Carnival 2014 will see the absence of two large bands on the streets of Port-of-Spain, or in competition.
With its leaders switching focus to other vistas of endeavour early next year, MacFarlane Mas and Spice Carnival Band will not be a part of the annual festival.
But, there are a few new players in the ring, as well as the other usual suspects.
Paparazzi Carnival got the ball rolling a month ago when it launched its C2K14 theme�Center Stage�at a cruise aboard the Harbour Master. The first bona fide C2K14 band launch, though, is scheduled for tonight, billed as Fantastic Friday, when Harts Int unveils Of Love and War in the form of a cooler fete, at O2 Park, Chaguaramas. Music will be by DJs Marcus, Gonzo, Hans and Kern.
A National Carnival Bands Association (NCBA) official said this week that there would be "some adjustments" in the complement of masquerade bands on the parade route in 2014.
Stating that the split of a huge mas band from Belmont spawned two bands, his organisation has been informed of just one new mas band hitting the streets of the nation's capital.
He added that reports indicate that there could be a handful of brand new mas bands in San Fernando.
The mas hotline is buzzing that CORE TT is the name of a new mas band in the north.
Word on the street that veteran masman Earl Thompson, longstanding king of Islandpeople Mas, will be producing this new band, in collaboration with a few UK mas producers.
One of the new mas products in Port-of-Spain has been K2K, led by US-domiciled sisters Karen and Kathy Norman, and birthed last year. This year, the girls produced the second chapter of a trilogy, and named it The Human Race. The rather, avant garde, stylised presentation created quite a buzz within the fraternity and amongst spectators. The girls' mother, Althea, speaking in their absence this week, said: "Next year, we'll be presenting the third part of the trilogy.
The girls have been keeping the band's name in their back pocket and shall reveal it shortly.
"This year's presentation was much better than last year's, and we are looking forward to even bigger things in 2014."
The launch of K2K's C2K14 mas will be known when the sisters return to Trinidad, hopefully during summer.
One of the most exciting developments of C2K14 is the scoop that prolific designer/bandleader cum masman "Big Mike" Antoine will be paying tribute to a living legend in mas.
A bandleader for the past two decades, Antoine said that for the tenth anniversary of Legacy he, with his partner Juliet de la Bastide, intend "rebranding and revamping" their product.
Revealing that the band's launch would be held around September monthend, Antoine disclosed that the name of his presentation would be Nature's Touch.
"I am keen on adding a new dimension to my band," said the bodybuilder/model/dancer masman. "We are bringing a mas that will cater to the tastes of all mas lovers."
Leading Legends, founded in 1994, and Legacy, Antoine has won four Band of the Year (Large) titles locally, as well as 13 in New York, 16 in Boston, three in Long Island, and one each in Antigua and St Kitts, a feat never achieved by any of his peers.
He has also been instrumental in assisting with the production of the largest mas band in Barbados, Power X4.
Also paying tribute to mas of the past, and creators of costumes, is Showtime Trinidad led by Godfrey Enille.
The bandleader said: "There is just too much bacchanal in the mas today.
It's time for us to to wake up and open our eyes to to see where we came from, paying respect to those who have worked hard in the industry, to create this industry."
Five-time Large Band of the Year winner Trini Revellers will be hitting the streets with The Sultan's Palace. Bandleader Dave Cameron said: "The concept of our presentation is Arabic, based on Turkey, in the Ottoman Empire, around the 1600s. Our characters will includes sheikhs, sultans, khalifs, maids in waiting, bellydancers, and the army."
Cameron, who is also part of the relatively new T&T Carnival Bands Association (TTCBA), said: "Our organisation is contending with the NCBA to take over the management of mas. The NCBA has lost a lot of its membership.
"We have no intention of interfering with traditional mas, especially in the regions, so, for now, we are concentrating on mas in the city of Port-of-Spain."
