Review 2011 - YEAH!

My first fete of the 2011 Carnival Season
My rating scale: 0 to 5. 0 means not ever to be repeated EVER! 5 means best ever!

Anyways here goes. Fete details:

• Fete: YEAH/Amnesia Evolved.
• Promoter: Island People
• Fete Type: All-Inclusive (inclusive and hyper-inclusive options)
• Date: January 22nd 2011
• Time: 7pm to 2am
• Venue: Mobs2 redesigned

The flyers:

Bought the 'inclusive' tickets at 450, no hyper-inclusive for me...ah going with budget-friendly where possible this season. Got down to that hole called Chaguaramas peninsula around 8ish, no real traffic to get there. Rounded the final bend approaching Mobs2 and lights, lights everywhere! And lots and lots of cars. People took that 7pm start time literally apparently. 

• First things first: where to park? On the road heading to MOBS2? In the car-park near that yacht place? The decision was made for me when the 'parking attendants' announced "$50 to park babes...we go be here all night...make sure yuh car nice and safe!". Pay $50 to 'sprangers' when it have security patrolling all up and down the road? Oh hells, no!! We drove up to Anchorage, turned back and parked just off the road a little ways up from the venue. Rating: 3
• Entrance: nicely signed entrances for inclusive vs. hyper-inclusive. Walked up the little bridge thing, and felt like I was on a cat-walk. Models sporting IPs costumes lined the entrance like living statues...that Lunar Cycle Individual costume looks real good up close, and the blue of Nebular Hypnosis is gorgeous!! Oh and a photographer taking pics as you walk along the bridge just added to the catwalk feel. Got a bmobile mug and rag on entry. Rating: 4
• Layout: inclusive to the left and along the slope, hyper-inclusive straight ahead and on the slightly elevated portion to the right of the venue. Both sections allowed patrons to get up close to the stage if so desired. There was a gigantic screen for those who stayed up in the back. Rating: 3
• Performances: 
• Dil-e-Nadan was up first. They.are.never.ever.ever.to.perform.in.a.fete.EVER!!! It's not that they can't perform...they can. But it's flicking Carnival! I doh want to hear Black Eye Peas, I doh want to hear Lady Gaga, no dub, no rock...no! Unless is a lil sample of a song that yuh throw in to flavour yuh soca performance...your entire performance should be soca!!! Rating: 1
• The 'slap chop' guy came on after them. Didn't see his performance, cause I'd gotten fed up of Dil-e-nadan. He didn't stay long though. Heard there were some models on stage as well...did not bother with that. I was busy trying out the shots and lubricating my palate with Hennessy, Baileys, Jagger shots OH MY!...yum, yum! Rating: n/a
• Denise 'Saucy Wow' was up next in all here glory. yep, she still got it! People were focused on that stage for her entire performance. Rating: 4
• Next up, KES the band! They were fabulous...Kes says he going up for Groovy Soca Monarch, and yuh know what? He could easily win it...He had the crowd eating out of his hands. Nadia Batson came on about half-way through the performance. Tallpree came on as well, did not really appreciate his performance 'cause he sounded a tad garbled, I could not make out a word that he was singing. Rating: 4.5
• Shal, Screws: wildness...they can hype a crowd all by themselves. And with a crowd that's already hyped they held their own. Looking forward to seeing more of them as the season progresses. Rating: 3
• Machel HD: the man has returned. I could not care less bout the rest of them, but to be fair let's go through them. Patrice - she has improved. She is a lot more comfortable on stage, and confident. The outfits WOW!!! Lace tights/stocking with nothing below them...uhmmm wow is all I can say! (I heard other opinions on her choice of dress and nope I will not post that at all!) Zan and Nappy: not bad, kinda blended together a bit, but decent. Then the man himself....HE.HAS.RETURNED! He came out with an attitiude, the HD attitude and energy that was felt and blew the crowd away. He did his old songs, he did some of more recent stuff...he performed 'illegal' and 'bend ova'...his dancers dread! Yuh need to see the dancers do 'bend ova', 'illegal' and 'hard wuk' in person, no words can describe that. If yuh plan on trying that I suggest pilates and yoga classes... stretch those hamstrings, make sure you work on your flexibility eh! Rating: 4
• Food: uhm inclsuvie options were corn soup, doubles. Then jerk stuff that had to be purchased. Rating: 2
• Drinks: Inclusive options were: Baileys, Hynotiq, Hennessy, Jagermeister in both shot form and Jager bombs, Tequila (sans lime or salt...ick!), cocktails. At the bar was rum, scotch (B&W), beers, and lots of soft options. Rating - 2.5

Fete rating: 3

So what's next? Not sure yet...but I'm gonna try to rate all that I do end up attending.

Carnival 2011 has begun with a bang!

It has begun!

First off...Happy Birthday to me, Happy Birthday to ME!!!

Aight on to the business at hand: I went Amnesia yesterday. After Island People cancelling amnesia in 2008, when I heard that this was back on for 2009 I planned to be there. I think I only missed the first year or two of this fete. It has always been good. And this year was no exception.
We reached about 7ish, yes yes ah know lil late...but say what we reach! We heard from a friend who was already there that the food distribution was a lil different, but that the drinks were spectacular. Sooo with that as our warning we aprked and entered.
Entrance: The 'Arrive Alive' people were there to greet you, asking who was the driver cause they'll be doing random breathalyser tests when the party dun. Didn't drive so I walked on by. Decor was not as spectacular as previous years. Pretty lights. Lots of promotional items at the entrance, dancing characters in masks an' ting. Decent, decent.

Drinks: wow! Lots and lots of bars. Margarita station, Baileys station, Jose Cuervo station, wine station...etc, etc Then there were the other bars for other drinks like the Hypnotiq, Johnny, non-alcoholic stuff, water of course and the list goes on. I was introduced to a drink (new to me) Smirnoff, Crnberry and Sprite...try it.

Food: WTF was IP thinking?! Ok I understand that is 2009, economy on the downturn etc, etc. But yuh charge people $495 if they bought their tickts early, God alone knows what yuh charged those who bought tickets late or bought from scalpers. At that price I expect lots of options. Food was served on trays by some 'servers' who seemed to think they were in some sort of 50m dash! by the time yuh notice that someone bringing out a tray, they zoom on by you and yuh left with just d wafting scent of something delicious passing by! Not cool, not cool. So trinis, being trinis positioned themselves close to where the servers were emerging and mobbed the 'servers' as they were coming out. Drama. Not impressed at all.

Performances: Ah said we reached about 7ish, which meant that we missed the first performance Kes. Means I'll have to catch them perform at some other fete. But we did see Machel HD and The Asylum family. All I have to say about Machel HD is WOW!!!! That man is amazing on stage...the energy, the vibe, each year is something different and this year well you have to experience it. Asylum family is always a hit. Faye Ann looks great as an expectant mum and for all you detractors "She is PREGNANT...NOT SICK!!"

So all in all Amnesia was a great first fete to bring on Carnival 2009.

Looking forward to the next one.