The Band launch will be happening June 12th, Brooklyn New York. This promises to be a great event complete with costume give-aways! The band name is Exotica, and the theme is Viva Las Vegas.

This is a diverse group ranging from Vincy, Trini, Grenada,  and Barbados. The new all inclusive band promises to give masqueraders their money’s worth for labor day 2009.to give you your money’s worth labor day.Tickets are 20 in advance 30 at the door.

Registration will be taking place the night of the band launching and children’s costume sketches will be displayed as well. This band promises to give you your money’s worth!
For more updates from New York on Labor Day Carnival download and visit Maashup at www.maashup.com.

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With so much to celebrate KAOTIC Mas band’s theme is on spot. This year, sections such as Mystical Freedom brings “Life Unleashed” To Trinidad Carnival. KAOTIC Mas band will feature 12 sections for Trinidad Carnival 2009. All the costumes are amazing, and worthy of praise from these veterans of Carnival.

Visit the website is www.kaoticcarnival.com they accept registration online. All costumes, with closeups can be viewed online, and there is the option for full or half payment.

Visit Here for KAOTIC MAS Costumes

Not to say that any particular mas band is better than the other. The judges will decide that next year. However, we can see the detail in each costume, that shows which bands are trying harder to please the carnival community.

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View Spice Carnival Costumes By Clicking Here

Visit the Spice Carnival website for more information on their costumes and sections that they will release for Trinidad Carnival 2009.

The Spice Carnival Sections:
* Brown Sugar (Frontline)
* Brown Sugar (Men’s)
* Cardamom (Frontline)
* Cardamom (Ladies’)
* Cardamom (Men’s)
* Garden of Sage (Ladies’)
* Garden of Sage (Men’s)
* Golden Basil (Frontline)
* Golden Basil (Ladies’)
* Golden Basil (Men’s)
* Mediterranean Borage (Ladies’)
* Mediterranean Borage (Men’s)
* Melilot Bleu (Frontline)
* Melilot Bleu (Ladies’)
* Melilot Bleu (Men’s)
* Paprika (Frontline)
* Paprika (Ladies’)
* Paprika (Men’s)
* Peppercorns (Frontline)
* Peppercorns (Ladies’)
* Peppercorns (Men’s)
* Scotch Bonet (Ladies’)
* Scotch Bonnet (Frontline)
* Scotch Bonnet (Men’s)
* Sea Salt (Frontline)
* Sea Salt (Ladies’)
* Sea Salt (Men’s)

Visit The Spice Catalog Here

Not to say that any particular mas band is better than the other. The judges will decide that next year. However, we can see the detail in each costume, that shows which bands are trying harder to please the carnival community.

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Download Maashup For More Carnival Costumes, News, Fetes and Photos.

View Spice Carnival Costumes By Clicking Here

Visit the Spice Carnival website for more information on their costumes and sections that they will release for Trinidad Carnival 2009.

The Spice Carnival Sections:
* Brown Sugar (Frontline)
* Brown Sugar (Men’s)
* Cardamom (Frontline)
* Cardamom (Ladies’)
* Cardamom (Men’s)
* Garden of Sage (Ladies’)
* Garden of Sage (Men’s)
* Golden Basil (Frontline)
* Golden Basil (Ladies’)
* Golden Basil (Men’s)
* Mediterranean Borage (Ladies’)
* Mediterranean Borage (Men’s)
* Melilot Bleu (Frontline)
* Melilot Bleu (Ladies’)
* Melilot Bleu (Men’s)
* Paprika (Frontline)
* Paprika (Ladies’)
* Paprika (Men’s)
* Peppercorns (Frontline)
* Peppercorns (Ladies’)
* Peppercorns (Men’s)
* Scotch Bonet (Ladies’)
* Scotch Bonnet (Frontline)
* Scotch Bonnet (Men’s)
* Sea Salt (Frontline)
* Sea Salt (Ladies’)
* Sea Salt (Men’s)

