Tent and has won three Calypso Monarch Titles in the last 4 years. She is also a strong groovy contender- she won the title last year and has been consistently in the top three since the competition began four years ago. Brown Sugar is the wife of Rev B, who is another hard hitter in the Tent and their kaiso family unit is based around a bevy of beautiful kids- a few of which will be undoubtedly calypsonians in the future. Her songs are often biting and punchy- last year she admonished Gordon Brown to jail the politicians who got us into this banking crisis, a song which certainly had a stinging resonance with our plight.

Brown Sugar has not revealed to us yet the delight that she has in store for us this year, but certainly what we are sure of is that it will be wonderful. Her tunes, like her name, are sweet.

No Panorama for Notting Hill Carnival?

What the jail!

I have been hearing these rumours rising, surging and falling, ebbing gently but refusing to die away.

I have been reliably informed that there will be no Panorama at Notting Hill Carnival this year at Hyde Park due to a lack of funding. Apparently, no one had the foresight or initiative to check last year whether funding was on track for this year. Quelle surprise! Frankly, this is a crying shame that years after our grandparents fought for Caribbean culture to be showcased in London, and it is our own carelessness and general laziness that have caused us to reach this new abyss! I am trying not to say that I knew it all along- when they decided to take Panorama away from its traditional home into Hyde Park, none of us complained because they brainwashed us into thinking that gentrification of our culture was in its best interests. What we did not see was that pan, the traditional instrument of our Carnival, was essential to its home. When we said nothing about its marginalisation, how can we now complain about its disappearance?

Damn good thing we didn't accept the bait for Carnival to be now in the Park because all of us would have been literally on shit street at the moment, waiting for a saviour and salvation. This is our own doing, and our own fault. We take the small incentives and fail to see the bigger picture. What a crying shame!

I will be trying to attend the next Notting Hill Board meeting for a better idea of what is going on,  so watch this space for further developments.

Alexander is the Greatest

The London Calypso Tent boasts many veteran calypsonians. Of these, few are more lyrically astute than Alexander the Great. Even fewer boast the musical talent that he possesses to make his songs musical masterpieces, elevating the calypso artform from the piccong of the Calypso Tent into renditions that are suitable for any operatic ensemble. In fact, Alexander has been one of the few calypsonians who has successfully crossed the bridge to the mainstream- he has written a folk song opera for Talawa Theatre company.

Alexander is indeed great. A qualified teacher by profession, his songs are punchy and pack powerful weight. Last year's song "Since Kelso Cochrane died", was so thought provoking he had me doing in-depth research on the legacy of Kelso- who was the victim of racist abuse in England in the 1950's. He questioned, with plaintive pathos- what have we achieved since his death?

Alexander's seminal album SocaBlues is a heady mix of  kaiso with a tinge of rhythm and blue. His songs boast a wide variety of themes- Last them Lara, is a  tribute to Brian Lara's dominance over the cricket game, Amandla Mandela is his tribute to our most well known freedom fighter, Rationalisation focussed on the efffect of mad cow disease, and Wake up Africa was a plea for peace.

Alexander is also extremely community minded. He runs a variety of workshops for young singers, and he pens winning compositions for a number of calypsonians. He is also the BBC Calypsonian in Residence.

Alexander can be seen on Opening Night at the London Calypso Tent on 30 July.

Cocoyea Confusion

Cocoyea used to be one of the hard hitting players in Notting Hill Carnival. The Cocoyea brand produced massive parties in Camden Palais and the biggest outdoor fetes in the 90's and 2000's.  Cocoyea was a power player. Those who remember Carnival in the early 1980's all through the early 2000s remember Cocoyea as a threat that was not to be rivalled with at all. Dexter Khan was the Samurai sword bearer and all his subjects were bona fide soca warriors.

I played with Cocoyea last year and I was a little bit disappointed at the paucity of costumes and the proliferation of Tshirt mas. Mas cannot be played in a t-shirt! I will not apologise for this and I am awaiting the day when Notting Hill Carnival Board will ban all forms of Tshirt mas at Carnival. Where is the splendour, where is the craftsmanship, where is the splendour, where is the magic? I digress- this is another post. Cocoyea was a shadow of its former self. The 50 of us playing in costumes were outnumbered by the Tshirt brigrade. Although drinks flowed and the vibes was nice, it would be great to see Cocoyea torpedoed back to the top with better management, deeper investment and more forward planning.

This year the theme is Confusion. The costumes themselves do not appear to have any specific names- we are advised to let it be what we want them to be. They are black and gold, purple and multicoloured. The purple is the best. I would not attempt to describe them any further as this would be overinterpreting and overreaching to find meaning. I tell, you, part of mass is lost.

I am told that the costumes range from 60 quid upwards, which, all things considered, is a bargain.

London Calypso Tent for 2010

I promised that this blog won't be all about mas because Carnival is definitely more than mas in my opinion. One aspect that has been neglected to date is Kaiso. Kaiso in the UK has been thriving under the aegis of the Association of British Calypsonians Calypso Tent. Established almost 18 years ago, it has been growing from strength to strength and features calypsonians whose quality could certainly rival that of Trinidad. After the elections this year, we will be sure to be hearing some hard hitting, biting political commentary. The songs usually have a British focus but there is also the Groovy Monarch competition which features sensational energetic artistes like Cleo and the lady with the golden voice- Brown Sugar.

This year the tent opens July 30 and runs every Friday- August 6, August 16 and August 26 (the Calypso Monarch Competition. The kaisonians alternate songs each night so it is best to come see the singers every other weekend. It is a boss lime- the bar downstairs sells Cockspur and there is usually roti and pholouri selling outside.

Tickets this year are on seetickets.com making it easier to show your support.

I will be featuring short features on each of the calypsonians in the Tent from now onwards until 30 July!

De Pepper Dam Buss!

A Busspepper fete in London used to be a classy affair. Like-minded professionals converging together to enjoy themselves in a safe ambience, within the elegant bars of the City's favourite hotspots. Food was provided -Caribbean style, the music was an eclectic mix of soca, reggae, dancehall and rnb but to be honest, all I can say is that as of late, the Pepper Buss!

I took my "good self" and went to Busspepper's anniversary party the weekend before last. I did not deign to post this review before now because what I could have probably said was good to forget. I was also temporarily placated by Mateen and team's apology but since, more than one week later, I have not been offered a refund or any type of consolation measure, I have decided to open my big mouth. As The Guardian say- comment is free!

