The solemnity of Wednesday’s Eid holiday ought to evaporate as early as tonight with the staging of the second major 2017 Carnival band launch.
Following the Paparazzi Carnival launch of Sky Gazers at Pier 1, Chaguaramas, last Saturday, Harts Carnival will launch Ultraviolet Jungle at the Queen’s Park Oval car park on Elizabeth Street, St Clair, tonight.
For Carnival 2017, Harts Carnival intends taking a colourful tour through the fictitious Ultraviolet Jungle. The band’s PR folk stated in a release this week: “It’s a jungle out there in the Trinidad Carnival scene, and for over 50 years, one band has matched and exceeded the expectations of the masses with costumes in living colour and splendour. For 2017, Harts Carnival plans to continue its domination and illuminate the streets of Port-of-Spain with an imagination-stirring theme: Ultraviolet Jungle.”
With an arguably revolving door of similar themes and mirrored presentations in recent years, bandleader Gerald Hart says he wants to ensure masqueraders and spectators love both the vibrant costume presentation as well as the road experience on Carnival Monday and Tuesday.
The Harts team of costume designers says it aims to bring unique, quality, ingenious design elements to its offerings. This year, the band’s theme is partially inspired by the blockbuster movie Avatar, the global movie hit with incredible cinematics that appealed to all ages. The band says:
“For Ultraviolet Jungle, Harts promises to elevate your idea of natural and normal: eclectic bursts of colour, creatively detailed patterns and a novel perception of life among a multitude of species in the wilderness.”
Orchis, Paro, Cheety and Winged Azure are just a few costumes that may send the masses into a wild frenzy, say band representatives. As usual, Gerald Hart leads the Harts design team which includes second-year designers Erin Gonzales, Kacie Gonzales and Solange Govia. Some brand new faces also make their designer debut with the Harts Family for 2017, including Natania Mack and Laura Narayansingh.
Following close on the heels of the Harts Carnival launch is the unveiling of the 2017 presentations of Tribe and Bliss. Their joint launch is scheduled for Saturday, July 16 at The Paddock, Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain.
The next weekend, on July 23, Band of the Year Ronnie & Caro will launch its mas: Fearless 10. Bandleader Ronnie McIntosh, commenting on his ambitious band launch, said this week: “You would never have seen anything like this. Just say it’s going to be a street affair in the St Clair/ Woodbrook area.”
Speaking about Fearless 10, Mc Intosh said the theme is a celebration of the band’s tenth anniversary. “It has been quite an adventure and journey,” said McIntosh. “The first year we produced a band, we were hesitant to continue, but after our success by winning the Band of the Year (Medium) title with The Gulf, we closed our eyes and went ahead fearlessly.
For ten years our track record has been impeccable and we boast of giving our masqueraders the best value-for-dollar deal when it comes to playing mas and enjoying yourself in a safe environment.”
Carnival 2017 will be held on February 27-28.
Pan here to stay
Not even the sodden mud underfoot could dampen the spirits of pan lovers, who journeyed to the Recreation Ground in Marabella for last Saturday’s Pan in De Countryside. Staged by Pan Trinbago Inc—in collaboration with the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and the Arts—the 24th edition of the monthly event featured bpTT Renegades, Pan Elders, Golden Symphony, Southern Marines, Fusion Steel, and Marsicans.
Obviously in sheer ecstacy, one pan enthusiast was overheard saying that Renegades gave him the best pan performance he had heard in many years. The Charlotte Street steel orchestra, playing as if its repertoire had no end, thrilled the audience with medleys of popular calypsoes by Kitchener and Sparrow. Also stirring the crowd were Pan Elders and Southern Marines.
In other steelband news, plans are well on the way for Pan on d’Avenue, scheduled for Saturday, August 27 along Ariapita Avenue, Woodbrook. This popular pan event is staged by the Woodbrook/St James Community Association. Corporate secretary Allima Garcia said: “This event is organised to foster unity amongst the residents of Woodbrook, as well as to celebrate the anniversary of our Independence. It is also a chance to honour and pay tribute to stalwarts in the indigenous arts of T&T, alive and posthumously, whether in pan, calypso or mas.”
Since its inception, the association has paid tribute to Anthony Williams, Black Stalin, the late Ralph Mac Donald and Holly Thomas. It has also honoured the first King and Queen of Carnival, Colin Edghill and Kay Christopher, pan arrangers, tuners and manufacturers.
This year’s event is being held in memory of the late Antonio “Amigo” Nadur, who began the Carnival Monday steelband competition in Adam Smith Square many years ago. He died in December. Also, tribute will be paid to Asami Nagakiya, the Silver Stars pan player who was slain on Carnival Tuesday this year, who chose to play with Woodbrook steelbands.
Expecting approximately 30 steelbands to parade in an easterly direction along the Avenue, the Association will honour “The Engine Room” of the steelband movement—percussionists like the late Corey of San Fernando and “Iron Charlie” Bradshaw of Desperadoes, “Killer” of Supernovas and “Soca” Brumante of Renegades.
The Woodbrook/St James Community Association committee includes Cleveland and Allima Garcia, Carl “Beaver” Henderson, Saieed A Garcia and Margaret Indrani Ellis.
Condolences
Ending on a sad note, Pulse extends condolences to Hazel Manning and the family of Patrick Augustus Manning on his passing last Saturday. The late prime minister’s funeral will be held tomorrow morning at Trinity Cathedral. Condolences also to Sugar Aloes (Michael Osuna) on the passing of his mother, 75-year-old Jean Osuna Samuel, and to the family of calypsonian Companero.