Ronnie and Caro Band Launch Bakkanal - The Aftermath

Date: Friday 29th August 2008

Place: Club Ambassador

Cost: $50 past masqueraders, $100 non masqueraders

Thanks to Saucy, I had collected a pass for myself and a guest to attend the media launch which was scheduled from 8:00pm-100:00pm.

For reasons yet to be explained, there was no media launch. We waited and waited and nothing, except some not so warm hors 'douvres and an open bar. No announcement was made or anything. Quite a few of the media personnel present left before the presentation began.

This is after I was hustling home, missing my getting my hair braided, and hustling back into town to get to Ambassador.

Anyhoo, Saucy left and I stayed to see my band's launch.

Even though I love at least one section in every band launched so far, I was waiting until Ronnie & Caro launched to decide where I would be registering this year.

The launch eventually got started around 11:30pm which was soon after the MC, Allison Hennessy arrived. Caro opened the presentation listing the band's achievements of this year including First Place in Medium Band of the Year and Most Colourful Band.

Allison came on next to introduce the costumes.

The band's theme for this year is Bakkanal and focuses on the bacchanal of Carnival.

The first section up was Panorama

There are three female version of this costume, a backline, a frontline and an uber(?) frontline. I'm not sure what they're calling the different versions of the costumes.

THis costume is okay, but no WOW factor.

Chutney Soca Monarch

Another section with three female versions of this costume. I liked the more traditional interpretation of this costume.

WASA fete

I thought that this reminded me very much of Down the Islands form last year's presentation as it is the same shade of blue although a variance in the execution. As a blue costume it is just pretty. I thought that the name for this section could have been different though.

Soca MonarchThis was the first section of the night to make me go "Ohhhh". It's a very vibrant shade of orange, but I think that it needs a little more contrast.

Green with Envy

The frontline for this costume had an interesting detail where the fan could be attached to the back of the belt and made into a bumsee bustle.
I don't understand how the section Green with Envy falls into the whole Carnival is Bacchanal

theme.
The chick who modelled the frontline costume real throw me for six with the off colour shoes though.

Dimanche Gras

I love the detail of the bra and belt in this section.

The frontline was another that has a convertible fan/bustle piece.

Calypso Fiesta


I like the bra and belt desing of this costume, but not neccessarily the headpiece and backpack which reminds me of the design for Angel Fish of last year.

The backline headpiece of this costume consists of a mask, nd I do not like masks for Carnival as they block my FAB! makeup.

Cockfight
Another section with three versions of the female costume.

The backline has fallen victim to the feathery crotch and nipples, the frontline is okay, bu tagain with the featery nipples and a mask as well. I did find the uber frontline costume was portrayed very well by Miss Soowan Bramble. She really got into it, and with a bit of tweaking (and clipping of boas) this costume could be one of my favorites.

This section's male costume is the worst by far.

Blue Devils

The models for this section REALLY got int the whole vibe of what they were portraying.

I like the idea but I do not think it was well executed. I say more horns and less feathers. And fix that sad looking backline tail. I also thought the wings on the frontline looked a bit flimsy.

Overall I felt very underwhelmed by the presentation as I was expecting that much more from Ronnie & Caro this year. WHile the costumes are not ugly, I think some of them fall short of being fantastic.

The men's costumes are all very standard and consists of a fedora with four feathers, a neck piece and arm piece. Very generic.


Shortly after the presentation I left Club Ambassador and made my way home.

I give Ronnie & Caro's 2009 band launch 6 boas out of 10.