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CARNIVAL MEMORIES 12 Credits
14 From the Editor 16 Winner’s Row
17 Your Favourite Celebrities 18 Lucy Revealed! 19 Carnival Headlines
On The Cover
There’s a reason why the carnival parade is called “Mas”. It is a marathon of road revelry by costumed masqueraders which all comes together to formulate a grand artistic showcase. On our beautiful cover we see two band members who truly epitomize what this glorious masquerade is all about. Xerxes the Persian King was the motivation for this carnival showstopper of a costume portrayed by Kamel Ali. His striking resemblance to the character from the movie 300 was unfathomable. Here he was arm in arm with his beautiful lass. Mas at it’s very best!! Photographer: Cleon Henry
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FAVOURITE FETES 23 Tribe Ice 24 Soka In Moka 25 Fantasy Cooler Fete 26 Aurora Breakfast Party 27 Evolve 28 Out In South 29 A.S. Bryden All Inclusive 30 Central Bank All Inclusive 31 Black To Blue 32 Circles 33 YUMA Neon 34 Project W 36 Gulf View All Inclusive 37 Zante 38 Fall Out 39 Beach House 40 Kiddies Carnival 43 Jouvert Jumbies 47 On De Road Monday 57 On De Road Tuesday
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Editor in Chief - Anthony
Gomez
Director of Production - Marvin Mason Director of Photography - Cleon Henry Copy Editor - Pauline Philip Design Director - Richard Lyder Art Director - Richard Lyder
FEATURES Senior Editors: Marvin Mason, Pauline Philip Photographers: Cleon Henry, Alana Stanislaus, Kelton Francis, Trevor Goddard, Eva Abraham
OPERATIONS President and CEO ANTHONY GOMEZ Executive Vice President/Editorial Manager MARVIN MASON Executive Vice President/Operations Manager KERRI INNISS Executive Vice President/ Financial Manager FAYOLA BRAITHWAITE Lead Coordinator – Events Division CLEON HENRY General Assistant JORIM WILLIAMS Production Assistant NIGEL ROSALEZ
Advertising Offices PO Box 1879 P.O.S. Trinidad WI. TEL/FAX: 868 638 1156-9 and 638 1160
www.amgtt.com The ETNT magazine is published by Abstract Media Group Company Ltd in the island of Trinidad and Tobago and is protected by strict copyright laws and is not to be reproduced in full or in part without the written consent from the management of Abstract publishing.
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ET&T CARNIVAL 2015
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from the editor
ET&T did Carnival
“Like A Boss”
J
ust a couple months ago there were doubts about if there would even be Carnival in 2015. The threat of Ebola seemed likely to put a spoke in the wheels of the Nation’s favourite festival. Alas, no Ebola could stop the soca and the masquerade proceeded with aplomb. C2K15 saw groovy soca continue to dominate the airwaves with Olatunji’s “Wining Good” and Farmer Nappy’s “My House” being among the most played tunes for the season. In fact, the Road March winning selection of “Like A Boss” by Machel Montano was bordering on groovy speed and was the slowest song to win that title since shadow’s “Stranger”. Despite the music being decidedly slower, Carnival 2015 was real pace. From the fetes to stage there was no shortage of action. All of this has been documented in this edition of ET&T’s Carnival collectable glossy. Within these pages we have all of the biggest and best festival events culminating with photos of revelry and ribaldry you will never forget. Capture the epic moments in all their glory as we feature all of your favorite fetes; J’ouvert, Monday and Tuesday on the road and much more! Plus, as the bonus of all bonuses, you are getting all of this absolutely FREE! Whether you are an avid reader of ET&T or you are viewing for the first time, we are sure there will be something for you in here. To you, our readers the advertisers and well-wishers, this is our gift to you. THANK YOU and may you have a safe year.