First of all, I invited over 7 people to this event who had never been to a soca event before, because I believed that it would be value for money and we would have a good, uneventful, enjoyable night out.  We were promised no queuing if we purchased tickets in advance. I therefore spent the grand sum of £105 to ensure that my guests would not be queuing at all, as I am not able with parties where I have to feel like I am begging to get in. In grander clubs like Mahiki and Movida, I do not even pay so at least if I am paying, let me have the privilege of walking in with dignity. In a complete breach of pre contractual representations, when I arrived, there was a line that was as long as the steups on my mouth, serpenting its way (not even snaking!) around the entrance. I was advised that there was no separate queue. Two of my guests turned back. The rest of us waited for one hour to get in.  I do not like seeing trouble for my money. If there was an issue, I expected the organisers to be there facing the heat, explaining the situation to patrons. Instead Busspepper management were inside (in the warmth) leaving the crowd control to the management of Sway and me, in the cold. No fair. I almost started to cuss then but I remembered that I was a professional woman and the Jamette-Fierce inside me should be restrained.

One hour and a half later, when we finally got in, the venue was packed. The place was hot as a room built for sweating cocoa. The rooms were sweaty and stinking. Not what I expected.  There comes a point at which the organisers need to stop selling tickets to ensure that the venue has the ambience that is desired. Instead the party was very "wash you foot an come" and as long as patrons were paying, money was being accepted.  I am not an elitist and everyone has the right to have a good time but the guestlist should have been closed from the first 800! Instead 700 tickets were sold and monies were being accepted at the door. The result? An overcrowded, packed out venue where no one had a good time.

I always have a problem with Busspepper music and this fete was no different. If you gone to one fete, you gone to all. The DJ mix is that predictable. The soca features only Trinidad soca. The reggae features the same old time tunes. Not when we have such a rich catalogue! Where is the Vincy soca, the Grenada soca? Where is bouyon and zouk? Jamaica had a really good reggae season. Gyptian's Hold Yuh was not played. Neither were hits like Busy Signal's One More Night and Night Shift. These songs are mashing up the Caribbean. Are these DJs really in tune with the music scene? Lazy Lazy Lazy.

I am really disappointed about the experience I had and the lack of redress and unless something is done, I would not be attending their fetes again. Sorry!

Poison Review

If it's one fete I have to go to, is Poison's band launch, and no matter how I cuss them this time, Wendel and he boys seem to have come correct so I give Jack he jacket and give Jean she drawers.

The venue was a 100% improvement over the last time and so was the decision to have it on a Friday although I almost didnt make it as it was such a nice day and I celebrated by having a liquid lunch that continued way until evening. You done know we don't have it nice up here in terms of weather so when the time come, it needs to be abused!

I was waiting to see all the costumes at the launch and after my rich diet of boss looking taster costumes, I must admit that Poison had to come really strong to keep me on my tiptoes and to keep me interested. This time round, they chose the theme That's Amore. Love in ordinary parlance to me and you. I liked the theme, its simple but still sassy.

The first section was Black Magic. I have seen many a silver and black costume this season but I think this one is one of the better designed ones, especially with the white towering headpiece. The belt and bra are a bit ordinary and underwhelming but the combined effect is sexy understatedness. You might be asking, how does Black Magic fit into the theme of love? I guess it must be some kind of Melda-Oh Sparrowesque Obeah Love but they should have just called it that, no?  Model rocked the hell out of the costume.

Desire was next, and I was thrown a bit with this one and this is what happens when people order costumes without deciding on a theme. I do not get the idea of blue with desire unless they talking about some kinda "blueballs" syndrome- this should have been a flaming red or orange costume! The Indian inspired headresses I am not so sure about how it fits in as well. This costume is aight. Just aight. Not enough feathers for a feather whore like me!

First of all apologies for the pics. Wendel why the pics an dem so small? People want to salivate over the costumes. That's when you rely on friends with a camera and they don't have batteries! Anyways me likey this one! Its called Jungle Fever. It has a huge headpiece tick, the green allows it to fit into the theme, the male costume looks like something people would step in, and the overall effect says well embellished. It kind of looks like a Spice bootleg but I am not a Carnival purist so I give it a big pass. My favourite of the lot!

This one was called Erotica. This is probably the least erotic Erotica I have ever seen as there is nothing erotica or teasing on show... this is the most conservative bikini mas costume I have seen in a while. I was making up my mind on whether I liked it- I certainly like the tutu effect, then I had a Eureka moment-  I realised that it is perfect for covering up the effects of non exercise and diet, ie perfect for me. I like white for the road in blistering sunshine and I think the love theme with the backpack and the headpiece is a good attempt at interpretation. Kudos to the designer. However the effect is more a Queen of Hearts than Erotica (unless the corset and tutu are backless?) Not a bad try but much better than last year.

I fell in love with this costume. (Better pics soon come!)  It was called Tempest and for those of us who have not played in pink before this is a good chance to get lucky as the shade is rich and the headpiece is sizeable.

Poison is offering, as usual, an all inclusive experience on the road, with continental breakfast, goodie bags, matching costume jewellery for the costumes, snacks, PAs with soca artists and a whole host of things. So far so good! I am already heating up, getting ready for Wet Fete. Costumes range from 125-150 squid!

Tomorrow review of Busspepper Fete over the weekend.

(All pictures from Poison UK website Their rights are reserved).

Where is UK Soca Music?

Notting Hill Carnival is amazing in many respects. The pan, the kaiso and the amazing costumes filling the streets in riotous colour. One aspect that many would find grating however, is the fact that the soundtrack to Europe's biggest street festival is undoubtedly the soundtrack of the islands with no interjection whatsoever from the United Kingdon. The UK soca music scene, if not dead is on its very last legs. UK originating songs do not make it on the playlists of UK based DJs- to obtain validation, artists need to do a Kerwin Dubois- go down to Trinidad and make it big- only then will they obtain some semblance of credibility. Songs produced in the UK often sound mediocre, belying that they have been assembled in someone's front room.

