D Krewe 2010 Review

Disclaimer: It has been rumoured that I work with Dkrewe,and that is simply why I usually why I don't have anything bad to say about them. Dkrewe is a band that over the years I have found a costume that screams my name. I continue to support Dkrewe for the mere fact that I have FUN on the road with them and they treat each and every masquerader as part of their "family" Talk Done.

Collection.

I was called to collect my costume firstly on Wednesday 10th February, but was given a courtesy call informing me that my costume would not be ready for collection until Saturday 13th. Reason I was given was that the belt pieces were running small. (SMH). This was deja vu all over again and I was very concerned that I would have to choose another section at the very last minute (as what happened the previous year). I held my tongue and waited for Saturday. I went to the mas camp on Saturday with the intention of asking for a refund if my costume was not ready and I had to come back another time or if my section was scrapped and i had to choose another on. At the mas camp there were two windows, one for paid in full customer and the other for customers with a balance to pay off. I joined the paid in full line which only had about three people in front of me. I got my wristbands, receipt and was instructed to head to the school yard across the road to collect my costume. At the school, I showed my receipt to a very confused looking lady. She started looking for my costume and then was distracted when someone else called her. 

I stood there thinking that she was going to go back to it, but instead started to attend to some other people. Luckily Akeel (BIG UP AKEEL) and Lisa (BIG UP LISA) came and took my receipt and started organising my stuff. I got my bag and inspected my stuff and to my HORROR !!!!!! the "special" pants I had ordered was not there ( but it was a gamble anyway as they could not confirm that they could do what I had asked for.) I bit my tongue and inspected the pants that were provided. It was too small. Akeel immediately noticed it and said that he will change it and give me plain white pants in a larger size. When he came back he also brought my headpiece and it was then, that whatever bad thoughts I had about dkrewe simply vanished. I cannot stress how much I loved my costume. If possible I think it turned out even better than the prototype. I definitely went home a happy camper.

Monday

Meeting time for the band was 11 am however the band didn't pull out until closer to 12. Monday was great, I saw many great designs and alterations to the wrap that the ladies got. My personal vote for Best design to the woman who made a poncho out of hers and lined the edges with trim. Hats off to you ( you know who you are !!!).Now word reaching me is that one of the music trucks was in some accident the night before and so for the first hour on the road Monday we only had one music truck, which made crossing Adam smith judging point Boring, luckily a second truck joined us shortly after French street and everything was "A" ok for the rest of the day.

Tuesday

Meeting time for Tuesday was at 8 am and the band did not stick, we were on the road shortly after 8. My section was # 11 and initially I was not too pleased about being in the back. But hey they had to save the best for last right? Sorcerers got two thumbs down from me at their launch, but I said at the time that I will keep my final judgement for after carnival when I see them on the road. They looked good on the road actually, All other sections looked nice on the road as I had predicted. I am yet to find out why Soufriere was scrapped though.I thought it was a nice costume. 

While waiting on charlotte street (somewhere between Rosary Boys and the hospital) a guy(stormer) snatched a phone out of one of our masqueraders hand, he (foolishly) attempted to run through the band knocking over a few masqueraders in his plight for escape. Security was in him like white on rice. About two minutes later I saw him being escorted to the back of the band by our security and a further two minutes later, he was in the back of a police van being "booed" by the band as he was taken away. KUDOS TO SECURITY.

Ratings:

Costumes

·          Held up on the road.

·          Were as the prototypes.

·         Look great on the road (including sorcerers).

·         9 out of 10 palances.

Music/DJ

·         Music was pretty much decent, apart from the one truck thing happening monday morning.

·         DJ's need to know the direction to send masqueraders, too many times we were told to move the right or left of the truck, only to be told it's the other side .

·         8 out of 10 palances.

Security

·         MUCH better than 2009 !!!

·         Of course it had some slackers, but for the most part security did what they were supposed to do.

·         2010 was the first year Dkrewe used the rope and I must say that i was opposed to it before, but i all for it now, keep the rope. it may be a hassle for the security to maintain that rope but it keeps the masqueraders that much safer.

·         10 out of 10 palances.

Drinks

·         The drinks truck was too tall for a quite a number of people ( i kinda tallish so meen had no problem). 

·         Variety was pretty decent, and what i was drinking didnt run out at all.

·         8 out of 10 palances.

Food/Snacks

·         It would be unfair for me to score the food this year as I did not have lunch from the band but from what I was told from my friends the food tasted great.

·         Thanks for giving us a lunch stop as well.it was nice to sit and have lunch this year.

