Band launches roll out

A number of mas bands will be launching their 2019 presentations this month, first up, is the newest of the lot, Enless Carnival, which launches today, at the Chaquacabana Beach Resort in Chaguaramas from 9 pm.

However, Yuma’s launch of Jukebox which was scheduled for Sunday has been postponed to August 12. In a release from the ten-section band, it stated the band’s CEO had to be hospitalised after he suffered an unfortunate and serious medical ordeal. Two new bands have come on the scene, Enless Carnival and Pure.

Enless Carnival’s launch is a cooler-inclusive event and no glass bottles will be allowed. Bandleaders Avinash Suruj and his wife Shalene have produced a section in Fantasy mas band for the past three years, and says Shalene, “Everything we do, we do it with the masqueraders in mind, and Enless Carnival is masquerader-driven in that we provide a service for our clients. Once our masqueraders are satisfied with the kind of treatment we gave to them we are happy.

“Enless Carnival is providing more for your money in terms of food and comfort. And we will be doing something different to meet all masqueraders’ needs and satisfy each niche. Masqueraders can look out for that.”

The band is catering for 1,000 masqueraders that in effect puts it in the large mas band category.

Enless Carnival has four main directors. Apart from the Surujs, there is Avinash Balroop who handles logistics and Rieshma Kallac, is design director. The band’s presentation is titled Prismatic Paradise which will be depicted by six sections.

Shalene said, “Enless Carnival is a revolution of the Carnival environment and the entertainment industry. We at Enless want to provide more, therefore, we took the necessary steps to ensure that for Carnival 2019, we will be entering the TT mas bands industry with an aim to provide masqueraders with a service and style they have never been accustomed to. The focus is on our consumer and we feel this has been missed by many big bands who focus on numbers.”

Tomorrow, it will be Paparazzi Carnival’s turn to launch and celebrate its success for placing third in the large band category this year. The presentation of La Belle Epoque…A Beautiful Era will begin at 8 pm when the 13 sections will be revealed at Fatima Grounds, Mucurapo Road in Port of Spain.

Reigning Large Band of the Year Ronnie and Caro (Life’s Chequered Board), will be taking a different approach to its band launch. Ronnie Mc Intosh told Newsday, “On Friday, July 20 from 9 pm, we are going to take over social media with our 2019 presentation, Let’s Go Tobago.

“We decided to go with what is in style so our launch will be on social media since we have a high percentage of foreign-based masqueraders, and based on economics.”

Costumes of the ten sections, including one from Lil Bits will be revealed via a video presentation, together with still photos on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter etc.

The Ronnie & Caro website and mas camp opening will be held on July 26.

Tribe Inc will present a Carnival experience with a monumental two-day festival weekend when it launches three of its bands on July 21 and the other three on July 22, from 5 pm each day at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Wrightson Road in Port of Spain.

Tribe promises a unique combination of fete, fashion, freedom and flower crowns at the unveiling of the costumes. Newest addition to Tribe’s band fleet is Pure, that will unveil its costumes on the Saturday along with Harts and Bliss, while Sunday will feature the presentations of The Lost Tribe, Rogue Tribe.

Pure was once a Bliss section named The Absolute Section.