More Changes for Carnival 2009..........

Some familiar faces will be sporting a different T Shirt come band launching season for 2009 Carnival!Follow the trail of this Section Leader/Designer........................

August 2006


September 2006


2007


2008


2009


PHOTO SOURCE: www.triniscene.com

Elements "Freedom Package"

So this is the offering for Elements 2009:

Elements Freedom Package

In ELEMENTS carnival band, options are unlimited. For those who don’t want the burden of walking with cash, we have the Luxury All Inclusive Option where everything is included. For those who want to support the man on the street and purchase their own drinks, we have the Non All Inclusive Option with Meals Included. For those who want the Non All Inclusive Option but want the intimacy of being involved in a drinks cart with their close friends, we have the Cart Option. Of course the latter two options would be cheaper. Masqueraders will have the freedom to roam the band no matter what option they choose. In Elements, we are ALL AS ONE.

The Luxury All Inclusive Option:
Luxury premium bar with unlimited flow of Non-alcoholic and Alcoholic drinks
Lunch on both days
Breakfast snack on Tuesday
Shuttle service with DVD screens
Mobile Relax Stations with DVD screens
Mobile Restrooms
Photographers
Security
Costume

The Non All Inclusive Option (Food Inclusive)
Includes everything as in the Luxury All Inclusive Option except excess to the luxury premium bar

The Cart Option (Includes everything as in the Non All Inclusive Option)
This option is control by private section managers of Non Inclusive sections.

For more info, contact the Elements at elementscarnival@gmail.com

I am guessing it is a freedom of choice for those who want different elements when it comes to the provision of the all-inclusive amenities. The concept is interesting, albeit, I found the similar set up too restrictive in Poison so I will like to see how they manage to allow masqueraders the freedom to roam the band. Is it just me or does the motto "All as one" remind you of the three musketeers? Personally, I am yet to see one of "me" represented on their curiously "pale" committee!

SOURCE: Elements Facebook Page

Bacchanal Mas Sold Out Sections...

Two of Bacchanal Mas' four sections are sold out for their Notting Hill Carnival presentation "Paradise". The sections Temptation and Fools Paradise are SOLD OUT.

In addition, Bird of Paradise frontline costumes are gone too! The remaining sections are Heaven Scent and Bird of Paradise (back line). If sales continue along this trend, a new section may be launched in June. I was not aware that costumes for Notting Hill Carnival, three months away, went so fast!

The Sauce of Much Controversy!

"Don't ever feel compelled to supply ignorant people with an explanation!"

Thanks for your words Melanese!

Caribana Band Launchings Kicks Off...

The first band launch of the Caribana Carnival season, "The Magic of the Zodiac" presented by Calalloo, took place this weekend and launch photos can be seen on toronto-lime.com. From the photographs I cannot decipher which costumes represents which Zodiac sign,so I am patiently awaiting the website's update as there are 9 sections...but 12 Zodiac signs...hmmm.

Next up:
Saturday May 10th, 2008
TORONTO REVELLERS BAND LAUNCH
2008 Presentation: "ALKE'BULAN"

Whining Season??????

So, I was checking out some upcoming Carnivals in Florida, Orlando and Tampa to be exact, and stumbled upon a flyer for a fete in Tampa:

There are two issues I have with this flyer, the first one also extends itself to many advertisements, whether by flyer or website, for several of these international Carnivals that have popped up. Why do they use costumes from Trinidad Carnival, case in point with this flyer is the two Harts models? If you are advertising YOUR state or country's Carnival why not use photographs of costumed masqueraders from the previous year? That always annoys me a bit, when I see an advertisement for a Carnival and lo and behold there are costumes from Island People as in the Orlando Carnival website. Take a page from the website for Philly Carnival and showcase actual masqueraders so that people, like myself, who have never been can get a feel for what the festival is about.

Second issue I have is with the word WHINING, like that is so TOTALLY not the way the word is spelt in context to Carnival and fetes!! "To wine, if you don’t know, is to move your hips and waist in a “winding” motion, hence the name", that is a quote from Lisa Allen Agostini when I wrote all about wining in a post entitled "Show Meh How Yuh Does Wine", the article is a good read for those who are unclear of what WINING is.

The definition of "WHINING":
*long and high-pitched like a whine or plaintive crying
* fretful: habitually complaining; "a whining child"

Please, please, please somebody give these "foreigners" a copy of Cote Ci Cote La, the Trinidad Dictionary! It really irks me when the word WHINE is used to describe a Trini Wine..steups!

Crop Over Events Calender

Click on photo for larger view


Click on photo for larger view

Legacy for Borough Day

LEGACY FOR PT. FORTIN BOROUGH DAY - SATURDAY MAY 3rd 2008!!!