This is an absolute shame, because we do we have some class acts in the UK. Scrappy, the Monsterratian sensation, with his megatune "Start to Bounce" totally demolished Poison's Wet Fete last year- his music is rhythmic, his tunes are original and his voice rivals Bunji any day any how. On the female side, Ms Desire and Chardonnay are two big female soca artists with equally as big voices who would purr their hearts into groovy soca. Our own Brown Sugar and Helena B are bona fide soca gurus. However gone are the days when fetes featured local artists such as Kerwin Dubois (at the time), when Tudor Rose featured artists like Grenadian Ronnie and when UK artists had their own niche and their own corner of the market.

It is such a crying shame that I applaud the decision of Soca News to create a UK Soca Monarch competition. I hope that this competition will resuscitate the soca industry in the UK. I have a feeling that the breakthrough will happen here- the UK musical industry is at the intersection between rock, indie and rnb and all of these genres could do with a soca injection.

MASQUERADE 2000 and TEN

After the absolutely wonderful display of costumes we saw for Bachanalmas and Jewels de Carnaval, I must admit that my expectations are now hyper high in terms of what the market should expect for Notting Hill.

On M2K 2000, I probably did not fall in love with any of the costumes but they were vibrant, bold and arty. Masquerade 2000 describes its band as the leading band in Europe- this is probably up for contention given the proliferation of bands in the Notting Hill Parade but what I can say is that they are probably one of the more better organised bands and they are marketed very well. Masquerade 2000 has, for example, been showcased at the V&A museum, they have appeared in various carnivals across the globe and representatives have taken part in the International Kings and Queens Competition in Trinidad.

In 2010 they are bringing us “The Gift”. All the costumes range from 80 pounds to 120 pounds and at the time of writing one section at least, was already sold out. Their mas camp is located at 17 Argyll Avenue in Leyton (Unit 2). The sections are, in order, Carnival Art, Pop Art, Optical Art, Futurism, Cyber Angels, Cultural Angels and Graffitti. Neither the website nor the photos I managed to obtain explains what the sections are but I think the general vibe was to emulate the kitschness of the popular art movement, applying some element of science and technology and a general wanton escapsim to the costumes. I applaud this very much, it is very easy to come across with a Warriors/Tribal/Asian/African theme every year, I love the thinking outside of the box.

As for the costumes- they are definitely unusual in their use of masks but I do find the design a bit retro considering that they are meant to represent futuristic, pyschedelic concepts. Personally I also find them a bit heavy on the extras- there is a LOT of fabric and extra detailing, which would make me wonder how wearable they are on the road.

NHG'S pick? The pink and purple. That skirt adds just that extra bit of flair to bring out some sassy whinery. Wink wink.

Poison FINALLY getting lethal

Well it look like the big bad Poison decide to get off their laurels and to finally host a launch, if I was waiting for food I woulda done dead already!

This is unacceptable given that most of the power players have already launched and I ain't hiding to tell nobody that Poison damn Late. The theme is Amore- variation of love, and as I am all loved up, I am looking forward to seeing the 5 sections that they are going to put on but they better don't come with no Cheryl Cole esque interpretation like putting us in combats and telling us is Fight for This Love. The themes better come strong as they had all the time in the world!

Those of you who attended the disaster of a launch last year where they attempted to woo us with free barbecue chicken wings (hello? chicken wings are a quid for two pounds in Tesco?) by taking us to the vacuous Ministry of Sound on a Sunday, will be glad to know that the launch is going to be held at a more intimate venue of the Cobden Club up West. Us Southerners will find it a trek especially those of us that live close to SE1 but time to shake it up.

They ent losing this degrees ting at all boy! So this one will be zero degrees. Dey shoulda start it at 10, you don't want to start nutting cold!!!

We Tiefing a Little in Amsterdam...

Carnival Tabanca is a serious serious disease. It has been undiagnosed hitherto by Western medicine men, and exists purely within the West Indian cultural vaccuum. It is characterised by an intense longing to be in an enclosed space with as many people as possible, gyrating to the sounds of soca music.

To those of us who went to Trinidad this year, we did not have a bad case of Carnival Tabanca as we had our fill- but instead we had a serious Machel Tabanca. Machel chose to sit the season out and we had to make do with the HD Family. Ah mean, we dig Patrice and Kerwin is we boy but we real miss that "Huhhhh" and de "mad madder mad man" that is characteristic of our Crown Prince! Machel Tabanca is a different stage of the disease altogether, sufferers will be heard reciting the words of "Big Truck" at random intervals, searching for YouTube videos of "Too Young to Soca" and going insane when they hear the opening strains of "Tiefing a Little". They may also sign off as "Jack Horner" in their emails and need Machel songs like they need paracetamol for a headache.

To those of you suffering from late stages of Machel Tabanca, and can't fly to Miami or New York where all the shows seem to be taking place, TAKE NOTE the man himself will be in Amsterdam on Saturday 2 July for the first time in Holland.

Tickets are 22.50 euros (just about 20 quid). All yuh know that one ent missing me. Dah is meh man right there. Somebody say Easyjet!

Cool Jewels!

Well ah wasnt dere- ah had was to take it how ah get it but boy so many choices this year. Yes, I know I going and coming sometimes wid de blog but hold on, de ride is rough but we will reach where we going, hold strain!!!!

Jewels de Carnival looking hot like gas! Notting Hill Carnival will need some firemen to spray these sexy costumes down fuss dey bad! Sexy with a capital S! How do I love this costume? Let me count the ways. Is it the vibrant aquamarine, the perfect colour palette, not too bright, not too dull, complementing most skin tones? Reminiscent of the Loulan? Is it the exquisite cage bra of the first design, set with strategic jewels for the brave and the skinny? Is it the bejeweled monokoni option in a slighter darker shade of aqua that makes for a lovely contrast? Plus shorts and tankini options for the fuller figured (or those who play mas an go to church!) and the standard issue panty and bra. All the backdrop for a humongous show stopping whopper of a headpiece. This is no value Sainsbury's basics affair, this is Taste the Difference in all yuh ass!

Three words- I love it! Kudos to the designer.
Jewels the Carnival is a special section within Burrokeets.


Pics compliments Mac Big Truck Looby.

The Keets in Heat!

Well I must admit that I wasn't there at the Keets band launch (sigh) due to a dinner date that could not be postponed and I was not going to pass up my friend's do, duty calls peeps!

