Tuesday, January 16, 2007

QRC: The Aftermath

DETAILS



Who: QRC
What: All-Inclusive
Where: QRC, St. Clair, Port–of-Spain
When: Saturday 13th January 2007
How much: $400
Last year’s price: $400

I decided to include two elements to my review.
The price of the fete the year before for comparison purposes.
The other element is Security.

So this was my first time going to QRC’s fete, largely motivated by the fact that Machel Montano HD was one of the performers billed.

NEAL & MASSY TRINIDAD ALL STARS
Talk about sweet.
They played all their hits, mixed in with this year’s soca and they ended with Woman on de Bass.
What more yuh want?
Well in my case I would not have minded if they played Curry Tabanca. LOL.
But all in all they were great.
4.5 out of 5



MACHEL MONTANO HD feat. Patrice and Zan and Machel’s new members.
For those who may not be aware, Machel recently lost a few members of his band (from what I understand it wasn’t nice). Dean, as I mentioned before is now with Atlantik. $hel$hok I hear is with Bunji. (that last one is unconfirmed).
So I was eager not only to see them perform, but to hear them perform as well.

Machel did not disappoint.

Starting with Higher than High and ending with Light it Up with Patrice, he gave his usual high energy performance.

BUT. Yes yes there is a but. You could see that he was frustrated by the quality of the sound coming from his band. And when Machel vex…yuh does know it. I think he gave up after a while and just gave QRC all he had. Which was an hour and a half!
4 out of 5


EXODUS
Exodus was okay. Synergy soca Star Fireball performed with them and it was cool. They didn’t impress me like All Stars did though.
I heard they didn't have neough time to do a sound check so maybe that's why.
3 out of 5


TRAFFIK feat. Sherwayne Winchester, Candy Hoyte and Sean Caruth
Traffik’s performance was good.
Ii was nice to Sean back with the band (esp after they dropped him last year).
It was too bad he did not get a chance to sing his song for this year which I really like.
Candy looking like she put on a little weight man. Fix dat Candy.
Sherwayne was Sherwayne. Sang only his songs or songs where he was featured like Peter Ram’s Woman by my Side.
From Look de Band Coming to Open de Gate straight to his abrupt end with Alequa.
Yes. Traffik ended their set very abruptly in the middle of them performing Alequa.
(Inside sources say the star of the band was upset because of Machel’s 1 ½ hour long performance and they, Traffik, only got to perform for ½ hour…doh say I say…)
3.5out of 5.


FOOD
One word for the food…LINES.
Line lines and more lines.
Which I understand is the norm.
But the problem is I doh like tuh line up…fuh nuttin.
The food that I did taste though was GREAT! Especially the fish broth. Talk about nice!
In addition to the main meals: Creole, Curry, Chinese (I only tasted the Chinese) there were cutters in the form of bake and shark, corn soup, geera pork, barbeque pigtail, pholourie and so much more.
More than enough room to sit and eat your food as well.
4 out of 5.


BAR
There were two bars.
A north bar run by Servis (Angostura) and another bar run by CARIB.
Service at the CARIB bar was slow. There were not enough people manning that bar.
Service at the Servis bar was tops. No waiting to be served, no waiting for your drink. Service down the line.
And straws and napkins too.
Even after the CARIB bar ran out of straws early in the fete I still got straws and napkins at the Servis bar.
For those of you who wondering what the big deal is about straws…I have one word for you: Lipstick. I eh want tuh have to be re-applying meh lipstick more than necessary.
CARIB bar: 3 out of 5
Servis bar: 5 out of 5


BATHROOMS
The main bathroom that was being used was kept nice and clean, despite the mud being traipsed in and out. Liquid soap, cream for your hands, the usual stuff. There were two mirrors for ladies: one normal mirror and one full length.
4 out of 5


EYE FOOD
Eye Food for the ladies: not so much to be honest. I wasn’t overly impressed with the gape. No real setta head turning.
Eye food for the men: Bess. That’s the only word to describe it. LOL.
4 out of 5 for the men
3 out of 5 for the ladies.


SECURITY
I did not notice any security for the many cars on the road. I thought this was important as people were parked all over, from Maraval Road to around the Savannah and all the other side streets.
Also, while there was quite a lot of lighting outside the fete, some parts of the fete were a little too dark for my liking. Not that I expect bright lights, but still.
Security could be improved upon.
3 out of 5



Next up: Licensing fete Saturday 20th January and ONE fete on Sunday 21st January.

9 comments:

Ayanna J. said...

Zan singing with Machel now?

afro chic said...

Yep. Since last year.

sweettrini said...

This review was BES!!! You cracked me up though I appreciate your attention to detail from performances to bathroom. Nice!! So now I have to ask, seeing as I coming from abroad the week before Carnival, what is your thought on:

Headley or Beach House? UWI Splash or TRIBE Thursday? Girl Power, Smile or VIP Friday?

Yuh doh have to give meh no in depth reviews, just overall feelings about the best ones. Or feel free to say neither or none!!

Thank yuh very much!

ttfootball said...

hi, found u through Mani blog. This real funny, i enjoy reading. I only thinkin look at ting I missin nah...I does hate coming home for xmas and then only WEEKS later is carnival :(

Adding you to my blogroll :)

afro chic said...

Thanks for the feedback sweettrini.

I don't know what you like when you go to a fete or what you base your decisions on.

For me it's MAINLY value for money and that is in terms of 1. who is performing. Key for me is Machel or Destra. 2.if it's a drinks free, all inclusive, or buy your own drinks or drink specials. 3. who is promoting the fete.I could go on.

But wrt your list:
Been to Beach House...I want to give Headley a try.

Been to UWI Splash...Never been to TRIBE Thursday. Not interested in either unless TRIBE has Machel and the price is under $200 and my source told me they don't have that info yet.

Don't know much about Smile or VIP Friday so I would say Girl Power cause IP always delivers.

afro chic said...

Thanks ttfootball. So I guess that means you not coming home for Carnival?

ttfootball said...

Doing my Masters degree now, only home for xmas break

Oswyn said...

well afro chic, thanks for the gape report for the guys.

What is this Machel Montano HD business? Is there no more Xtatik?

afro chic said...

No prob Mani.

As for Machel...yes there is Xtatik but he's 'evovled'

"Montano, in his 25th year has gone through another reinvention this year, billing his act as Machel Montano HD."