Pulse 8 Review - 3

Hi Saucy,

Here's my review on Pulse8 2k9.



COSTUME COLLECTION:

I collected my costume on Carnival Wednesday, since I paid for my costume in the allotted due date, which was no problem. The lady at the front desk informed to go around at the back which I gladly did. Another lady handed me my costume, informing me of the pieces and the good bag. Thanked her and went on my merry way. When I got home I tried on my bra, low and behold the bag is too big, which is a first for me, since I am a 42D. This bra had to be a 42DDD or 44DD. I immediately called Pulse8, informing them on my problem, the lady said just come and they will make the necessary adjustment. Return to the Mas camp met with the section leader of my section, and she informed me that she will make the necessary adjustment.

The only thing I didn't like about my costume is that only half of bra was only decorated. I raised this problem to the attention of the section leader, and she informed me that due to the size of the bra only half is decorated, I find that odd since I paid extra for a tankini, and if I wanted whole bra to be decorated I would have to pay extra. I continue to asked the section leader, why didn't Pulse8 email me on this problem. "No reply from the section leader".

I receive my bra and it fit somewhat OK, I was not going to let this get into my way. My only problem is that the way the bra is decorated anytime my arm rub again the bra, it irritated my skin alot, which I hated.


CARNIVAL MONDAY.

Met with the band around 12:10pm. The music was nice, met up with Saneman, VM, and Island Soul. Everyone was enjoyed themselves. I made my way to the bar. The bartenders were very nice and friendly. I always said my "please and thank you". We stop at Woodford Square for lunch. Lunch consists of; Vegetable Rice, Lentils, Green salad and three (3) pieces of chicken. The meal was very tasty, Alt of food I must say I couldn't eat all of it.

Later on during the day we stop for snack which consists of: Accra and Potato pie, quite tasty. The drinks were flowing the music was good, everyone was friendly and nice. Even if you came alone Pulse8 will welcome you with open arms they will take care of you. Security was very good.I had a wonderful Carnival Monday.


CARNIVAL TUESDAY.

Played in the Hot Ice section.

Got up early since I had a makeup appointment at 5:30am, got there late lucky for me no one was there as yet. Makeup done by Natasha Erdos, I did airbrush makeup, Natasha was very good, my makeup look fabulous even got compliments. the the costume look real nice. it rain quite a bit, I've notice my costume was unsticking, the braids and beads were falling out. Not a good sign. I'm beginning to wonder what kind of glue they were using. My friend who was playing mas with me sated that maybe its the rain that cause it to unstuck hm mm. I wonder. Please not that using 1'4" ribbon to tie and hold up a heavily decorated belt would not work. Maybe they should use: Velcro, ring or a heavier sequin corded would of work better.I have notice alot of masqueraders were trying to tie their belts, some were even asking for pins.

Even my armband just unstuck with the touch. I was not to please. The Wee-wee truck was clean, amply supply of feminine supply. There were ladies there to make sure the portables were clean at all time. Ample supply or running water to wash our hands.Good choice of breakfast consists of: sandwiches: ham, saltfish, tuna, cheese, doubles, fruits etc.

There were ladies going around the band offering shots of different drinks, fruits, even salt prunes soaked in tequila, had a couple of those taste real good.We crossed the Savannah late, stopped at a park in Woodbrook for lunch.Lunch consists of: Soul Food, BBQ, and Vegetarian. I had the BBQ consists of: Macaroni pie, lentils, BBQ, salad. Again another good lunch every tasty, alot of food. Even got a package of tamarind and paw-paw balls as a snack was a nice touch. Later on in the evening we stopped for a break. Snack consist of: Boneless geera chicken tasted delicious. A nice gesture of Pulse8 was that of a touch-up tents, for us to reapply our makeup, glitter, a variety of hair supplies for us to beautify ourselves.My hats off to the Security Team for a job well done.The band made it way through St.Clair then back to the Oval between 7:00-7:30pm. The band disburse around that time.I must say it was quite an enjoyable day. Had lots of fun. Even made a stop at the week knees bus,


ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENTS:

The rest stop, please provide blankets for us to sit on.
More table and chairs.

Please provide garbage bags for us to put the empty containers, cutlery, bottles etc were left all over the place.

Have a shuttle bus for the latecomers, some of us had to walk all over town looking for the band.
A working phone number with a person informing us the location of the band .

The costume belt keep falling apart, the belt was not holding up, using 1/4" ribbon to tie and hold up a belt will not work. I've notice alot of masqueraders tying their belts, using pins to hold it in place.

