Carnival Cool Down and Wrap Up

Putting It In Perspective

The day after Ash Wednesday is always a day most Trinis want to stay home from work.  Is the cool down after the cool down on Ash Wednesday at the beach.   

My cousin in New York told me a few years ago that Trinis have a tell tale characteristi.  It's like how you know a zebra.  Trini he said; "like to party".  I know that  Black Americans like to party just as hard and even harder if they can.  Like peas in a pod.  

I attended more than one exclusively Black American birthday party in Boston for one to there years olds who were dead asleep before the party started.  I wondered how in the world a baby could sleep comfortable with the loud music and shouting.  We do that too.

I know one thing, we all like money the same, it does not matter the colour; blue, green, white, black, brown  or gold.  This Carnival had some embrassing moments because of the money. More than one group acted like...

Crabs in a barrel mentality.    

Ravi B gone mad on stage,  soca stars throwing words like jammets , a band leader insulted, everybody want 2 million. And the government is smiling.  Does Carnival have anything to do with culture?

Like we say in Trini “So wah go happen when d money done?”  That is the 2 million dollar question now.  Everybody want a change to do what they been doing for years for nothing or next to nothing.  The PP Government has raised the financial expectation standards for artists in this country.  

Notice, it is financial expectation and not qualitative.  Very few of the 2 million winners left an enduring message for the people to adopt or emulate.  Even when they did it was lost in the Carnival noise rarely to be recalled. 

Safety

Let’s leave them new rich people for a minute.  Ah hear Gibbs say that this was a quiet Carnival considering how many people were in the streets. The police did an excellent job in keeping crime at bay.  He shoulda read the Express first.

That man must be mad. Either that  or he was not on the job.  Over the Carnival weekend over 12 ah we gone to we maker.  A dozen Trinis bite the dust and the man say all went well.That's not well in Canada and its certainly not well here.

He wants it to be 2 dozen before he gets off his lil ass and do something.  

OK, I done before ah open meh mouth here.  You could agree, disagree or feel indifferent? 

Cya

Stay Blessed.   

Las Lap: Who Will Be Road March King?

Looks Like Machel Will Take That Too

A writer on the Trinidad Express felt that the 2011 Road March King will be either Machel Montano or Iwer D Boss George. Both are heavy favorites, in the Soca Monarch competition Mr. Montano with Mr. George following in a close second.

The tunes that are expected to win are "Advantage" by Mr. Montano and "Come to Me" by Mr. George.

Yesterday in the Savannah it was Advantage leanding by 15 to Come to Meh being played 9 times.

On YouTube Mr. Montano's Advantage is leading with 54,586 views to Mr. George's "Come to Me" with 18,589 view.

MACHEL MONTANO "ADVANTAGE"

UpDate Trinidad Guardian: Machel takes Soca Monarch crown

IWER GEORGE "COME TO ME"

With the Parade of Bans to conclude today the people choice will determine the winner.

Interesting note, some people in the Carnival industry have suggested that the People’s Choice of bands are now being determined by the radio DJs and pre= Carnival fete DJs. They say it gives the appearance that the people chose when it is actually the DJs.

People they say are conditioned like Pavlov dog when the tunes are played frequently by the local stations.

They could have a point but… are not the DJs people too? If we view the People Choice process from the time the tunes are released. Can the DJs be considered experts in catchy carnival rhythm? If we were to view holistically the people will still eventually choose.

Here is the short list of the other favorites to watch for third and forth place:

• Trini by Benjai
• Wotless by kess
• Fretting for Days by Xavier
  

That’s the short list for this Carnival Road March.

Seems like last year’s Road March Kings are not even contenders this year.

That is mas.

The Winner Trinidad 2011 Calypso Monarch Competition

How It All Turned Out

Below are the results of the carnival Sunday night Calypso Monarch, King and Queen Competitions.

GET FREE eBOOK BELOW

D Road March Competition Post

                       
 
QUEEN KARENE

"UNCLE JACK"

"CAREFUL WHAT U ASK FOR"

OK, I'm back. Just had time to post this before I went to Port of Spain. Want to put my two cents in on the competition. 

