I was one of those "lucky" people who was able to register on the first day they were open for registration in 2005 (same for 2006) and was amazed when I heard that the band was sold out come Monday; the mad rush to get into the band on the Thursday saw the collapse of the wall at the mas camp, registration was suspended and resumed on the Monday at which time all the costumes were allegedly gone. Now, everyone I knew had a theory at that time saying the band was not really "sold out", that they were still registering people on the down low. Truthfully, I know of one guy who did register himself, wife and other family members long after TRIBE claimed to be sold out, however he did it through one of the section designers and they had to take whatever section they got, so some were in South Sea Pearls while others were in Angel Fish.
So, it is quite interesting to see that even though they are sold out online, and several of the more popular sections are gone you can still register for a costume at TRIBE! And it is not as though their biggest competitor Island People is faring any better, they too still have sections available at their mas camp even though I am not too sure about the online availability of costumes.
What is the reason for these new developments? Are masqueraders no longer foaming at the mouth to get into one of these "hot bands, are prices too high or are people fed up of the controversy surrounding both bands? With Poison no longer a player on the Carnival scene I thought for sure that some of those displaced masqueraders would get absorbed into either TRIBE of Island People and both bands would have been sold out by now.
Well I have my theory on this phenomena:
- Most people were disenheartened to learn that TRIBE would be implementing a T.L.C. system, thinking that once past masqueraders registered the band would be sold out, thus several potential new TRIBE masqueraders registered or plan to register in another band.
- The cost of the down payment has directly affected many people I know. Several of them could not find the $900.00 to make the down payment on the costume in mid September, many of them were waiting on the month end to be able to afford it.
- Prices of the costumes has been a big deterrent to those who played mas in 2006, the ones who have gone and ahead and registered have rationalized the price increase individually saying it only raised by a couple hundred dollars or that when it comes to mas they will pay anything to play. But there are people, like my neighbour who played with TRIBE this year , who simply cannot afford the costume. She has told me, as a struggling UWI student whose parents gave her the costume as a gift last year, she simply cannot afford the prices for 2006, if she does play mas she is looking at one of the bands with cheaper costumes. And there are some who can afford the prices but refuse to support the apparent greed of these mas bands.
- There are much more options for masqueraders now. Last year Island People debuted long after TRIBE was sold out, and offered people something different as well as something else. TRIBE is no longer the only large band offering an ultimate all-inclusive experience, and Island People's costume design has been their biggest draw thus far. Even with no Poison, Pulse 8 is promising to offer exactly what TRIBE is offering in terms of all-inclusive experience and with cheaper costumes so there is no rush for people who are still undecided, they can expect to register with Pulse 8 and still get a costume next month if they choose.
- Disorganization within Island People as well as the new regulations for overseas masqueraders has made it somewhat difficult to sell out the entire band as yet. Those potential overseas masqueraders who are not disgusted over the whole registration process simply cannot find a way to register. If overseas masqueraders could beat the system and register through a friend or family member who lives in Trinidad I think more costumes would be sold out already. Also, I personally do not believe many costumes were allocated for overseas masqueraders, rumor has it only the first 200 who registered online would be able to get a space in the band.
- Customers want more out of costume design. I personally believe Island People has set the bar when it comes to costume design and people are unwilling to revert to costumes that have the "Poison" look or are not over the top gorgeous. The hottest sections in TRIBE are gone first, while the ones that most people agree are not as appealing are still available. Even with Island People whose costume designs are great this year, the best sections are sold out while people are left to pick a favourite among what remains. My friends who are playing with Island People liked very few costumes at Pulse 8, saying that the costume looked like what they played in with Poison this year and the only costumes they liked in TRIBE are gone.
34 comments:
i'm with you on your theory saucy...what a difference a year makes!!
good morning everybody
you know saucy i have been more or less coming to teh same conclusion. as for costume
prices too high, my cousin says he has still registered w/Tribe but thinks that he will most likely be selling his costume.
however i am hoping that he might catch the carnival fever later on, we'll see. i sure hope he does play cause he is my liming partner. if he doesn't i have other friends scattered throughout the band that are playing.
as for Island People, i do think that some of their costumes are appealing, they are very pretty. but unless you want to possibly set yuhself up for a downfall come carnival mon and tue 2k7 given what ip has been demonstrating so far-- - - -yuh know nah
i am an old harts player and i still love their costumes & they are definitely cheaper, but yuh done know the liming band is with tribe and i got spoilt with the all inclusive.
so i am looking forward to see what unfolds for carnival 2k8. only time will tell.