Good thing is that the Griot will be back and in full force over the coming weeks and months.. and I have plenty more details for all yuh on various band launches. Flagz for one, which won medium band of the year, will be launching after it went into false labour last time. Aye yai yaye. I also now have dates for Poison launch so tings getting nice and sweeettt. But as you know nutting sweeter than Burrokeet and from all accounts (read Big Pappy, Martin, Soca Prince), de vibes was nice and de costumes nicer..

So here is my mini review of the costumes. All photos compliments Big Truck Photos (who I must say did a  fantastic job). I was a little bit disappointed because the costumes are nice, but I really expected spectacular. They were pretty but I wanted the boat to be pushed out much further!

The band is called Renaissance but to be honest it is a whole mish mash of different themes and different elements - Egyptians, Party Time, Showgirl.... I aint know, it had a kind of Vegas vibe mix in with an Ancient theme so I was a little bit confused. But maybe if I was at the launch I would have asked them to clarify.

The first costume on display was Egyptians. I liked the colour scheme on this - gold and white with hints of purple but it was probably my least favourite of all of them. I appreciate the full coverage - not all of us are skinny minnies and this is a costume that has a little bit of sexy but is more traditional in the sense that the belt is actually a real belt and not just a strip of material, and there are some flouncy bits going on that would hide the unforgiving areas. The part I liked the most on this was the attention to detail in the beading on the top half. This costume is probably not an option for me but I could see it working on the carnival mammies. The male costume appeared more like a bronze and white but I aint complaining! It is definitely one of the better male options in that it isnt over decorated, making it appear more manly.

Next up was Party Time. Red Red Scorching Hot.  Full marks for the largesse of the headpiece athough I would add more feathers to give it more body!  I like plenty size (take that how you want)-people who "hambugging me" will definitely have to give way, give room for the headpiece(just my kind of thing!).  As for the costume itself, I thought that the red was vibrant enough and the embellishments were just about right- strategically placed gemstones on the bra area and on the monokini straps. Ladies with tummies beware! This is NOT for you. For the slim body size 8s!

 I think this is probably the best male costume for the season. I love the tie instead of the collar and the hat instead of a headpiece. Top marks for wearability. Most times I know guys hate the idea of embellishing too much, they are in the band just to wine on some hot boomsies, so this is perfect.

This one I called the section with no name but it is a definite winner in my books. The Carnival Badjohns will probably step in and say that the colour scheme is like Tribe's Threads of Morocco this year but as far as I know there ain't no patent on colours! The gold and hot pink really works here and is striking. One creative element that I am a fan of was extending the cage concept from the bra to the headpiece. I also love the boa collar as an added extra for the frontliners. Ay ay all yuh ehn see how all man an dey jack have frontline nuh?

Showgirl. The colour palette is definitely unusual- purple and orange but it does seem to work.  The decorations are kept to a minimum and the colours and feathers certainly do the talking. I would definitely play in this- but I would have loved to see the orange blinged out in gold!.

Review: Bachanal Mas Band Launch. Synopsis: Hot Like Gas!!!

A friend of mine asked me the question that if Tribe came to London, what would I think would happen? After last night’s launch, I would say “Tell Tribe to stay where they are yes!”, because in my humble opinion, they are auxiliary, not necessary, unneeded, redundant! BachanalMas exceeded itself on so many levels last night at the launch. Onwards and upwards!


Venue

I came from a house party earlier on in the evening from South London but the spot was not difficult to find at all. Literally a hop, skip and a jump from Aldgate Station or Tower Hill. The venue was Abbey Bar, a well heeled elegant venue in East Central London with a bar area on the top floor and a basement area downstairs. For those people who didn’t drive or who lived West it might have been tricky getting here but a definite step up from last year. The space was adequate and having the upper section galley allowed a sneak preview of the costumes before the fashion show. The bouncers were friendly and polite and the chap at the door was also very nice. No issues there, unlike a certain fete which shall remain unnamed. The price was right too for a launch – 10 squid at the door if you didn’t book in advance.

Ambience

I arrived at about 11 pm and there were lots of people milling around in the upstairs bar area and Paul and the rest of the team were busy preparing for the catwalk show that was to follow. The feeling of carnival permeated the air since you walked in because the individual costumes for each section (most of which are already booked) were on display and they were striking, hot, sexy and fabulous. Nuff rhinestones to rival Swarovski! Nuff braids and beadings that could rival ah Indian wedding. And plenty plenty plenty feathers. Ostrich feathers and plumes, duck feathers, goose feathers, peacock feathers- I sure I see yard fowl feathers and all decorated with some crystals! Feathers to suit every pocket!!! Upstairs, there were also ladies with nicely printed colourful registration forms who were enthusiastic and friendly about booking and registration. Service with a friendly Caribbean warm smile. A plus.

The theme was meant to be Mad Hatters and although I went with no hat, there were a few ladies and men with their millinery, decked out to the max, whilst others came with Carnival costume headpieces.

On the bottom floor, lots of people had not arrived yet, presumably waiting for the call to order. One subject of fascination were the flamboyantly dressed fabulous divos who were hatted out to the max some decked out in tights short shorts and already wining and grinding. I loved it!!! A friend I met at the party was not as amused and was not loving it but hey ho, to each his own!! We all inclusive!!!

The Costumes

One sentence. Costumes hot too rass!!!

I will only comment here on the options that were "modeled" as I want to leave the frontline for another post later on in the week- too much fabulosity for one post!

The presentation itself was done catwalk style. I would have probably preferred a running commentary of the costumes themselves and what exactly was Option A/Option B but this information could very easily be retrieved from the website.

The name of the presentation is Traditions and it is described as a modern portrayal of traditional elements of mas. I think the theme is very apt seeing as Traditional Mas is almost dead in the Caribbean. Making bikini mas into traditional Mas is ironic, as well as poignant and as such, I felt the presentation was a heady mix of McFarlanesque drama and storytelling with modern highlights.

Blue Devil

Blue Devil is the modern incarnation of Jab Jab and Jab Molassie. Blue Devils are traditionally covered in blue paint on Jourvert Morning and renders traditional jab jab more accessible and more contemporary so it was particularly apt that this was the first section.