Visit The Spice Catalog Here

I know you spent all your money and energy in Miami but time is speeding a way and Trini carnival is just around the corner so take your vitamins because from here on out we on the move. On October 30, 2008 at the Prince George Ballroom, Antilia brought Trinidad Carnival 2009 to us for a much cheaper fee (one hundred dollars) than the thousands most spend to play mas and fete in Trinidad. Antilia did a wonderful job of transforming the loft space and giving the people a glimpse of Trinidad carnival, the second largest carnival in the world. The food was exquisite (corn soup was delicious), the music was decent, the crowd was sophisticated, and the drinks were flowing compliments of Alize. The invite said “dress to kill” some actually came dressed as if they were attending a star studded affair, others dressed as if they were going to the shopping mall, nonetheless the crowd was energetic and ready to observe what Antilia was about to present. The bands that tantalized us with their mas were Spice, Island People, and Elements. The colors and presentations were phenomenal however in the great words of Iwer George, and D Wassie Man “somebody missin “.
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In the midst of all the joy and sweet vibes there was a bit of disappointment in the atmosphere. I spoke with Heather Wilson a designer for the mas band “Wee International”. Heather has been designing mas for about six years and she posed a very good question. She stated “the Trinidad government helped sponsored this event why weren’t all mas bands notified and given the same opportunity to present their mas?” She also stated that she was “very disappointed” and she felt the band selections were “biased” and that Trinidad government only sponsored “their friends”. Heather mentioned her band will be presenting “Candy Shop” for the 2009 Trinidad Carnival season the website is www.weeinternatinal.com. Unfortunately I couldn’t get anyone from Antilia or any of there sponsors to comment. In another corner stood a manufacturer who is responsible for most of the mas we were about to see that night Hai Lin.

Hai Lin owns Hai Trimming Inc, a company in New York City that produces the mas for Trinidad Carnival. He explained to me he doesn’t design any of the mas he receives the designs from the mas camp and he simply manufactures the designs out of his shops in China. He states “he’s always impressed with the designs from the mas camps”. Spice and Element mas camps gave him the most business for the 2009 carnival season.

I also had the pleasure of talking to David Seegobin. I asked David “where does he love to play mas”? David stated “I love to play mas in Trini mas has a vibe an atmosphere like no other place.” He also stated “When we say all inclusive we mean all inclusive; drinks non-stop and food non-stop to say hear food ran out means it wasn’t a true all inclusive”. Both Heather and David agreed Trinidad all inclusive is “the best because you get your money’s worth”. David also went on to say “the women don’t give you a problem for a wine in Trini, in New York forget about it.” I asked David “how does he feel about Jouvet in New York?” David said “New York Jouvet is rather dangerous, some people can’t manage their liquor, or just don’t understand the culture and mas on a whole in New York has too many restrictions and ends too early….. In Trinidad it doesn’t matter your creed, race, or color everyone limin together having a good time all day all night with no restrictions”. He felt Canada also had an early cutoff time. He was happy to attend the event but he’s a huge supporter of Tribe mas Camp and that’s the only mas camp he will ever play with he came out to support and see what the other bands had to offer.

Antilia group did a phenomenal job with this event I enjoyed myself and felt like a movie star that evening. In every event there will be ups and downs and you can’t please everyone however, for 2010 I would love to see other mas bands present their mas to the general public in New York giving people the opportunity to see a variety of Trinidad mas. After this event I was truly inspired to go to Trinidad and play mas, I hope to see more sophisticated events like the one provided by Antilia.

