MAS JUMBIES 2009: DIABOLUS IMPERIUM

Mas Jumbies are bringing FOR 2009 Diabolus Imperium or The Devils Realm, this mas inspired by the Dragon mas of Trinidad’s early nineteen hundreds, Mas Jumbies made a massive impact on the road last Carnival placing 3rd on the road wit JAB, next Carnival you know the Mas Jumbies will be hotter than ever in the Devils Realm.

SOUTH CONNECTIONS 2008: AZTECS The Lost Empire.

N Saturday I went to the South Connections band launch of their n2008 presentation of “Aztecs the lost empire” the crowd was the usual SC posse of various age groups with a couple faces missing. However the launch was another success. While only three finished costumes were presented to a most enthusiastic audience. There is no doubt that South Connections are going to be a visual force on the road this N.H.C 2008. Like last year the designs were presented with synopsis giving you the background story of the mas, and also fabric samples of the costumes that were not presented on the night.


Aztec is made up of about ten sections that give you a glimpse of the various people that this ancient empire was compromised of, and the some of the factors that contributed to its downfall.
South Connections came second in the large band category last year wit de journey now starts have once again chosen Shuan Carrington to design this years presentation, and judging from what I saw on Saturday, South Connections figuratively got one hand on the big band of the year title already.

While critiques in the past have questioned Carrington’s signature style, some proclaiming that is does not change, this year his efforts gave the Aztec theme a fashionable twist not always seen in this theme.

Overall it was a great night the South Connections people know how to party, and with D.J Soca P, and Scooby Princess on the turntables there was never a boring moment I hope that energy can be seen on the streets bank holiday Monday.

Is mas in the place by Peter Ray Blood

Tribe is celebrating its fifth anniversary with many value-added attractions, including a $20,000 Face of Tribe modelling package. Young women who think they have the complete package to be a Face of Tribe model should come down to the Cascadia Hotel on June 22, from 11am - 5pm, for a special casting opportunity. All you need to do is to walk with your heels and swimsuit. For C2K9 Tribe is playing Birds of a Feather. In photo is Tribe’s first Face of Tribe model Roisin Mc Gee.

The exciting news at Brian Mac Farlane’s mas camp is that reigning King of Carnival Jhawhan Thomas is returning next year to defend the title he won so handsomely in C2K8 portraying Pandemic Rage, from Earth: Cries of Despair—Wings of Hope.
Chatting with the stilt-walker at Club Zen last week he assured that he would again compete in a costume devoid of wheels or castors, performing his heartstopping routines. Come C2K9, Mac Farlane, also Band of the Year, is presenting a tribute to Africa.
Mas bands are well on their way in preparations for the 2009 Greatest Show on Earth, with a number of them already revealing some costumes at media launches. Among those already out of the boxes have been newcomers Kaotic, Elements, Spice and Image Nation.
Last Friday evening, masqueraders of Image Nation had a rollicking time at the band’s Buller Street camp in Woodbrook as they gather to celebrate winning this year’s Band of the Year (Medium) in the Downtown Carnival, with La Brea. Next year, IN, led by sisters Patrice and Jihan Roberts, is portraying Coral Reef, designed by father of the bandleaders Patrick Roberts.
Tribe is celebrating its fifth anniversary as a mas band by introducing its avant garde Tribe Rollin’ Road Party, the platform for the band’s presentation of Birds of a Feather. Tribe in-house designers Gail, Lana and Monique are ready for the band’s tentatively scheduled July 26 launch.
Another of Carnival’s huge mas bands, Island People Mas, intends having its public unveiling of Heaven on Earth sometime in August, the same month Pulse 8 is launching Hot, Hot, Hot.
Other bands launching their C2K9 presentations within the next couple months, and the portrayals, are Evolution’s Temptation (July 4); and, Kaotic’s Life Unleashed (July 13).

http://www.guardian.co.tt/pulse.html

THE SPECIALIST ENTERTAINMENT ONLINE BAR

The people at Specialist Entertainment have re-launched their website. The site now boast an online bar that features a ticket centre, music store, Caribbean merchandise, a video room, a music room and a radio stream that’s on the way. Check dem out.
All that said and done, I am waiting for SOCALICIOUS on Thursday 21st of August 2008 the new Carnival Thursday in the U.K.

CONCEPTS OF THE MAS ASSASSIN: Concept section for Symphony of life.

ince starting Massassination I have never, as far as I can remember done a mas remix or a mas concept for you to see, like I did on Island mix, but today that is going to change.

Symphony of life, the 2008 presentation by Burrokeets for Notting Hill Carnival, was a theme that fascinated me. However I found that their execution of the mas lacked originality, imagination, and creative depth. Their Symphony was a standard concept of steel pans, guitars, piano’s, and the chutney influences.

Now there is no expense to use a little imagination in the development of a concept. When critiquing Burrokeets, I stated that their design team needed to look outside of their little minds sometimes, for while they reside in the U.K, their mental seems to be stuck in early nineties Trinidad. And the proof can be seen in the dated lazy designs they have put out.

To show how easy it is to add a little depth to a mas, its meaning and design, I decided to put my own pens to paper and put down a little rough sketch for you.

So here is a little Massassination Mas Concept that I put together using the theme Symphony of life.

This concept section is called ‘Beat of the Street’.

Beat of the Street, is just that, in this symphony of life the streets ruminate with beats of urban culture, and music, be it raga, hip-hop, bangra, pop, or an amalgam of them all, but for youth across the global village that the Earth is today, the beat of the street is also the beat of death.

The costume is a 21^st Century, version of the notorious Midnight Robber Mas.

This character is a direct descendant of the Midnight Robber, a great, great, grandson or granddaughter of the ‘Agent of Death’.

Adorned not with the sombrero of his ancestors, this young ‘Death Dealer’ is hooded, or wears a cap.

But their trappings are familiar.

Their skulls are diamond or diamante encrusted, for they are driven by the bling, they still wear black, the colour most feared by all men and thought to be the colour of death.

They rock gold, and diamonds, the metals and minerals of cash, conflict, and genocide. From the villages of Africa, to the cities of London, New York and Port of Spain, men, women and children have died, Mothers and Fathers have cried, promise of tomorrow smothered by a red tide, on the streets of this robbers beat.

You might find it all gloom and doom, but mas is a reflection of life and life is not all fun and fantasy, and a symphony is not always sweet.

There you go, hope you understood it, I hope you liked it, and if not, that’s life.

Later.

JEWLES de CARNAVAL Section Launch CIRQUE de SOLIEL

It's like me and band launches cant mix this year, for one reason or the other i have missed them, hopefully my timing will improve in the weeks to come.

Last night was the section launch of Jewles de Carnival's first presentation to N.H.C. Cirque de Soliel.

The news I got is that the launch went well and the front line is already SOLD OUT so it seems JEWLES have hit the ground RUNNING.

look out 2009!!

bottom in yuh face

This one is real kicks yes!

JEWELS de CARNAVAL Cirque du Soleil

Arawaks presentation of Viva Las Vegas was on the 10^th of may 2008, how ever on the 5^th of June Jewels de Carnaval launch their section “Cirque du Soleil” yes its held on a Thursday, but the standard, I have been told will mark a new upgrade in mas presentations and customer care .

see the blog.