The female frontline costume featured silver horned headgear complimented by a plethora of striking sea blue plumes that were crystal encrusted. The bra was very heavily decorated with a combination of large and small blue crystals but it was the belt that popped out at me. Very large gemstones!!! The footpieces were gladiator shield style and the costume also featured two large swathes of blue fabric for the real mas divas. The blue evoked the colour of blue used for blue devil mas so it was accurate, but were I on the design team I would have probably gone for a deeper shade of blue to give it a sense of horror and maybe some black crystals with the silver to enter into that realm of terror. It is a very very pretty costume to be a devil!!

I liked it very much (and the lady who portrayed this did it justice) but this costume was not my favourite only because of the large winged swathes of fabric. This could be cumbersome on the road and I am a backline babe. To be honest, they could just not to be worn because quite frankly the rest of the costume is fierce enough on its own.

The male version of the costume was equally as striking with actual wings, satin shorts that complemented the costume (not shorts that could be found in a sports shop), a cape, and a horned headpiece that featured more “manly” feathers.

Soucouyant

The soucouyant is the traditional bloodsucking woman. She should be sexy and bold, with an element of evil. Bachanalmas chose a combination of sunset orange and burnt yellow to represent the soucoyant- and the blend of colours was perfect in my opinion. Option A featured a humongous headpiece with dramatic red and orange plumes, Option B was slightly smaller but equally as magnificent.

What was ingenious here was the use of traditional Caribbean tie-dye fabric along with the beading and studding to create a costume that was majestic and still simple. Not overdecorated- the fabric did the talking. Tie dye fabric was set on a red base and decorated with red crystals over the bra. Fabric was interspersed with beading to create a belt that was light and fluid. Option A also featured a cape in the gorgeous tie-dye. I loved this costume- brilliant use of colours and textiles.

Arawaks

Arawaks were the original inhabitants of the Caribbean islands. They are the indigenous tribe, and I expected the costume portraying Awaraks to be elegant yet still earthy. I was not disappointed.

The colour palette was not bright and so was inkeeping with the tones of nativeness. The female belt featured a skirt made of a mixture of caramel brown and black feathers with muted crystals in the waist band area in speckled owl-brown and orange. The bright gold of the bra is sexily hidden with matching feathers and the braiding on the arm bands (bedecked with feathers) remind me of cowrie shells. The headpiece (in cream/brown/yellow) was the standout feature of this costume. The bright yellow fanned out sun-like from its base and as such the neutral palette of the rest of the costume complemented it brilliantly.

I liked this costume because it was not typical bling bling show girl although I felt that something should have enlivened it! Shells, indigenous fabric maybe? The frontline asymmetric option (one embellished and one feathered) was also a brilliant touch. In terms of creativity A plus.

Jab Molassie

This was one of the favourite costumes of the night. I could hear the oohs and aahs of the divos behind me and my friend thought that this was THE section. The richness of the colour, the balance of the accessorial pieces and the innovation with the feathering were fantastic. I would not have associated bright orange with Jab Molassie but hey ho as I always say... is Mas!

The female bra was elegantly and gently beaded, with just a touch of braiding and a few touches of crystals. The belt was pure rhinestones but the sheer beauty of the section lay in the theatrical, almost daisy-beautiful feathers of the headpieces and armbands. Because feathers are the most indigenous accessory, I felt that they were a perfect complement. The female headpiece was chieftainesque in style and the combination of plumes and boa fab gave the costume the edge to catapult it to the forefront of sexy with an S.

I found the male costume had a lot of pieces- there were orange shorts, a belt, a waistcoat and a heavy headpiece. I didn’t feel that the pieces went together as well as the female section but in terms of quantity of items it was value for money.

Midnight Robbers

This was my personal favourite section. A black costume needs to be executed with precision. It needs to sparkle without being over the top. It can’t be too dull. Midnight Robbers are one of the most feared creatures in old mas. It is meant to represent death as the ultimate king of the masquerade of life- Peter Minshall did it with perfection in the 80's.

Option A was the winner of the night. Jet black mega plumes accented with a silver crown that fanned around the head. A fully crystal encrusted black bra with a few strategically placed red green and blue and purple rhinestones that all combined together and complemented the sheen of the black. The belt was not sensational but it shimmered in all the right places- but the true beauty was the plumes that extended from feet to waist, mimicking sudden flight- the real midnight robber! This, I felt was innovative and contemporary and added lots of hi-drama. Option B though sexy, looked positively ordinary beside it.

The male costume also made a solid impact. Instead of a feathered headpiece, it featured a hat in sombrero style which was veiled- giving the impact of a silent attack. This is the traditional hat of the Midnight Robber. The braces and the wings were the only accoutrements that were needed- they were executed with finesse. Males- A plus!

Pierrot Grenade

This was not a favourite of the group I was with, but I am an eccentric soI loved the concept of this costume and the way it was given lots of thought! I loved the reference to authenticity with the use of the mask (reference to literature and the arts of the Pierrot- loved it) but with a modern touch (not on the face, but mounted on the headpiece) and the use of ribbons on the hands and belt instead of feathers to add drama and a sense of pretty.

I loved the tricolore colour palette of pastel blue and pink set on white. Very this season. The beading was also not over the top- which to me said a lot about the attention to detail. It is very easy to over embellish. The most thoughtful costume of the night- the bras were perfect but I would have added a bit more ribbons to the belt to get more of a feel of Pierrot.


Fancy Indian

This finished off the sections with a big bang!! A crazy colour combination of fluorescent green and mauve/purple that would not seem to have worked on paper (although it looked okay in the sketches) exploded in person with magnificent result. Although the design of belt was simple, the fluorescent fringing throughout with just a touch a sparkle and a mammoth priestess style headpiece was just overpowering, resulting in a truly splendid costume. This was complemented by blue symbolic designs. The male costume was just as good- the headpiece was a chieftain style and there was lots of regalia- a fully decorated belt, footpieces, handpieces and a cape which all looked manly and not too “pretty” as some of the men fear.

Conclusion

I left the band launch sated. I was thrilled with the choices. It would have been nice to see the costume I intended to play with before the launch (Fancy Sailor)- ah wonder what happen? That costume was at the pre launch if I am not mistaken! Also it would have been great to see some of the kiddies' sections (Imp and Baby Doll).The prices were just right- male costumes ranged from 110-135 and female from 125-160. I asked how registration was going and most of the frontline costumes were sold out, with only 3 or 4 costumes remaining in some sections, so all yuh better book early else yuh will get left! I consider these costumes an absolute bargain at the prices they are offered as they are definitely Trinidad quality and the designs are sexy sexy sexy hot hot hot!!!