Did you to keep your Legacy 2008 costume? You can be a part of the excitement
for Borough Day with Legacy - all-inclusive free drinks, big 40' music trailer with
popular DJs and radio personalities, shuttle buses leaving Legacy Mas Camp at 10:30am.

If you don't have a Legacy costume, you can still be a part. Everyone must pre-register
at Legacy Mas Camp. Call 622-7466 for more information!

SOURCE: www.legacycarnival.com

D.C. Carnival 2008

Here are two more offerings for D.C. Carnival 2008 from bands Basement Knokers, who launched recently, and the brand new band making it's debut WeFete:

Basement Knokers - "Mas for All Seasons"









WeFete - "Global Warming"

Co2 - $160.00


Global Warming - $160.00


Going Green - $160.00


Mother Nature - $160.00


You can get more information on both bands by visiting the links!

Carnival 2009 Presentations - Updated

Amended to add the name of both TRIBE and Elements' 2009 presentations:

*TRIBE - Birds of a Feather
* Brian Mac Farlane — Africa
* Ronnie & Caro — Bakkanal
* Island People Mas — Heaven & Earth
* Trini Revellers — Sweet TnT...Tribute to T&T
* Genesis — Glitz & Glamour of Vegas
* Legacy — Shanghai Dream
* D’Krewe — Iere
* Masquerade — Let the Music Play
* We People International — Paradisio
*Pulse 8 - Hot, Hot, Hot!
*Element - Casino Royale

More Mas, More Choice?

According to information reaching me, masqueraders for 2009 will be afforded even more choice when it comes to selecting a Carnival Band. The first, of several, new bands Element, introduced themselves formally to the public on Tuesday night, promising to bring back the non inclusive and all inclusive options that were a hallmark of big band Poison. Also set to make a debut in 2009, according to news reaching me, is a new band falling under the banner of “Red Ants and Drunky Munky” two entitles also affiliated with TRIBE. Sources say that this band will be non-inclusive with the option for drink carts, a system that has been in place at Harts Mas Camp for over 10 years to much success.

My take on the rising prices of mas is that there has always been choice; choice to either pay what the popular bands are asking or to look for an alternative band to play with. Harts has basically offered the drinks or cart option for years, an ideology that their masqueraders have fully supported. Either you pay for drinks or buy them at your own discretion In addition to Harts there are numerous small bands like the Indian Band that adopted hubby on Carnival Tuesday, their concept being make your own costume and pay a fee for only food and drink all inclusive package. This year masqueraders also saw new bands We International, D Krewe and Evolution debut with relatively “cheap” costumes notwithstanding any birthing pains their masqueraders had to endure.

I am quite anxious for band launching season to begin, if only to see the costs of these new, non inclusive bands’ costumes and the effect that will have on pricing for the “luxury inclusive bands”. Something tells me that with more of these cheaper options available the exclusivity of the”luxury all inclusive” will be further exacerbated by price! One cannot now say that the costumes of ONE band are too expensive when no one is holding you hostage to play with them and there are several other options available for more affordable costumes, now can they? What makes the situation even more interesting is that where once the cheaper costumes came out of mas camps that may not necessarily drum up a hype of being the new, “hot” band to play with, based on the “whos who” of who is backing bands like Element they are poised to market themselves as an “IT” band and have people seriously considering jumping ship.

Offering the non all-inclusive option for mas bands will surely affect the pricing of costumes, and with every type of product and service rising in price in Trinidad, as well as globally, this may be a brilliant marketing scheme by band leaders to give consumers what they have been asking for; cheaper prices while placating the ones who are drawn to the idea that they will pay more for an ultimate experience! It remains to be seen, however, if price alone is what entices masqueraders to play with one band over the other in the ever more competitive business of mas which is driven more by hype, in my estimation, than rationale.

Carnival Nationz Band Launch

May 24th , Solarium @Polson Pier, check out the flyer for more details:

click for larger view

Carnival 2009 Update.. TRIBE and Island People!

Gosh, I ran into one of the "people in the know" about Island People at Element’s party and was told some of what “Heaven on Earth” will entail, but, the thing is the person could not remember any of the section names so this is to be taken with some reservation. I was told that the Heaven on Earth theme will delve into Earthly pleasures; some of the sections are named after food like chocolate, sexual desires and lust! Protoypes of costumes have already been made and I believe they are due for screening soon. From what I was told there will not be any Angels, like people have been speculating, as the theme has to do with heavenly things on Earth..right!

As for TRIBE I also met one of the designers at Element’s launch (so much for keeping the TRIBERs out) and got some information on costumes; prototypes of costumes are already done, as was screening and I keep hearing that the costumes are gorgeous!! I also heard possible section names and colour combinations but that will all be revealed in time… I will say there is definitely a green section next year as well as purple&white and that there will most likely be a Humming Bird and Scarlet Ibis Section !