Anthony Gomez Editor in Chief
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l a v i n r a CMemories
Winner’s Row Trinidad and Tobago Carnival is driven by competition. That is not to say that the spectacle would not be equally impressive were it not for rivalry, but it certainly does add something to the festival. As is the norm where competition is concerned, there are usually big talking points as the judges decisions tend to differ from that of the fans. However, this all adds to the bacchanalia we all love so well. In any event, whether the masses are satisfied or not, there will always be a part of Carnival where winners are regaled while the losers are left to wallow in defeat. This year, competition was stiff in some sections of carnival and pretty much a foregone conclusion in others. Machel took his 7th Road 16
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March title like a boss and the Power Soca Monarch was his from the moment the Monk Mobile arrived on stage. Olatunji rode the wave of his most successful airplay year to grab his first Groovy title and Chucky successfully defended his kaiso crown. Of course, those are a few of the winners this year, but let us take a look at some more of 2015’s standouts. As usual, if you have any sour grapes try using them in homemade wine recipe. It will have more than enough time to cure for Christmas. CARNIVAL BAND OF THE YEAR Trinidad All Stars (Ships Ahoy at a French Festival)
CALYPSO MONARCH Roderick ‘Chucky’ Gordon JUNIOR CALYPSO MONARCH Aaron Duncan JUNIOR SOCA MONARCH (Secondary school) Sergio Camejo JUNIOR SOCA MONARCH (Primary school) – Stefan Camejo EXTEMPO MONARCH – Lingo POLITICAL COMMENTARY Devon Seales (My Humble Plea) SOCIAL COMMENTARY Heather McIntosh (Ah Gone) NATION BUILDING Karene Asche (Every Knee) GROOVY SOCA MONARCH Olatunji Yearwood (Wining Good) POWER SOCA MONARCH – Machel Montano (Like Ah Boss) CHUTNEY SOCA MONARCH – Ravi B & Rikki Jai PANORAMA CHAMPS (Large) Trinidad All Stars (Unquestionable)
CARNIVAL KING Roland St George (Ahtwaje)
PANORAMA CHAMPS (Medium) Pan Elders (Party Time)
CARNIVAL QUEEN – Stephanie Kanhai (The Sweet Waters of Africa)
ROAD MARCH CHAMPION Machel Montano (Like Ah Boss)
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PAPARAZZI
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LOOSER DAN LUCY
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Loose all on the ground
YeeHaw!!
So loose she deserves a spanking
Only acceptable on the streets at Carnival
Doesn’t need company to be loose
No apology for his loose behavior
The facial expression says it all
Wheelbarrow wine
Jamishness
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C2K15’s Standout Moments
T
here were several memorable moments this Carnival season, some of which led to career highlights for some and moments others wish they could forget. All in all, these moments defined all that made C2K15 worth being a part of. Check out a bit of what made carnival 2015 standout. Singing Sandra Survives Death Rumours Sandra Des Vignes-Millington, better known as ‘Singing Sandra’ ended up on the wrong end of a bad rumour this Carnival. Reports circulated that the two-time Calypso Monarch had passed away on Valentine’s Day from an undisclosed illness. While the calypsonian was indeed ailing, she was in fact alive and recovering from surgery at the Port-of-Spain general hospital. Sandra’s close friend and President of Trinbago Unified Calypsonian Organization Lutalo “Brother Resistance” Masimba did his part in quelling the rumour calling the lies “Baseless” and “insensitive.” Other friends of the artiste also expressed dismay and disappointment at the rumours and asked that Des Vigne’s privacy be respected. Singing Sandra underwent the emergency surgery for a painful hernia which resulted in some complications. However, she was revealed to be “recovering well despite the circumstances.” www.amgtt.com
approached by a member of the People’s Partnership who requested to purchase the photos. Watson declined and gave some of the pictures to the Express newspaper. Yet, several people had negative things to say about the photo while others – including Rowley – dismissed it as “mischief.”