Next week we liming at Burrokeets!

We hotting up in Huddersfield

Ok so ah talk about Notting Hill, ah even go as far as Rotterdam quite in Holland, and Reading, so the Carnival addicts, I thought I should give you some info on the next Carnival that the Griot will be hitting up this year (and one, based on the polls where I should see some of all you too!).

These rounds it's about Huddersfield Carnival.  For those of you who are not UK born and bred, Huddersfield is in West Yorkshire, Kirklees region. Well I always knew Huddersfield had Carnival- it's been going for 26 years and I know that there is a large population of feting Trinis and Grenadians up there, I always knew there was a little carnival session but I didn't think it was Carnival with a capital C. I was mistaken. This Carnival is the full works y'all- a parade, a queen show (who have good foot take in front!) and jourvert. I have never personally been but I have been assured that it is a bess lime.

My contacts tell me that this Carnival evolved from the annual Mayor's Parade to what it is today- a virtual riot of colour, steelpan and mas! There is also usually a Pre Royale event but people I have spoken to don't seem to know if that's happening.

This year it will be held on Friday 9 and Saturday 10 July and de ting sounds promising as jourvert will be held at midnight on Friday 9 and is fete fete fete till morning. Somebody say mud and ole oil!!! This to me evokes the traditional spirit of mas, jourvert- breaking of the day- and to make matters even better the mud packages are only £10 each. Recession friendly.

Over 30,000 are expected to attend Huddersfield Carnival this year. Okay me included so say 30,001.

If you are from London and thinking of going, there is no direct rail to Huddersfield, so those of you who will find the driving arduous, book a place on the coach with Credable before yuh get leff!!!

Disgruntled

Well ah had to log in today to say ah well vex!

I am sure all yuh hear how the Notting Hill Board was dissolved and resurrected because of bad organisation and planning an all de works. Well personally it look like de mas bands an ting are not in a much better state. Ah mean, Carnival coming, no surprise, is not like if yuh have to guess de date, and NO information from some major mas bands as to the launch. I had promised to post some pics of a band launch today but as of tonight- the info has not been forthcoming. Ah kinda vex cause I was promised this very faithfully. The way it looking I can't go nowhere and depend on nobody nah :(

I will be down at the next few but oh gorm, man doh have to put deyself out ah de way to play mas! We are the customers, you should be glad to give us information. I wanted to put out a lil agenda an ting and some MAJOR bands saying they will check back wid me when they launching. Jeezum Bread.

Good news is that I will defo be at Bachanal Mas launch and will be hitting you live and direct with pics asap and also expect a review of Busspepper's fete on Saturday :) Me mouth REAL bad so if that dj play the same tunes again in de same order I will find out he name and DEAL with him.

This week lots more information on kaiso and pan while we wait for some of the bandits bands to get their act together.

Poison on the Road to Rotterdam

Just received from Poison UK, its real ramajay in Rotterdam!


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Picture a Caribbean styled carnival with over 700,000 spectators, 40 mas bands (Including ours) all with live and DJ music on the floats, loads of pre-carnival activities, several live stage TV coverage, lots of food and thrown in the free spirited liberal Dutch folks, then you’ve got Rotterdam Carnival!

Date: 30 July - 1 Aug, 2010
Venue: Rotterdam Carnival
Address: Rotterdam, Holland
Package Prices: From £285.00
Easy Payment Plan of £25 per month and you're good to go!

This event will seriously wake you up to the fact that there are so many other people in the world who celebrate life in true Caribbean Carnival style – Our gift to the world.
Last year’s excursion was over subscribed and we expect the same again this year. We have officially stopped calling Rotterdam Carnival a warm up to Notting Hill as it has the same energy albeit with Dutch sweat, wining and drinking.

Our weekender will mean that you only need to take the Friday off but you will come back feeling as if you went for a month. The party starts from the time you get on the luxury coach till the time you get off in London on Sunday night. By the way, walk with your vitamins cause its non-stop partying from the time you get on the luxury coach till the time you get off on Sunday. Once we arrive at the 4* Hilton Rotterdam on Friday afternoon you will be in the heart of the city centre with shopping, the parade route, clubs, outdoor parties, and even the main judging point right on our door step.
As part of the neXt Level PoisonUK package we will be taking you to a party hosted by our Dutch sister group Trini Connection in Amsterdam on Friday night. Both Dutch and UK DJs will be blazing the Soca and Reggae on tap in a really swanky venue. Transportation to and from this party will be provided. Saturday in the parade day and after awaking to a full English breakfast we will be joining the Trini Conncetion/PoisonUK float at the start of the parade route just after noon for all the fun and action.

The silver package (listed below) includes a t-shirt, lunch, snacks and drinks option to take part in the band. Saturday night is open for you to explore the several clubs, parties, coffee shops, and live stages of events happening around Rotterdam city centre. After breakfast on Sunday we will be taken to the Kwakoe festival in Amsterdam. This is a Caribbean, Latin, African festival with food, music and activities. We then leave directly from Kwakoe to head to the ferry port and then back to wonderful London.
We have three packages all designed to ensure that you have the time of your life:

Bronze Package ( £285 ) will include:

- Luxury coach with DVD, toilet, reclining seats, air conditioning and refreshments. There will be pick up points in Shepherds Bush, Embankment and Lewisham.

- Return ferry-crossing Dover to Calais. Friday Early AM Pick up and Sunday Late PM drop off.

- 2 nights bed and breakfast accommodation in the 4* Hilton Rotterdam hotel. Note: All accommodations are based upon in twin/double ensuite rooms.

- Travel Tax and service charges

- Free entry and transport to the Carnival Friday Night Party in Rotterdam

- A Trip to the Kwakoe Festival

The Silver Package ( £315 ) will include:

- All items in the Bronze package.

- The exclusive opportunity to follow the PoisonUK float in one of our lovely supplied t-shirts.

- Lunch, Snacks and a well stocked bar for the duration of the parade route.

The Gold Package ( £385 )will include:

- All items in the Silver package.

- A lovely full and fancy costume for you to look the part and feel good. The will be unveiled at our UK Season launch.

- You will then be able to use the same costume and take part with neXt Level PoisonUK in Notting Hill Carnival’s all inclusive section.