I definitely believe price is a BIG issue. Not only for the registration (it's quite hard toi come up with $900 in the middle of the month, and worse yet if you are measuring multiple people) but also for the costumes.
I mean the costume prices are going up and up, but the costumes are getting less and less.
And yes, we are paying for an all-inclusive experience, but how many of us are going to drink and eat almost $2000 worth in 2 days? (that's assuming that costumes even cost as much as $1000)
I think we as a citizenry need to decide anough is enough, and when the prices reach a certain value, we say "NO"...that's too much.
If a lot of us do that, eventually mas bands are going to drop their prices.
But you know us Trinis...we so like a mas!!!
Thanks for the rationales, i think have some more to add tell me what u think.
1)Poison people are not accustumed to paying down for there custume in september and they are also not untop of the carnival pay down fast bachannal. So come december when they start to look for there custumes, they will end up with pulse eight.
2)People actually think that tribe's custumes are ugly on an overal and hence the reason why tribe is not sold out. The still have the beads and feathers brain wash we spoke about earlier and regardless if island people have raised the bar, they raised the bar but still using the beads and feathers look..lol.
SO people want ceative but if yuh get too too creative they fyne it ugly. If yuh look at the sections that are sold out, they are the sections that are not too much different from the norm.
3)The romours surronding tribe's "stushness" will also affect new masquarders's coming from pioson.
3)People who are actually untop the bachannal resorted to waiting after , because they don't wish to stand up for hours waiting to get into the section of their choice.
Girl and I belive the price thing is the main factor. My mum yesterday stumbled over my Tribe down payment card and she told me that I could have bought a new gate at home with that money rather than playing mas. Needless to say that ended up in a big bachannal.
I think usually there's just one band a year that causes hype. Everyone hyperventillates when they see it and THAT'S the hot band to get into. Also, band loyalty would normally dictate that your band is launching on a particular date so you save your money to register then etc. I too thought with the mash up of Poison the bands would have sold out faster but I think the TLC really threw people off - it did for me and my crew. Then you had people who were waiting to see what Island People were coming up with and then with the bacchanal to register and all the dramas involved with the band people just lose some of the excitement. I think things will calm down a bit and then build back up. But some ah them section in Tribe what eh sell out eh cutting it eh. Usually they ugly section does still be pretty hot. This year, eh eh! It hard to pay thatg kind of money for a costume that really not cute anyhow you spin it.
I think people (Like me) were first drawn to Tribe when they heard the reviews about the "ultimate carnival experience" because even though Island people offers the same, (ive heard) Tribe is above the bar.. One of the reasons for my switch into tribe.. but I was not thrilled with ANY of the costumes.. IP costumes are hot! but there was too much drama in the camp last year.. and the current drama is even more distaseful! but I rather have a wack costume in tribe than not have a costume in IP! so maybe some people decided to not play at all! and for $500 US we probably could band together and make our own costumes!
and.. to add to my last comment.. I don't drink alcohol! and I am surely not gonna eat anything significantly.. so next year will it be worth paying $700.. if its $500 this year next year it will def. increase!
What allyuh think about midnight robber both male and female costume?
Saucy I think you are on point with all your observations.
they aren't sold out bc ppl are going w IP.
well then IP should sell out soon?
I like Midnight Robber Male, the femle is ok, but I am not feeling the hat/headpiece.
I think price is a major factor, friends of mine in T&T were considering not playin mass this year because they simply could not afford it. In the end they decided to bite the bullet but they won't be playing in 2008.