- Written by Chandy

]]> http://carnivalinfo.com/2008/11/16/antilia/feed/ 0 http://carnivalinfo.com/2008/09/09/seven-reasons-why-the-parkway-is-better-than-trinidad-carnival/ http://carnivalinfo.com/2008/09/09/seven-reasons-why-the-parkway-is-better-than-trinidad-carnival/#comments Tue, 09 Sep 2008 19:59:08 +0000 carnivalnetwork http://carnivalnetwork.cublogz.com/?p=418 I know you’re saying what kind of madness am I reading but seriously take a good look open your mind and read carefully. You may agree, or agree to disagree but one thing still stands millions come out on the Parkway each and every year with that said New York mas can’t be that bad.

1. Brooklyn is the borough……

How many of you know that New York’s Carnival wasn’t always on the Parkway. Initially our festivities took place in Harlem. Over the time the streets became too small many West Indian’s migrated to Brooklyn, hence the Carnival was moved to Eastern Parkway. With that said I’ve come up with my first reason why the Parkway is better than Trinidad the diversity in people. No other (Carnival) place on earth can accommodate a diversity of people in love peace and unity. I’m not talking about just skin, color, creed or class; I’m talking about a variety of Caribbean and non-Caribbean Nations on one street parading their pride. Where can you see Haitian trucks, Panamanian, Kittitian, Vincentian, Jamaican, Dominican and all of the Caribbean displaying their patriotism showing each and everyone they too know how to party and get on bad? Trinidad maybe the mother of Carnival, but New York is the Father of a Diverse Carnival. Together mother and father have given birth to Carnival pride in each and every one of us.

2. Pizza, and Jerk Chicken anyone. . . . . .

Where else can I get pizza, jerk chicken, and curry chicken, and falafel all on the same strip? Yes, you guessed it NEW YORK CITY!!!! Not only are we diverse with our trucks we are also diverse with our food. New York City is the Mecca of cultural diffusion. I bet you can’t get that in Trinidad– a Bagel with Salt fish –someone tell me where else you can get that.

3. Did you see me on television………

International coverage of the most attended festival in New York City. I love New York for the various media coverage that can be seen by so many satellites around the world. Trinidad only has coverage throughout the Caribbean and if I’m lucky I might see myself on BET.

4. Security Please…..

No other place has the safest, tightest security only NYPD. NYPD is so secure that if you miss your band on Rutland road please know that you have to walk through the crowds on Utica and Eastern Parkway and ask someone to allow you to jump over a barricade, it doesn’t get safer than that.

5. Metro card……

Now if you are too tired to walk all the way home why not swipe a ride on the NYC MTA faster and safer than a Maxi Taxi and takes you where you need to go. MTA takes you almost everywhere with hardly a hassle of waiting on a packed van to take you to your destination. Air Conditioned carts, seats to sit, space to stand, and you can breath without feeling like your suffocating. Think back in Trinidad being jam up in a maxi and you wishing there was AC, and if the AC is on its so pack you can barely feel it.

6. Cool Temps…..

Nothing beats playing mas with sweet sun and nice cool temperatures. I can honestly say when I’m done playing mas in New York I don’t feel that sweaty sticky nasty feeling. I know in Trinidad when you play mas you’re so hot, thirsty, and down right tired just from the sun beating on your precious skin. Labor Day the only way you sweating is from jumping around.

7. Cheaper, Buy the dozen….

Ok! So New York doesn’t have all inclusive sections like Trinidad (goodie bag, security, port-a-potty etc) but we have mas that in some cases look better than Trinidad for far more cheaper a price. Some cases New York mas makes you feel happy you spent no more than $250 so you can buy your metro card to go to work, and pay your rent (remember Labor Day is the first day of the month).

Carnival is bacchanal and I hope I made enough bacchanal with this article. Yes we always hear the same line “oh nothing beats Trinidad mas”, or “I’m not going on the Parkway- Parkway not what it use to be”. For all those who believe the Parkway is so bad why do we keep coming out by the millions, (the number of attendees never decrease they always increase)? We know nothing can compare to mas at home but for those of us who can’t make it home Labor Day is as good as it gets.

-Written By Chandy

- Photography by Sean James

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