Trinidad 08 Carnival Round up - Part 1

Some one has to do it, right? Someone has to look beyond the gyrating waists and 'flags in de air' to to job of collating the facts on Carnival 08; since I'm not one of the folks wining 'round the Savannah this year (s0b!) I've decided that I should undertake this grand task. Carnival 08 was building up to be a rather different one for from me since last year, actually. I recall being overly excited about getting my 06 Island People 'Nubian' costume and thoroughly anticipating a fabulous time on the roads and all of that bacchanal, only have my bubble popped on Carnival Tuesday. I had to stand up and eat in front of Photo Mart on Frederick Street, jostling for space on the pavement with a vagrant in the drizzle of rain, whilst trying not to look like a wet chicken in a backyard. After being jostled one too many times by the 'stormers', running down the drinks truck for the majority of the day and being jam-packed in the mob on my way to the main judging point, I had mentally signed off on playing mas for 08. Coupled with the fact that I was moving to NYC, I thought "I love Carnival so much, but it's just going to be too much of a hassle to head back home." So here I am, trying to keep warm on a cold and rainy afternoon, celebrating my Carnival Tuesday in Manhattan. And what of Carnival 08? I've got part one of Au Courant In The Caribbean's 2k8 Trinidad Carnival Roundup right here for you...


Panorama: The rivalry between champion steel pan bands Phase 2 Pan Grove and All Stars was taken to another level for this years' Panorama finals, when the Wooddbrook based Pan Groove led by Len 'boogsie' Sharpe won the title with their arrangement of 'Musical Vengence.' All Stars came in a close 2nd.




Dimanche Gras: Another epic rivalry was stoked further this Carnival, as Michael Osuna aka Sugar Aloes took the Kaiso Monarch title from a cock sure Cro Cro (Weston Rawlins) Clad in the regalia of the Political party UNC alliance, the new Monarch delivered Reflections, a biting ditty that, according to Cro Cro shouldn't have been in the competition because it used the melody from a past Sugar Aloes tune...







Power Soca Monarch: The fireman Bungi Garlin (Ian Alvarez) was in raging form for Fantastic Friday's International Soca Monarch competition, wining the Power Soca Monarch title with a retouch of the late Maestro's hit 'Firey' . This is a big carnival for the Garlin, who won the title after swearing away the competition last year. He's having his first true taste of mas on the roads for 08 also, jumping up alongside his dynamo wife (soca star Fayanne Lyons - Alvarez) in Tribe's Black Magic section.







Groovy Soca Monarch: Shurwayne Winchester kept the Groovy Soca Monarch title in Trinidad with his melodious track 'Carnival please stay'. Everyone knows this is Shurwayne's true genre, and he came out strong as usual, sporting his new 'do. I'm so glad he's done away with those cane-row plaits... It just wasn't for him anymore.






King of Carnival: It must have been sweet success for Brian McFarlane this year at the King of Carnival mas competition, held on Dimanche Gras night at the northern greens, Queens Park Savannah. Last year he presented a magnificent Elephant king for his Indian themed band, and was duly disappointed when the silted costume repeatedly fell apart. With 08's 'Earth - Circle of Despair Wings of Hope' his eco conscious presentation put forth 'Pandemic Rage' an alien like King of the band, portrayed by Jhawan Thomas to the delight of the crowds, and the dismay of veteran mas man and regular winner Curtis Eustace, who was visibly shocked by the results. (He came in second and was apparently the crowd favourite)



Queen of Carnival: Not to be left behind, the Queen of Carnival 08 competition - also held on Dimanche Gras night - had its own bit of bacchanal. The eventual Queen, 'Yemanja - Orisha Goddess of the sea' portrayed by Susanne Low and comming out of the band 'Nautica by Trevor Wallace & Associates was the clear stunner, but the Queens who were left out of the competition would probably say differently. At the last minute, the powers that be decided that instead of the initial 20 Queens, only the 10 with the highest scores from the semi finals should be allowed to compete at the finals... Talk about a late blow...



J'ouvert: Always a favourite element within the Carnival buildup and climax, this years' celebrations of cleansing and base level merriment was a half and half one. Some quarters sweared that it was one of the safest in years, other folks can't help but remember the casualties from the events in Port of Spain. However, a J'ouvert King & Queen must be crowned, and the honour went to Lennox Joseph as 'The Homeless' and Patricia Maynard as ' Ah could only see half meh way wit inflation'. Im still on the hunt for actual pics of those characters - that would have been such a treat! - so for now, take in this other commonplace J'ouvert morning sight.




Road March Contenders: This year, the music for the road wasn't all that tantalizing in my opinion. But if anyone should win this years' title, its Fayanne Lyons - Alvarez. Pictured here performing at the Soca Monarch finals, the 'silver surfer' as she now calls herself, was on point that night, but the title went to hubbie Bungi Garlin. Not bad, it's in the family after all. But the road is for Fayanne this year, with her smash hit 'Get On'. Hot on her heels are Blaxx with Breathless, and Machel Montano's 'Blaze the Trail'. I really don't think she has any competition this year... But again, you never know....


So I'll have the real deal for you with more results, more palang, and a lot more updates in Part 2 of our Trini Carnival 08round up. Check us out tommorow, or subscribe in a reader at the top of the page so you'll get the updates straight in your inbox.

L.M.N. Harris.