5 Cent Airfare to Trinidad!

I got this email from Redtide (remember the sexy Mc Farlane masquerader who gave us his review post Carnival?)

Just wanted to give your fellow bloggers a heads up that I just bought a ticket from Ft. Ladudale FL to Port of Spain for 5 cent round trip on Sprit Airlines. With taxes it came up to $150ish to think it cost me $110 to fill up my SUV with gas .........this sale wont last long you know we Trini will tell everybody and they granny

Now you know I had to check out the airline and IT IS TRUE!!!! I priced a one week stay, leaving from NY (La Guardia) on Wednesday February18th and returning Wednesday February25th 2009 and it came up to $483.30US. Flights are to/from FLL, Orlando, NY, Washington, Detroit among other destinations. Check the link HERE.

Announcing New Service to Port of Spain, Trinidad
With Introductory Fares From 5¢ Each Way!

Spirit Airlines announces non-stop service between Fort Lauderdale and Port of Spain, Trinidad beginning June 12, 2008. To celebrate this exciting announcement, Spirit is offering fares as low as 5¢* each way! All fares are each way, based on a roundtrip purchase and taxes, fees & restrictions apply.

Advertised, date-specific fares must be booked on spiritair.com by 11:59 PM ET on April 23, 2008 for travel on the dates as specified by individual market and by market direction. All other fares must be booked on spiritair.com by April 25, 2008 for travel Tuesdays and Wednesdays between June 14, 2008 and October 31, 2008. Please see the terms and conditions for complete restrictions and details.

Get on this one fast people, because there is a deadline!!! I am so excited! Going to check out a fare to Orlando in August!!

And it was revealed.....

So, I made it to Element’s “Introduction Party” last evening and, as predicted it did turn out to be quite an interesting night indeed! First off, when I pulled up to 51 Degrees, a TRIBE billboard greeted me announcing their 2009 presentation:

Since I had heard about this billboard prior to arriving at 51, all I did was chuckle at the timing of this display’s appearance as only a few weeks ago the billboard was still announcing TRIBE’s Ignite Carnival Thursday fete from February of this year.

We had no problems entering the invitation only soirée, and upon seeing a member of Element’s committee dressed in the band’s official wear, the hubby remarked that the logo looked QUITE familiar; you be the judge:

The night started off late, as we were as well, since we were to arrive at 8 but the presentation did not come until two hours later. Meanwhile I was observing those who turned out to the event, including Howard Chin Lee, popular party promoters, and many a familiar face from TRIBE/Red Ants sporting Element wear!

Now, I have been hinting about this “parting of ways” between certain members of TRIBE since last week, and I did tell you that all will be revealed soon. Well, even though I had heard all the stories of who had been dismissed and who left/defected, it was still a surprise to learn that the band leader of Element is Douglas John, as though I had heard he was no longer with TRIBE , previously another name was given to me as Element's band leader by my ever industrious informants. For those of you who are not blessed with an elephant memory as me, Douglas was the designer responsible for TRIBE’s frontline costumes as well as production of their headpieces for 2008.

After I got over this surprise, the other team members were revealed, including ex Atlantis girl/TRIBE committee member Charlene Lum Wai , Jodi Herde ( both now Production Managers for Element) as well as section leaders Giselle Berkeley, Corrine Camacho, Natasha Ali, Candace Imam, Cindy Javier (all girls section) Eyes Wide Shut , Red Hoes, Jodi Littlepage and Jamboree among others. The makeup of this committee is supposed to exemplify the band’s motto of “All as One” I suppose. Truth be told, the composition leans itself over to the side of Harts albeit I am thinking that segment of the Carnival population is not the target audience for Element, however.

Prior to Douglas John’s introduction as band leader, we got a preview of the Element Logo via a short movie of sorts, and the logo looks exactly like the “elements” used in the movie 5th Element, which by the way is one of my favourite movies and one that I have seen countless times so it was quite easy to identify the “Earth”, “Water”, “Wind” and “Fire” symbols that have now been “borrowed” by this band; I guess the masqueraders are the 5th Element??

Element Logo


Stones from the movie 5th Element

Anyway, to the good stuff, what Element is all about:

*Options for masqueraders in that the band will offer Luxury All Inclusive costume package, All Inclusive with lunch only and All Inclusive with a drinks cart. Now, I really do not want to seem like I am picking on this new band but I had to question a committee member when I heard of this new offering if they were sure that Element is not the rumored TRIBE 2 as the non inclusiveness sounds very much like the rumored second band that was supposed to be managed by TRIBE for Carnival 2009! I was told, emphatically that Element is completely divorced from TRIBE, ok then!

*In spite of having these tiers of costume packages, masqueraders will be free to roam all over the band, with which ever costume package one chooses.