Someone mentioned "stushness" and I agree that that can be a deterant as well for new masqueradors. We all want to jump in a band we feel comfortable in and we know the vibe gine be good. I have personnaly never had a problem wid the vibe in TRIBE and I plan to wukup stink and get on bad on Carnival Monday & Tuesday.....real wukups gine share
Lisa (ny), Although I am a hearty drinker myself during carnival, I can understand why the all inclusive package might not appeal to non-drinkers. Keep in mind though that when you're out all day in the hot sun you gotta keep hydrated and with Tribe they have free water, juice and non-alcoholic beverages as well. As for the food... well, I'm not with you there cause I work up a huge appetite like you cannot believe! I ate plenty and enjoyed ALL the foods! I even had some extra snacks at the end on Tuesday when they were giving away all the extras! I got my money's worth, ha ha..
but karabana IP aint sold out either..
i really dont know why the bands arent sold out yet...maybe the hype has worn off..so there isnt a rush to get into either band(ip and tribe)
But I think a significant enough amount of Tribe's people went over to IP and the money thing is a turn off too. Whoever commented that Posion people not accustomed to paying for their costumes in September has a valid point. My friend who's playing mas for the first time nect year didn't know about that.
Well my friends and I are one of those who can more than afford to help make Tribe and IP band leaders richer than they already are. However, we refuse to support an encourage them in their greed and we also refuse to be exploited for carnival 2k7. More power to all the IP and Tribe groupies that are willing to accept and support their crap every year.
It's is very sad to see what some of you have turn carnival in Trinidad into. Carnival is a huge class action law-suit just waiting to happen. The sponsors that are also involve are also at risk to have their brand name affected by the negative publicity.
Marcus - ah go be looking fuh yuh. Why de hell dis man doh go and get some cough medicine boy!??! Steups...
There are numerous people who can afford to play mas! thats not the issue.. It's the princi[ple behind it all!
and for me personally i was so turned off from ip and deh shite..i dont even feel like going anymore trini anymore
if i do plan to play mas ill wait till carnival saturday to find something
anoy - good for you - to each their own! But I guess you wouldn't consider HARTS to have groupies!!!
midnight robber compared to the others that are left is not bad at all. The women's headpiece spoils it for me, but the costume over all is cool. And the male costume is...well its a male costume.
as for why TRIBE isn't sold out. A lot of people just not feelin the costumes and its worse now because all the good ones are gone. And some of what is left is very expensive (imp, majorette).
On a general level, both IP and TRIBE have issues, so masqueraders stuck between a rock and a hard place, which is an unfortunate situation. Because at the end of the day we all want a great mas experience. I still think both bands will sell out. Just its happening more slowly than most expected.
Last year that 2-day sell out thing was a masquerader over reaction, and i did not think it would happen again. Not when I saw the costumes. But they will sell out...i'm sure of that.
If they don't, i still expect excellent service
The midnight robber male custume is seksi, however the female is not making the grade at all. The hat and that fat belt.. geez.!! ( Ps: the skimpier the better for me). Plus I find the navy blue custumes so drab!!.
I am getting a feeling that TRIBE will never sell out..lol. I certainly will not pay over 3000 to play in IMP,Marjorette or midnight robber. Ip will be sold out very soon.
Marc we could tell u BAJAN boi..yuh sell out yuh self with the wuk up and the gine..lol.
I like to see bajan men wuk up, wah section u playing in boi?
as long as i have on a costume and i could jump, wine and get on bad that's all i care about!
when carnival monday come, i don't think that too many of us would harp on the bad starts that the mas camps were off to, well at least not until later on in the year when it's time to look at the next year's costumes....
as long as i have on a costume and i could jump, wine and get on bad that's all i care about!
when carnival monday come, i don't think that too many of us would harp on the bad starts that the mas camps were off to, well at least not until later on in the year when it's time to look at the next year's costumes....