Overall had a good time playing mas with Pulse8.
Next time I would choose my costume more carefully.
Thank you.
Elsa.

Websites are up!!

Two band launches passed last weekend which I missed out on, however both websites are up for your perusal.

First off is Trevor Wallace Mas with their 2009 presentation "Dance Yuh Dance", costumes designed by Richard and Anthony productions. You can view he sections on the website here.

Pluse 8's website for "Hot, Hot,Hot" is also up,m running and ready for registration, though I cannot figure out if the backpack option is an individual (as per the website) meaning ONE only or a frontline since you are allowed to register for that option.

And finally HARTS website is up.. with three sections SOLD OUT.

More Bands.... More Problems?

Interesting article in today's Trinidad Express, Meg Cheekes of Pulse 8 talks about their Carnival 2008 presentation "Hot, Hot, Hot" and laments on the number of new bands entering the Carnival arena for 2009:

Cheekes believes that there are too many mas bands springing up and that this will only add to the already terrible congestion on the streets of Port of Spain on Carnival Monday and Tuesday and therefore multiply the frustrations experienced by masqueraders who sometimes have to stand in place for hours to get across some judging points.

"I think that we have too many bands coming on the market and these are going to cause ten more problems to what we have already. For the last two years we did not make it to all the competition points. Why? Because there is too much congestion and I'm not going to sacrifice the safety of my masqueraders at no point in time because they have to get to a competition point. So once it gets dark we are out of it, we head back up the road to enjoy ourselves, I am not competing under those conditions."

"You look back two years when we had the normal route and we did not make it to competition, you now have next year with five new bands on the horizon, where are we gonna go? There're (sic) no roads. We're going to have more trucks, we're gonna have everything else, but to me there is nobody in the Carnival sector or Tourism sector who will come forward and say there needs to be a criteria for how many bands you can accommodate on the road or whether we're going to open the Foreshore, Wrightson Road, which are all blocked off. So where are we going to be judged? Where are we going to jump? We are all frustrating masqueraders," Cheekes said.........



Cheekes said that being a mas band leader is more than making and distributing some costumes to people and getting a music truck for them to jump behind on Monday and Tuesday.

"You can't wake up tomorrow morning and say you want to bring a band and that's what everybody's doing. What craziness is that? What are the criteria? Have you got any experience, where you came from? The authorities have to look at how many bands there are and see whatever quota we have in the Large category (for example). Ok, we have reached our quota and you'll have to wait until two have exited and then you can replace that. We must have a certain amount of bands that you can accommodate on the road for Carnival," Cheekes said.

The full article can be found here.

Hmm, two years ago Pulse 8 was a new band t0o right? From my laymans view I believe most of the new bands have had some involvement in mas at one point or the other. For instance Evolution is from Curtis Eustace who has played and won King of Carnival in Trinidad for several years, he is also part of the Toronto based Caribana band Carnival Nationz. Ronnie and Caro split from Legacy, Spice has Rocky who used to bring a section in the now defunct Poison as well as Kaotic with Ricardo Gomez and Elements has Douglas John and Charlene Lum Wai who were with TRIBE.

Now I understand Meg saying that not everyone can run a successful band and that more bands will indeed cause more logistical problems in getting to the Savannah but I am amused that she is pointing out these issues when Poison, of which she was part of, was the biggest band in Trinidad at the height of it's popularity and was responsible for many a "band jam" in getting to the Savannah. And I think that all the new bands combined cannot match the total number of masqueraders in Poison (remember when they had to split into two large bands? ) with the seemingly endless sections and over 10,000 masqueraders!!!

Anyway, I am looking forward to seeing the sections from Pulse 8; Timbouctou, Caliente, Spicy Wasabi, Sexy Samba, Pepperpot, Bush Fire, Flaming Sambuca and Explosive Ember.. I wonder which one is designed by Peter Elias?

SOURCE: Trinidad Express

Pulse 8 2009

Here is a little teaser of what to expect from Pulse 8 for 2009:

Pulse 8's presentation for C2K9 'HOT! HOT! HOT ' is a fiery expression of the explosion of the hottest tastes; the hottest places; the hottest happenings as it relates to the heat sensation.

In extension the music 'Hot Hot Hot' is to be mixed into the presentation.

Outline of Section Names to include:

Malagueta Chile

Hot Ice

Flaming Sambuca

Kalahari Desert

Volcano Lava

Fire in Cairo

Tombouctou

Pyrotechnics

With More to follow!