*The band will be catering for no more than 3000 masqueraders.

*Costume prices will be the CHEAPEST available as they have sourced materials that are not the standard “beads and sequins” which is promised to offer the masquerader nouveau costumes (as told by a committee member).

*There will be 12 sections in the band.

Well that was all I was able to gather from the nights events and speaking with committee members, I even managed to get some info on TRIBE and Island People’s presentations, but of course that will be revealed at another time. My feelings on Element you ask? Well, based on who I see on their committee and the persons who showed up for “support”, i.e to macco, if they play their cards right and do indeed deliver stellar costumes at cheap prices they might just well offer some good competition for 2009. The idea of the All Inclusive and Non Inclusive living harmoniously in one band reminds me of Poison; however the cart business reeks of Harts don’t you think?

All in all, like I said, it was an INTERESTING night and I leave you with some video clips of the presentation, where you can hear it all straight from the horse’s mouth.. enjoy!

Douglas Speaks...


Charlene's vote of thanks...

DO NOT FORGET TO CHECK CARNIVAL JUMBIE'S BLOG FOR HER TAKE ON THE NIGHTS EVENTS.

From Marrakesh to the Amazon

Pulse 8 2008
Gem Traders


Panisha Mas (D.C. Carnival) 2008
Amazon Sunrise

Hey, Carnival is a year long business and you got to get rid of the costumes that did not sell right? Check out Panisha's website for more costumes from their 2008 D.C. Carnival presentation "A Brazilian Dream".

The place to be tonight....

By invitation ONLY:

I know many people are waiting patiently to see what this new band "Element" has in store for Carnival 2009 ; looking forward to the "introduction party" for what I am sure will be a very interesting evening.

P.S. Please do not think you can copy the invite, the real thing is not plain black and white!

Solid International Costumes

Here is a sneak peek from Antigua Carnival Band "Solid International's" photo shoot for their 2008 presentation "Enchanted Paradise", for more information on costumes email toxic9tantrum@hotmail.com:

Tropical Sunset

Birds of Paradise

Mystical Rainbow

Fantail Gold Fish

Dragon Fly

Yellow Breasted Songbird

Butterfly Fantasy

Island People

Update from Bacchanal Mas

BachanalMas will be made up of 3 options:

*Sunday - Liquid Gold jouvert style band (45ft music truck T shirt, Bandana, unlimited bar, snacks and gold and yellow body paint)

*Monday - Costumes (all inclusive with many costume offers)

*Monday - T shirt / fun section (girls will get baby t or vest, small butterfly wings guys t shirt and flag and both will get bandana, unlimeted bar and snacks.


Currently we have sold out in the following -
Bird of Paradise - frontline (sold out)
Fools Paradise - Frontline (sold out)
Temptation - Frontline (sold out)

Fools Paradise - Section (50% sold out)
Temptation (50% sold out)

We have good availability in all other options.

Our website www.bachanalmas.com will soon be launched by May 31st with full online booking available but currently people residing in the UK can book via Telephone using Debit or Credit card by calling Richard on 07958362160 or by email - info@bachanalmas

Bird of Paradise Frontline


Fool's Paradise Frontline


Heaven's Scent Frontline




Temptation Frontline

Our Beautiful Feathered Friends!

So, I have been thinking of the TRIBE's 2009 theme and the type of birds one finds occurring in nature, the usual garden varieties that are devoid of vibrant colour associated with Carnival. I mean with the number of (boring) black and brown spotted birds out there one would believe it may be difficult to get 16 sections of gorgeously hued birth costumes right?? Well, nature has provided us with some very "exotic" gorgeous birds that come in such vivid, dazzling, flamboyant feathers that my mind is reeling at the costumes that lay in store for us!! Can you imagine the possibilities of designs this is a sampling of birds to choose from??

I deliberately left out the Peacock, since this bird was done before, and I am hoping that TRIBE does not follow any other band's footsteps and forge a path of their own when it comes to the 2009 designs. Really, that recent email from the "unofficial" Island People group on Facebook alluding to the fact that the bird theme has been exhausted humored me as once again the "unofficial"Island People group is seeking to be all up in TRIBE's business when the group should be concerned about the band they are supporting which is ISLAND PEOPLE. Anyway, I decided to dig up some bird costumes and bird themes that have been done before, so TRIBE please do not recycle these in ANY form for 2009, thank you!

Golden Cock Fight- Poison 2004


Humming Bird - Sonia Mack 2004


Song Bird - Island People 2006


Pride - Island People 2006


Kingfisher Bird - Island People 2008


Egret - Island People 2008

SOURCE:
Exotic Birds Digital Gallery
Triniscene.com
New Zealand Bird Club
Aminus 3 of Manuela