Carnival in the City. Island People brings the heat.

After running down the food truck two years in a row, fighting up for hours to receive my costume earlier this year, and hearing the other horror stories from past masqueraders, I swore never to be lured by Island People Mas again. I was one of the masqueraders who played in their 2006 debut presentation 'The Enchanted Forest', and although I had fun, the service was poor. I told myself, 'well, it's a new band so they're working out the kinks... Next year will be better'. It was worse! After this year's Carnival Las' Lap was abruptly ended and my good friend was attacked in the band, I washed my hands of Island People. So why, pray tell, was I overly excited a few weeks ago when I checked my inbox and received a Media invitation to their November 11th showing of costumes from 'Animal Insincts' at the Cain nightclub, NYC ? I should have known better than to be suckered into another IP venture, but it's New York, and whenever you get a taste of home, Carnival or Soca music outside of Trinidad, you go for it. So off I went into the chilly Manhattan night, trying to keep my hopes down, but secretly excited about getting a taste of 'The Carnival" in NYC.

I wasn't expecting anything grand where the costumes were concerned; I'd seen them before on the website and found a few to be quite alright. What I was concerned about, however, was falling prey to IP Mas' lack of proper organization yet again. I just didn't feel like fighting up to get into the venue ( never did that in Trinidad, why the hell should I do it in New York?!), or jostling with people to look at the presentation, or fighting by the bar for a drink. The email said 10pm for the presentation, so I was there armed with my camera, 10pm sharp. And would you believe it? As I walked in (no hassle with the lists, no long queues or anything) I was actually in time for the costumes! In fact, I almost had my eye poked out from one of the models' headpieces as I hung up my coat at the entrance. Things were looking up for Island People, after all...

Now, I'm not sure if credit should go to Island People per se, or if kudos should actually go to Antilia, the group that co-staged the event, but it was actually good! Things ran smoothly, apart from the obligatory audio malfunction/D.J. issues that might occur at any event, but even that eventuality was apparently covered - there was an in-house drumming group that struck up the instant that music went down. There were some glimpses of the regular Island People 'set-up' vibes, though - The PR Release promised 'Celebrity guests' and 'Top models from Trinidad & the US' along with 'True jungle styled decor'. Probably I missed them, but I didn't see any Celebs, no top models, and the jungle decor was just a few strings of beads hung around beams in the club! Costumes from a handful of sections were shown; I remember seeing Man o' War, the Bear, Cheetah, Zebra, Kingfisher, and maybe one or two others. The models weren't all top notch, but they were definitely into the presentation and vamping it up for the mini paparazzi row at the end of the ramp.

Antilia organizers, Wyatt Gallery of IP, and other reps were visible and accessible, and people were really soaking up the Carnival heat on that brisk November night. I tell you, folks were wining like it was J'ouvert morning, which was so refreshing in this day and age where people go to events to pose and take pictures. If ever Island People had a selling point, it's the friendly ambiance they seem to create on the road and at their events, despite all odds. People you've never seen in years pop up in the band, everybody's extra friendly and there's an inclusion that you don't get with some other Mas' bands that are too stodgy or selective. Has Island People convinced the masses and the uninitiated to play with 'Animal Instincts' for 2008? I can't say for sure, but judging from the 'chipping down the road' atmosphere at 'The Carnival' event, they may be on their way once again.

For more information, check www.islandpeoplemas.com

L.M.N. Harris