Rowley Rolls It Something as inane would barely constitute news on a slow day in an entertainment gossip site. However, this is Trinidad and Tobago, so the sight of Opposition Leader Dr. Keith Rowley taking a wine during carnival celebrations was headline news in all the leading newspapers and even television news broadcasts. The PNM head played mas in San Fernando with Ivan Kalicharan’s band and he obliged himself to take a wine (or two, or three) with fellow masqueraders. One of these masqueraders was young Ravina Rampersad – who herself thought the publics’ reaction was being blown out of proportion. Social media was abuzz with photos of Rowley and Ramdial dancing together and the photographer Trevor Watson said he was
The Year of the Concert Fetes are a big part of carnival. They have been around as long as we can remember. Within the last couple decades fetes evolved to incorporate all-inclusive fetes and coolers fetes into the carnival landscape and they have actually become more dominant than the usual downtown fetes. Machel Montano switched things up by introducing a full-scale concert mid the carnival festivities. It was big enough to shut down Brass Festival and prompted PNM fete to move from its beloved Monday date. Other artistes decided that if Machel could do it, they could do it too (albeit on a much smaller scale) and so it was that Iwer and Kes joined the concert crew. This year also saw for the first time Kerwin Dubois and Destra joining the jump up with fetes. Machel Monday remained and Kes’ rocked out on the Tuesday leading up to carnival. Destra did her thing on Wednesday which was formerly Iwer Wednesday and they all experienced success. Kerwin DuBois’ concert entitled ‘Circles’ took place on Thursday CARNIVAL 2015 ET&T
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C2K15’S STANDOUT MOMENTS 5th at the Hotel Normandie and was epic. However, Iwer’s new date on Saturday 7th did little to affect the poor turnout he previously received at his two prior concerts and he will certainly have to go back to the drawing board if he is to do a fourth installment. The EDM Revolution The genre of soca has seen many transformations ever since the late, great Lord Shorty created it in the early seventies. Rapso, Ragga Soca and even Island Pop sprouted from the seeds of soca and over the years the music has sped up considerably. Despite the variations, there have always been elements that remain true to the authentic sound. However, following the success of Bunji’s experimental 2014 song “Differentology” it seems as though soca was to change yet again. A heavy EDM influence pervaded the sound in 2015. There were still some more authentic sounding tunes such as Destra’s Lucy and Machel’s power track Erupt, but it was clear that a lot of artistes had adopted the international festival sound. Faye Ann’s Raze was one of the biggest songs of the carnival and it featured no soca elements. It was more rave party music. Kerwin Dubois, 5 Star Akil, Farmer Nappy and several others provided music with EDM backdrops to pave the way for a slower, different carnival vibe. Electronic Dance Music was what the artistes provided to the glow stick waving masses in abundance and Trinis soaked up the latest trend. Shaft Season Jason ‘Shaft’ Bishop has been doing his thing as a songwriter/producer for several years, having made his first major breakthrough in 2008 penning “Saddle It” for Destra. However, 2015 was a magical year for Bishop as he seemed ubiquitous. He has hits all over the place leading from last year’s Crop Over in Barbados right into Trinbago Carnival. Such was Bishop’s presence that he had five songs in the Soca Monarch competition this year. Destra’s ‘Lucy,’ Nappy’s ‘My
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House,’ Nikki Crosby’s ‘Go Granny,’ ‘Ducking’ by Fadda Fox and Chucky’s ‘Doh Take It On’ were all performed on Fantastic Friday. He also wrote big tunes such as Do Wha Yuh Want for Patrice Roberts, Lyrikal’s Loner, Biggie Irie’s Pankatang, Blackie’s ‘Ram Jam’ which all received substantial radio play. No doubt, after such a big year in 2015 Shaft will be one to look out for in next carnival.
MONKey Behaviour Machel Montano rebranded himself as Monk Monte´ purporting to have emerged from a moment of Zen with a newfound sense of awareness. Often during performances, the Monk would go off into Kanyelike streams of consciousness where he would spew his thoughts in an attempt to edify the masses during each invective. Unfortunately, some people weren’t feeling the Monk and they felt slighted by his actions on stage. At UWI all-inclusive he rubbed many the wrong way when he stressed his middle-name is Jesus and that we should all be aware of the significance of it. Then, he ran afoul of fans in Tobago at the annual Soca Spree fete. Montano hurled obscenities at the crowd whom he described as “gangster” for not being moved by his set. Several patrons left the venue before the event was over in apparent disgust. Monk Monte´ defended his behavior saying it was just a ploy he commonly uses to generate a crowd reaction “whereby he threatens to walk off the stage only to return. There was more bad news for the Monk when the organizers of the $950 Fatima
All-inclusive fete threatened legal action against Montano for what they deemed “upsetting and unprofessional conduct” during his performance. Many patrons expressed they were disappointed with how the performance turned out. Montano argued that the sound system quality was poor throughout his set and also prompted a delay in his performance when he asked that part of the stage be removed. some sided with Montano saying the audio was indeed poor while others said he should have just gone on with the show. Those moments aside, Montano experienced another greatly successful year as he defended his Power Soca crown and came both first and second in the Road March race. Plus, there is no denying that Like Ah Boss will go down as one of the biggest songs in Machel’s history. Chucky at the Double Roderick ‘Chucky’ Gordon’s victory in the 2014 Calypso Monarch signaled the arrival of the genres new wave and many were happy to see the torch being passed on. 2015 followed in the vein of new blood permeating the artform’s competitive spaces with a host of up and comers gracing the hallowed Dimanche Gras stage. In fact, they did more than just grace the stage as Chucky came out guns blazing on the night and he was able to retain his title. He was the first person to do so in ten years, after Chalkdust completed his second double in 2005. Gordon followed the winning combination of tongue in cheek political commentary and a nation-building song with his selections Rose and I Believe getting the judges’ nod. Some argued that the quality of the competition was very poor making it easy for Chucky to win, but there were some stellar performances on the night and kudos must be afforded to Chucky for his strong performances. Before 2015 only six calypsonians were able to defend their titles since the competition’s inception in 1939. Atilla the Hun, Striker, The Mighty Sparrow, The Mighty Duke and Chalkdust were the victors who retained their championship.