Let me start by saying that I eh no calypso judge, I never made up a calypso before so I know I cannot be a judge.

I'm a consumer of calypso lyerics but I tried going to the grand stand one Carnival and had to spend so many hours on those hard seats that I decided the best place to take it in is at home.

Good thing too, I did not see the entire show. But this is what I saw before I went into la la land. Cro Cro song was decent, a little controversial but a decent calypso. Don't think it was good enough for first prize.

The Winner Is The Loser Because...

What got me was the last year monarch, Kurt Allen, he must be feel that because he was the winner last year he could come and give we a speech. 

Yes he delivered a speech.

And that elaborate prop he came on stage with was so not calypso. I know this is the future but the praying hand thing did not work, in fact one of the golden hands fell over. IMHO he should have spent more time on the song than them props and the judges thought so too. I like when I right.

Old Man Eh Giving Up...

Then there was Chalkie, at first I was; why don't he leave that for the youths? I think his calypsos were good too very imformative to people who don't know. An old historian to end, he managed to immortalize a number of distinguished Trinis. I particularly liked his lyeric that says "Trinis good at everything except being able to run a police force". I think that was halirous but so true. We have always had a problem with that.

But when you think of it even I, who never sang a calypso before, woulda come out of retirement for a chance at 2 million. He did not make it but I bet with the "lil change" he get for third prize is more than he ever win for first. Money like peas flowing.

Benjai Come To The Wrong Competition

Last comment, I think that the man who come last deserve that place. He come in a calypso competition and trying to win with a soca song. Like going to a gun fight with a knife. He loss too bad. 

All yuh done realize that we spend, according to my calculations about 7 million just in prizes to about 20 people in the country. Like I say money like peas here.

That's a subject for another day. I not going to comment on the King and Queen costumes I even worse with that.

In the meanwhile, lets enjoy the Carnival. The results are below.

The results - Calypso Monarch:
1. Karene Asche
2. Michael Osuna, Sugar Aloes
3. Dr. Hollis Liverpool, Chalkdust
4. Devon Seales
5. Dexter Parson, Stinger
6. Kurt Allen
7. Brian London
8. Tamika Darius
9. Kizzy Ruiz
10. Joanne Rowley, Tigress
11. Weston Rawlins, Cro Cro
12. Rodney Le Blanc, Benjai

D Road March Competition Post

King of Carnival:
1. Wade Madray - Pacific Tsunami - 421 points
2. Owen Hinds Jr - Battle of the Marabuntas - 420 points
3. Curtis Eustace - Bozo-D Legend Lives On - 416 points
4. Marlon Rampersad - Bedazzled - 394 points
5. Lionel Jagessar Jr. - Wakinyan-Quest Of The Feather Seeker - 387 points
6. Roland St George - Pan On Fire - 386 points
7. Gerard Weekes - In The Beginning Good And Evil - 382 points
8. Glenn Dave Lakhan - The Jewel Spider - 371 points
9. Fareid Carvalho - Mr Carnival-The Return Of The Fire Man - 370 points
10. Leroy Prieto - Mukasa- The God Of Water - 350 points

Queen of Carnival:
1. Peola Marchan - "D Jeweled Chandelier" - 416 points
2. Gloria Dallsingh - "Splendour of Lights" - 414 points
3. Kay Mason - "Island Queen" - 407 points
4. Roxanne Omalo - "Serpent Sorceress" - 389 points
5. Gayle Marcano - "D Ruby Brooch" - 387 points
6. Cherryann Valere - "Forest Blossom" - 374 points
7. Patricia Bailey - "Diamonds Are Forever" - 373 points
8. Jenna Marie Andre - "Botanica-A Floral Extravaganza" - 372 points
9. Avernell Johnson - "Chia The Goddess" - 357 points
10.Sevell Nicholls - "In The End, Dance And Rejoice" - 356 points

The individual competitions are over. Today and tomorrow bands will be represented in every major city in Trinidad and Tobago.

Take a look at a historical video on Trinidad Carnival 1957.

D Road March Competition Post

What's yuh think?

DON'T MISS THIS POST - IT WILL SHIFT YOUR THINKING


THE US DOLLAR IN CRISIS