The Single Room Supplement ( £120) in addition to any of the three above mentioned packages.

What do you need to do now? You can reserve your space by booking online at www.poisonuk.com or by contacting us on 020 7913 5859, or you can also email us at rotterdam@poisonuk.com.

Please note that Visas are required for some non-EU nationals to travel to Rotterdam. We recommend that you make an appointment at least 8 weeks prior to travel and that you request a Schengen Visa as our entry point will be Calais France. You are fully responsible for obtaining your own Visa. However, we can assist in providing the necessary travel verification documents to anyone who has booked to travel with us.

As Always, if you have a PUK card then you will be entitled to a 10% discount!

Reading 2010

Ah primer! Like a boss fete before jourvert, like some fishcake before you gorge on the Oildown, Reading Carnival is the official warm up before the real mayhem of Notting Hill Carnival.

In the heart of the Thames Valley, every last May Bank Holiday (this year May 31) Reading comes alive with steel, mas, pan and kaiso. Whereas Notting Hill has a cosmopolitan flavour, Reading is rootsy- local UK artists like SW Storm, Scrappy and Chardonai regularly *mash up* needing no imported accompaniments. Last year's Carnival featured a blazing hot sun and riotous creative costumes that made you feel that you were celebrating somewhere else island-style. The Carnival is community minded in nature which makes it very kid-friendly- an ideal family outing. The Carnival weaves its way through the streets of West Reading and ends at Prospect Park. We have been advised that this year that there will be no sound system playing in the park because of its proximity to a residential homes (wha de ass is that, give dem people music to waylay nuh?).

(Pic from BBC Berkshire. All their rights are reserved).
Anyway this is a great alternative to an expensive citybreak and with at least two Carnival bands from London already making the trip- you have no excuse!

Review, First Band Launch of the Year! Dragons: Underworld Uprising

Dragons Mas Band is a relatively new band (edited to say it is not a new band, it has been going for a few years), it is now associated with Release D Riddim, the award winning central London soca fete. I would describe Release D Riddim/ Dragons as what it really means to be all inclusive. Not in terms of amenities that it offers but in that its patrons and bosses truly represent the spirit of carnival- all the islands (and even a few non islands) are represented. At the launch I heard Grenada’s party hit “Accident” played alongside Palance, and bouyon and zouk interspersed with the staple hits of Machel.

Dragons was the first mas band (to my knowledge) to do a full launch this year (Bachanalmas had a prelaunch last year) and they surely kicked off the Carnival season in a big way.

Venue

The venue of the launch was Inn on the Green in Ladbroke Grove. This pub is located upstairs a large building on the Green near Cambridge Gardens and if you didn’t know where it was you would ketch you ass a little bit. This was not helped by the fact that the Hammersmith and City Line was down and so, because I came via P11 (on foot), it was a bit of a trek. That said, when I arrived, music was pumping, food was on sale and the patrons were arriving in steady numbers. There was a good, mellow Caribbean vibe and the music was on point.

Costumes

At about 9 pm, the show started to the delight of the almost 100 patrons, and we were treated first of all to the Dragons presentation for Reading and Huddersfield presentation Palancing Gladiators.

As this costume only cost 35 pounds (including drinks) I was not expecting much especially as a lot of bands go to the regional carnival with Tshirt mas, which in my opinion kills mas-making culture and the spirit of wire bending. The costume (see above) is a standard black bra and belt combo, and I think the Grecian style headband and the Serica inspired cape to the side adds a bit of flair. I would definitely play in this for Reading Carnival, after I added a bit more sequins and braid to the bra. It would work with a pair of knee high gold gladiator sandals and some braid on the arms. Good try! A recession buster- value for money.

The launch then really started in earnest and Underground Uprising began with....

Renegades!

This was one of my favourite costumes of the evening. Renegades are naturally deserters, persons who abandon a cause, the epitome of rebellion, and so black is the natural background on which to hoist this portrayal. I love the movement away from the standard "panty and bra" here to something reminiscent of a warrior like vest, the silver and cape representing armoury and the asymmetrical neckpiece gave it just that bit of added edge. The costume reminded me of Black Spider (in a good way) and the leotard version of this costume actually accented the design.

This was followed by the all male section - Poseidon Enforcer. Poseidon in Greek mythology was the God of the Sea so this costume was (understandably) blue.  I did admire the effort to give the males a real costume (the belt) but I think that some more needs to be added to actually give it the WOW factor. I am also not sure that the males would be wearing the masks all day- they would want to see what bumper they shadowing!

 

Then came the Sirens. The seductresses, bird women by nature.  First of all, I have to say that I found that Dragons catered to women of all shapes and sizes and the models were very much "real women". Kudos for that. As to interpretation, I think the cape and the headpiece certainly gave the impression of birdlike flight but I am not sure that I totally loved the colour palette and the shiny material on this costume. It is extremely blingtastic and I know that some people would love it but I find the costume just a little bit busy. The model sure rocked it though!

The section that followed was Erato, the Greek Muse which means lovely or desired.

I thought that the colour combination of cerulean and silver complemented each other very well but there was something about this costume which wassimple and standard, The headpiece looked sturdy  and because I am sick of feathers, I appreciated this good old craft- back to basics. However, maybe this one could have  beefed up with a few armbands and some more detail on the bra. All in all, basic and cute.

Next was Hestia, Virgin Goddess of the Hearth (Home). I would have thought that a natural colour palette for virginal was white but hey ho, this is Mas! They chose purple and blue and executed it marvellously. My third favourite costume. Again, someone thought of the fuller sized women and they did not let the side down, the second model owned this costume.

For all the divas who love big dramatic feathery headpieces, this one if for you. The passion purple, baby pink and aqua certainly stood out in a big way.

Then came my favourite costume. I am a sucker for a blue costume but that's not why I liked this one. It was not overdone, it was sexy, it was pretty, just enough applique and diamantes to make it sparkle without it being gaudy. This was Demeter- goddess of the harvest. Again here, I thought an plantation green would have worked better but the blue here was rich and I felt that the accents were just enough- not overdone.

The children's section brought up the rear but it was certainly not "last but least". The costume itself  was pretty without being too revealing (I am not a fan of revealing kids' wear) and boasted one of the better designs in my opinion. The multicoloured gemstones set against the irridescent palette was a winner. The headpiece looked dramatic enough and I am a fan of the shorts and vest combo for kids.
(Hmmm wondering if they go to a large?)