Prolific junior carnival band producer Rosalind Gabriel is now a bona fide adult mas bandleader. She has won the junior band title 15 times in a row, losing one year, but returning to winners' row this year.
Gabriel, also a member of the TTCBA, is throwing her towel into the ring for adult mas honours with a presentation named Colours of Life.
She has named her junior band Festival of Colours. Gabriel is looking at the end of September to launch her presentations.
The NCBA official said that some tweaking will be applied to next year's competitions, parade route and judging rules.
The King and Queen of Carnival finals though will be held, like this year, on Carnival Friday (February 28), at the Queen's Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain, on an elaborate programme titled "Big Friday."
With planning for the festival is well on its way, expect no major changes for Panorama 2014.
Pan Trinbago secretary Richard Forteau said this week: "Steelbands have already registered to participate; in fact, registration was closed the end of March.
We had to do this early closure of registration to facilitate submitting our C2K14 budget to Government.
"We haven't as yet come up with a final blueprint of the competition but I don't think there will be any major changes." Once again The Greens is expected to be a major attraction at the Savannah, and revenue-earner, for Pan Trinbago.
Forteau added that there has been some growth in terms of the number of bands registering to compete.
Disclosing that about 19 large conventional steel orchestras will challenge defending champion Petrotrin Phase II Pan Groove for gold, bands registered in other categories are, Medium (27); Small (58); and Single Pan (69).
Staying with Panorama, I heard the first two selections for next year's competition this week. Composed by crackshot Neal & Massy Trinidad All Stars pannist Clive Telemaque, they are titled This is it and Excitement, arranged by Leston Paul. All Stars was first runner-up in this year's final playing Telemaque's Bounce & Drive, arranged by Leon "Smooth" Edwards.
Beyond C2K14, the stellar event for Pan Trinbago next year is the World Panorama Competition, to be held in the Savannah and expected to attract the top steel orchestras globally.
Speaking to Pan Trinbago president Keith Diaz at Renegades pan theatre on Tuesday night, he disclosed that this competition would also field the top Panorama steelbands in T&T.
He said getting automatic seeding to the contest will be the top six-placed Panorama steelbands, the top four medium bands, and the top two Single Pan aggregations.
Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation (TUCO) president Lutalo "Brother Resistance" Masimba also said this week that the National Calypso Monarch competition will retain its format with the national monarch being crowned on Carnival Thursday (February 27), also at the Savannah. Finalists will again be required to sing two selections.
One of the major changes though for C2K14 could be the abandonment of Dimanche Gras, following the failure of this year's production to receive any positive approval.
Dimanche Gras has been a significant element of Carnival, dating back to 1946, when the first Carnival Sunday variety show was held at the Queen's Park Savannah, on March 3.
The highlight of the show was the crowning of a Carnival queen, 18-year-old Joy Burke, a beauty from Tunapuna. That same evening another variety show and competition was held at the Mucurapo Stadium in Woodbrook.
This event could be considered the pioneer of today's Panorama competition as it featured pan sides, supported by buglers. According to Michael Anthony's Parade of the Carnivals, "of the steelbands, the most popular was Casablanca."
Held on Carnival Sunday, traditionally Dimanche Gras was regarded as the precursor to J'Ouvert, celebrated at dawn the following Monday morning.Since 1963, with the formation of the Carnival Development Committee (CDC), Dimanche Gras has been the crucible within which the King and Queen of Carnival, and National Calypso Monarch, were decided.
Mark your calendars, here are the launch dates for your favourite bands:
Harts Of Love and War June 21
Tribe TribeTen July 20
Bliss Tribute July 27
Ronnie and Caro The River Come Down August 29
Island People The Whole Mid-August
Yuma Cirque August 10
Fantasy Secrets of the Deep July 27
Paparazzi Center Stage July 31
Trini Revellers The Sultan's Palace Mid September
Rosalind Gabriel Colours of Life September monthend
Legacy Nature's Touch September-October
Showtime Trinidad The Awakening of Mas October 5
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