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TRIBE ICE
Tribe ICE was the fete that officially got C2K15 under way. The Insane Cooler Experience took place in the nation’s capital city at the Jean Pierre Complex and the venue was packed. Patrons were undoubtedly anxious to kick start the fete frenzy and a strong entertainment cast was there to make sure attendees were not disappointed. DJ’s Nuphoric and Private Ryan kept the vibes at a premium and live acts such as Kes and Bunji took the proceedings to a higher level. Here are some stills from the event. For more, check out ET&T on Facebook.
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SOKA IN MOKA
The trinity College all-inclusive (better known as SoKa In Moka) took place on January 4th at the school’s scenic grounds. The attendance was strong and the entertainment was top-notch. This was the year’s first all-inclusive fete and patrons expressed delight at the food, drink and overall festivities on hand. Soka in Moka is a definite staple in the Carnival landscape now having repeatedly been one of the biggest carnival fundraisers for the last sixteen years running. The seet 16 jam featured the likes of the Roy Cape All Stars, featuring Blaxx and Ricardo Drue; Bunji Garlin, Fay Ann Lyons & The Asylum Vikings and Dil E Nadan. ET&T was there to capture each moment.
SWEET SIXTEEN
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FANTASY COOLER FETE
It was on and popping at the Queens Park Oval during the first weekend of the month when mas band Fantasy turned the action up with their annual cooler fete. The event featured performances by some of soca’s elite and the fans on hand were highly appreciative of the action that unfolded. ET&T was present for the pace and here are some photos for your viewing pleasure.
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AURORA
Aurora the Premium breakfast Affair occurred at the famous Chaguaramas spot, The Anchorage. The event was way much more than just an occurrence; it was an epic early morning experience featuring great performance talent and some of the best breakfast food at any fete in the country hands down. The vibes rose with the sun and patrons who attended would have left on a high knowing that this party had now become one of their must attend fetes in years to come. Here is a little bit of the action.
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EVOLVE
The Alumni Association of Presentation College Chaguanas (AAPCC) hosted its 2nd annual fundraising fete entitled Evolve on Saturday 26th January. The esteemed college’s grounds in Chaguanas was transformed into Evolution Park to facilitate the premium all-inclusive experience. A range of artistes from the band Karma to individuals such as Mr. Renzo, Swappi and College Boy Jesse graced the stage while top-notch DJ talent also kept the vibes on high. Here is a bit of the action in our events extra. Check the full gallery on Facebook.
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OUT IN SOUTH
The National Academy for Performing Arts (South Campus) otherwise known as SAPA was the venue for the sold out event Out In South. The event was a testament to fact that South people know how to party as hard as anyone. There’s not much that can be said about the party other than it was pure pace. ET&T was present for the action and we have the photos to prove it. Here’s a sneak peek. For more, visit www.amgtt.com.
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AS BRYDEN
The AS Bryden all-inclusive fete is one of Carnival’s lesser known, but very impressive, gems. It goes under the radar of many, but for the ones who are privy to it, this party is one to remember. The fete featured free food and beverages and showcased some of the country’s top entertainers hitting the stage. The mixed crowd could not be happier as the event progressed and ET&T is proud to have been part of the action.