Overall I give the band 8 out of 10 Palances( don’t ask about my judging)

Keep up the good work Dkrewe you'll are getting better at it every year. There is some room for improvement and I know that you'll will address these minor issues.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Staff of Dkrewe as well as any persons who may have contributed into making Dkrewe a success on the road. YOU ALL can give yourselves a pat on the back.(just like another band is doing even though they should not be). Special Thanks goes out to the following persons:

Ageli

Akeisha

Akeel

Lisa

and of course the man himself Mr. Roland St.George

Who say "Haiti - Rythm Of The People" for 2011???

D Mayor

Individual Or Bust

I remember joking after band launch last year that Individual was the new Frontline for Carnival 2010 as it seems everyone wanted to go one step above the section segregation and actually lead the section this year. With the most Individuals I have ever seen on the road this year in TRIBE, the standard number in Harts, several in Ronnie & Caro and even a few in Island People and Spice the Individual masquerader was very popular this year. What brings me to my post today is that someone once asked if I would do the 10 Commandments of the Individual H.O. and at the time I thought it was pretty much unnecessary as in my mind if you are going to spend mega bucks for an Individual costume you are not going to show up in slippers and busted tights on the road right? Wrong!

Now, I know a young lady who played Individual in Spice who intimated to me  that her heeled boots were hurting her feet so she switched to more "comfortable foot wear" some time during the day. And, her tights were shredded by the decoration on her belt so she improvised. Sigh. After seeing the image of those booty short cropped tights in photo after photo , coupled with SLIPPERS I need to say something and cannot keep quiet any more; girl friend, you know the love is there but I am staging an Individual Masquerader intervention! 

Before - Fabulous!

Ladies, we have been through the tights conundrum already, especially since last year all those lovely diamante belts did a Freddy Kruger on our tights! The solution is simple; either go WITHOUT tights OR walk with extras. I cannot believe our lovely Greece masquerader did not have another pair in that rather large pouch strapped across her chest! Though if it were me, I was going to rip those tights  right off with her  perfect legs.  I mean most of her legs were outside anyway and her bare legs looked great! 

Look Max, No Tights!

As for the footwear, heels and heeled boots as popularized by none other than the Individual extraordinaire Wendy Fitzwilliam is ONLY an accessory used when crossing the "stage". I have played in Harts where Wendy was my section leader and she switched footwear to something much more comfortable during the day. And when I say more comfortable I do not mean slippers! Again, a simple solution would be to have a very comfortable pair of FLAT boots (well cushioned with your gel insoles and decorated to match your costume) stashed on a truck for you to change into after crossing the stage. I am guessing  boots are much more comfortable than sandals given that the latter has absolutely no arch support.

Flat Boots - The Practical Choice

As an Individual masquerader you are in the spotlight ALL day, especially when you are one of FEW in your band ......I am thinking the only other female Individual in Spice was the band leader herself:

So to go from looking like a Miss World finalist's doppelganger in the early morning to a busted version of yourself later in the day is not cute; not after spending ALL that money to be super gorgeous in your super fabulous costume. With great power comes great responsibility, and being an Individual masquerader is not for everyone. At this stage in the hierarchy of costuming you should be pulling out all stops to ensure that as an Individual, leader of the section, you present your costume as best as you can ALL day.Take a cue from La Toya Woods who looked spectacular from morning until night and yes, tights intact and all!

Fabulous!

Still Fabulous!

Coming for 2011, The 10 Commandments of the Individual H.O. as it IS needed after all!

Pay Attention I Am Only Saying This Once!

Every year there are new band rumours circulating soon as Carnival is over. Every year there ARE new bands making a foray into the Carnival Scene. The year 2011 is no different apart from the fact that some old faces might be coming back, determined to give this million dollar business another run for their money.

The Sauce has been informed that a mostly behind the scenes player in a band ( who for 2010 seems to have triumphed over the negatives of the past) will be leaving to form their own band!  The  name of this person would not even register or ring bells for the average masquerader  so I am guessing there has to be others with a name attached who will be joining in the venture. It remains to be seen if anyone else will be departing the "universe" for 2011. However, a female designer who was with this band from inception will be taking a break next year. I guess she will be hunting for other flags to fly, oops, I mean fish to fry!

When it comes to keeping the "kindred spirit" among a certain "krewe", talk is that there will be a split amongst this camp as well. Will "revellers" from another band join forces or will it be a bunch of "clowns"? Only time will tell!

And finally, I saved the BEST news for last! What do you get when you mix an investor who was bought out of a burgeoning "spicy" band with a band that took a year off from mas? A group of individuals looking to bring back an "element"to Carnival with a different name, different marketing strategy, different public face and hopefully better costumes!