I could see where people lost the excitement and decide to skip or are now still waiting to see what play out and can't make up dey mind. Early on I was excited to the point where i could not sleep, TRIBE TLC was the first thing to poke a hole in meh heart. By the time i turn roun and tell the rest of the crew we might not get into TRIBE, and that we may have to settle for IP and the drama we got last time, half of dem lost interest. It was on poor me alone to keep the fires burning, tried to keep updated with what was going on (thanks saucy blog),stress about getting into TRIBE with no TLC, calling contacts to make sure I could get in so I did not have to fight up with non-TLC members for the remaining ugly sections. It was just real stress and I wish I could have gotten paid for the work and worries i had to get 10 people in the same section in something everybody kinda liked. Even if money was not a factor I could see where people in dealing with the bachannal and the rumors which for the most part always turned out true just lost complete interest. ONly die-hards like myself and the folks on this blog would do what it takes. By the way Marcus,,u did not happen to play IP last time did u,,this guy we met was Bajan named Mark,,tall, dreds? just wondering...
Well the Poison comment applies to me since in poison I neva had to rush for a section...I actually had months to decide. The registration fees for these bands also went up and that hit me like a ton a bricks. No way in hell am I payin any band in full before I get my costume. Theres to many glitches when it comes to mass produced costumes. Anyone remember dem people who get the cheap looking wings on tuesday. And to bat 800 fuh de costume! nah suh.
I also heard of the tribe rumor in reference to the stushness and tun-up-nose-ness. But former masqueraders assured me that it wasnt true and that I would hav a good time with dem.
As for Ip its like a damned if yuh do and damned if yuh dont situation. Yea its the hot band of de season but too much nonsense goin on. But people gonna still pay and put up jus to be in de "it" band for the season.
Hi Nicky, Kevian
I will be a JAB JAB in 2007, I was in Machupichu in 2005 and Sunken Treasure in 2006. Looking forward to another great Carnival Season next year.
marc...u wuz sunken treasure??? eh boy, me too!! I ent Jab Jab though...NO sah!! strictly DRAGON posse wid di hottie hottie...but hey, I allow u to tief a wine down ariapita...
Saucy, regarding all dis TRIBE bacchanal...last year this time, everybody wuz running to them because of all the excitement they created in 2005. Now this year the costumes not as exciting and not half as cuute as "what lies beneath"...and ppl realising that lots more bands out dere - wid just as much vibes and pretty costumes - so dey ent have to break deyselves 4-6 months before mas...and fuh me the more bands the merrier - everybody happy in POS come carnival...full time de TRIBE and IP get a run fuh dey money...maybe 2008 dey sort out di ting nah...
Anon 1:10pm Not sure if i agree with that comment "But people gonna still pay and put up jus to be in de "it" band for the season."
If IP is the "it" bad band this year why they not sold out yet?
Because all-inclusive mas is more than just a nice costume. It's the regestration & distribution process (the convenience or lack their of) the goodies bag, security, lunch & lunch stop, snacks, drinks, music, the mobile restroom, cool zones, etc.
To be the "it" bad for me is proving yourself in all these departments year after year.
anon 12:30 I actually find 2007 Tribe's costume better than 2006...:S There was only ONE costume I really liked for 2006..well two Angel Fish and Tale of Benguela while this year there were quite a few I like; Fireman,Fancy Sailor, Jamette, Dragon, Jab Jab and Warrior Spirit are at the top of my list.
The best year for costume design was 2005, they should hire me to be a costume critic for 2008 I go tell them what needs to be changed...sound advice!
Yes Diva! Count me in dat wuk too!
Marcus man I will take ah wuk up because i playing in JAB JAB.
Hi Anon; Kevian
Nuh probs...we gine be getting on scandalous pun de road....lol
The reason I play with Harts and not Tribes or IP is because
(a) they are the cheapest
(b) they have the least bachannal with the band leadership 'cause there is no franchising.
(c) I get a great jump on the road without stopping anywhere because of jam up of bands.
On the negative side - their costumes are recycled every year and still they are also putting up their prices every year as they see everyone else doing. I agree with everyone that says it's up to the band members to stop this nonsense. I am seriously considering not playing this year and moving to Starlift where I'm sure I will have just as good a time for 75% less money. These bandleader have to stop bleeding the masquerader dry. Do you realise for a couple with one income who want to play mas we are talking 'bout over TT$6000 or approx US$800 - $900 for 2 costume for 2 DAYS !!! That is totally ridiculous!!! I am definitely going to bit the bullet and not play in a pretty mas band 2K7. We have to stop this rubbish.
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