ALL INCLUSIVE
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CENTRAL BANK
This year’s event saw Bunji, Fay-Ann and the Asylum Vikings, Dil E Nadan, Roy Cape All Stars and more take to the stage to provide entertainment for a largely mature, but still mixed crowd. There was a major talking point when Bunji Garlin freestyled for almost 8 minutes straight about various topics including the amazing vibes at the fete itself. A buffet of premium food and drinks were available all night long for those who attended “for their health.” All in all, the fifteenth edition of this fete was one to remember.
ALL INCLUSIVE
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BLACK TO BLUE
Monk Monte led a vibrant cast of stars who performed at this year’s edition of Illusions – Black to Blue. The event which took place at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba drew a massive crowd. Patrons packed in with coolers in tow from the midnight start time and the vibes continued well into the morning. Though it was a cooler event, there was no shortage of product samples on hand as well with beautiful promotional girls to dispense them. Here is a peek of the action.
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CIRCLES
Versatile, singer, producer and songwriter Kerwin Dubois came full circle having won the elusive Groovy Soca Monarch title in 2014. 2015 saw him put forward some strong offerings as well but he opted against entering the Fantastic Friday showdown. Instead, he gave fans the opportunity to enjoy his art up close and personal with an intimate concert entitled ‘Circles’ at the Hotel Normandie on Thursday 5th February. The show saw him link up on stage with several of his collaborators and featured flashbacks of his professional past. It was a top-notch event that we are pleased to share with you.
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YUMA NEON
YUMA’s free drinks extravaganza Neon took place without incident at the Queens Royal College grounds. A veritable who’s who of DJ’s and performers came through with the musical backdrop for the event which featured a spectacular lighting and special effects display in keeping with the event theme. The capacity crowd lapped it all up and we have some of the sights as they unfolded.
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PROJECT W
The Hasley Crawford Stadium was the venue for Project W. The event was all about wilding out to Soca and EDM till the sun came up and the water trucks opened up. Despite the fact that that the cover of night had completely faded, the debauchery continued and seemed unlikely that it would ever stop well into the morning of February 8th. The show of youthful exuberance and all round sexiness was captured by our trusty photographers.
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GULF VIEW ALL INCLUSIVE The upscale residential concert known as Gulf View All Inclusive was a real treat in South. Those who made the journey from the northern parts of the island would have felt satisfied about their gas money spent. Chutney Monarch Ravi B and the big band Karma were on hand to deliver an energetic performance, while it must be noted that the food and drinks on hand was on point. This party remains one of the higher rated all-inclusive events ET&T visited this year.
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ZANTE: MUSTER POINT If we know one thing about Zante is that the people who regularly attend know how to party. Those who are new to it seem to feed off the vibe and party just as hard. The patrons at this carnival party are the right type of feting pedigree – not too young, but definitely not old and cold. Waists rotated and eats and drinks were consumed in abundance as sweet strains of both old school and the latest soca blared through the monitors. Zante 2015 was vibes!
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FALL
OUT
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The change from Maracas, St. Joseph to the Queens Park Oval in Port of Spain did little to change the spirit of hype associated with Fall Out. This all inclusive event is seldom talked about, but always seems to draw a massive crowd. However, the crowd is not so big as to take away from the exquisite ambiance. This event was epic and ET&T has proof.
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BEACH HOUSE
Beach House entertainment took their party promoting talents to Chaguaramas for another epic installment of their premium annual carnival all-inclusive. The pricey affair did not disappoint, as patrons were able to help themselves to some of the finest fare. Plus, the musical backdrop was one which could not be denied. It was Vibes from the word go and the event, which was carded to run from 2pm to 8pm on Carnival Thursday, finished two hours late and still had patrons begging for more. This was one of the best events at C2K15.
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KIDDIES CARNIVAL Carnival isn’t just for the old goats. The kids enjoy it as well. This is evident every year at kiddies Carnival. As a matter of fact, many of the best costumes are seen during kiddie’s carnival. ETNT loves the kids and we were at the grand carnival showcase on Carnival Saturday to celebrate the action.
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KIDDIES CARNIVAL
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