I have tried above not to judge the costumes above by TNT standards as the designers are not working within the same price range. I left the launch feeling satisfied with what could be achieved right here in the UK. The costumes are varied enough to have something for everyone.

The costumes cost 110, which I think is on the higher end of the scale but there is also an option to pay in instalments. Overall, I would give Dragons a sound B. There are a couple of really great costumes but probably more just good costumes.I do think Lauren Alexander and her team have done a great job and maybe some more embellishments on a few of the plainer costumes will be added closer to THE DAY. However, based on the enthusiasm of the patrons, the band should have a real "bachanal" atmosphere which I think would catapult it to an A on the band charts.

Notting Hill Carnival In the Air! The Intro

For the newbies, this is a sticky on what to expect for the largest street festival in the world (apart from Rio!)

How it Began


The Notting Hill Carnival has been held every bank holiday since 1966 and has evolved to become the biggest street festival in Europe, and the biggest Carnival outside of  Rio (in terms of spectators). Notting Hill Carnival was born of two separate but connected roots. Claudia Jones (to whom the Carnival Village in Notting Hill was dedicated) began in January 1959 and was celebrated in St Pancras Town Hall as a way for black people to celebrate in face of the Notting Hill Race Riots the previous year. Ms Jones was a Trinidadian campaigner who began her political life in the United States- she was a noted human rights campaigner and was deported from the United States- she was granted asylum in the UK (thank God) and after she witnessed the public outcru over the death of Kelso Cochrane, she began focusing on ways to celebrate our culture and the first indoor Carnival was a huge success. At around the same time, Rhaune Laslett began an outdoor festival known as the London Free School Festival to promote cultural unity. She featured a steel band and so the very first Carnival as we know it today was an attempt to showcase the steel band musicians who played in the Earls Court of London every Weekend. When the bands paraded through the streets of Notting Hill, they drew black residents out on to the streets, reminding them of the Caribbean homes they had left behind.
This year's Carnival will be held on the 29 and 30 of August 2010.

De Carnival De Bacchanal

Although most people see the pretty mas side of Carnival, the NHC is traditionally made up of four components- Mas, Steel, Kaiso and Static Sound.


Kaiso Kaiso? Yes Kaiso

(Pic courtesy socanews.com)


The Kaiso aspect of Notting Hill (which would not be neglected in this blog) is run by the Association of British Calypsonians. The Tent is now based at Carnival Village, Notting Hill in a venue that is also known as The Tabernacle. I call it The Tabby ;). It is a divine venue with a ground floor bar and basement and superior sound and stage. For five weeks, every Friday night, the Calypsonians perform a song from their repertoire (usually one social commentary and one groovy tune). There are about 18 calypsonians from all the different islands who sing on a regular basis. In 2009 the tunes ranged from "Passport Love" to "Jail Dem" and "Kelso Cochrane". The Tent also usually features the TNT Junior Calypso Monarch from that year and a featured artist. It is a great lime- there is usually roti and pholouri on sale and rum to make this into a "bess lime". It all culminates with the Groovy Monarch Competition and the Kaiso Monarch Competition. Last year Akima Paul picked up the Calypso Monarch and last year's Monarch Brown Sugar took home the Groovy Title.

Steel- Oil and Music!

(Pic courtesy globalvoicesonline.com)
Nothing can reflect Carnival better than the sound of Steel and oh yes we will be also focusing on the sweet sweet sounds of pan music . Panorama takes place on the Saturday night (this year on the 27th) and these bands in the UK can rival any Trini band for their money. Mangrove, Ebony and Metronomes are some of the big ones but there are lots of other contenders including bands from Croydon. Lots of local composers like Leroy Clarke and Kyran Akal are noted for their stunning arrangements.

Static Sound

(Pic courtesy bbc.co.uk)
I must say that this to me is not the essence of Carnival- deejays but now all yuh young people eh? Anyway Static Sounds (aka djs) are usually strategically positioned around different liming spots on Carnival Day. If you are a spectator, this builds the ambiance as you are able to pick up a plate of curry goat or jerk chicken and rice and walk with your rum and witness the spectacle as they pass. Lots of static sounds play a wide variety of music so its not just soca- be prepared for lots of reggae, dub, some rnb and rap and lots of house music!
Mas in yuh Mas

(Pic courtesy IsisMas)
Carnival Sunday begins with Jourvert in Ladbroke Grove. It is certainly not the jourvert experience that we know at home as it is a very small minority of persons who actually come out at daybreak and they are usually concentrated in the Ladbroke Grove area. Powder, mud and paint plus oil (Grenadian massive!!!). Sunday is also Kids’ Day, but for adults it is also T Shirt Day. Most bands have a Tshirt section and on the Sunday after breakfast, the bands roll on the road with t-shirts and paint, t-shirts and mud, t-shirts and chocolate. The vibe kicks in from about 9 onwards and follows the parade route beginning on Great Western Road, winding its way along Chepstow Road, on to Westbourne Grove, and then Ladbroke Grove. The parade is certainly kid friendly until at about 6 pm- that's when most adults would have infiltrated the band and the atmosphere becomes like a fete. It's a great precursor to the main day.

On Carnival Monday most bands meet near Great Western Road at about 7 am. That's the day when over 1 million visitors come into London so spectators and participants need to get there early. The vibe starts of slowly but from midday it becomes jamish.

(Pic courtesy bbc.co.uk)

A big part of the vibe is the residents participation: they fill the streets and their balconies and hang flags out and its literally a kaleidoscope of colours- masqueraders in their finery palancing and locals dancing to the sounds of music. Lots of police man the parade so it is fairly safe. The parade suffered its fair share of violence/riots over the years but this should not be overstated as I have seen the parade go up until 10 pm at night :) without any major incidents and alcohol is drank in copious quantities  (no ban like TO and New York!) so once you don't make no confusion, given the circumstances I would say it is fairly safe. Most countries have their corners (Trinidad Corner, St Lucia Corner, Grenada Corner) so the bands would catch a stink when they reach those areas. The day begins to wind down at about 9 pm (it is usually still light then). Most people (like me!) continue partying at the many Notting Hill Carnival after parties.