Island People: Shades of the Universe - The Aftermath...

Date: Friday 20th August 2010

Location: Pier 1

Cost: $210 for masqueraders

Imagine my surprise when I get an email in my inbox from ISLANDPeopleMas on Thursday evening inviting me to their media launch. This was just moments after speaking the Carnival Jumbie about the lack of an invitation. Hmmm...thanks to whoever called on mine and Jumbie's behalf and thanks IP!

Fast forward to Friday night, arrange for my drop down to the launch (who forgot me btw *coughSaucycough*) and we get there just around 9:30pm, just as the launch was about to start. I again tweeted for @TrinisceneLive on Friday and I did not have a photog for the night, so the shots I got were limited. (Next time Afro Chic and guest would be nice IP *hinthint*)

Noone told me there was going to be a race that night, or else I would have come better prepared. Dem models bolt out that curtain onto the runway and back so fast yuh could barely tweet or take a pic!

We were told that after the media launch, the launch itself would take place at 11:00pm. Great I thought, I could have time to shake my bumsee in the party lil bit before I went home. Media launch come and gone, 11:00pm come and gone, we hear launch at 12:00, which then turned into 12:30 which then turned into ridiculous.

I think if the music playing wasn't so damn good I woulda been bored outta my mind. Dat dj played the BEST music I've heard so far in all the launches that I have been too.

Finally! 1:30am and the show begins.

One time is REAL smoke on the stage, and from my vantage point up on top de balcony dat wasn't good, so wuss yet for who was stageside (as wuzdescene mentioned my camera eh have no smoke setting). The big screen dat was taking up half the stage lifts up and we see some alien creatures in silver body suits (did that dude have a camletoe?) an they o some simmy dimmy and after one long ass drawn out explanation, the first section comes on stage.

If yuh familiar with IP, yuh know the first section at the launch and on the road does always be Sonia Mack.

Quasar aka Quasi-Black Brule

This costume is lovely, but the similarities to Black Widow and Soleil Brule cannot be missed, down to the rhinestone braid and style. I love what I assume will be the individual with the skirt and all the fabric (doh set allyuh eyes and heart on this one, Sonia does have her people long beforehand). Signature Sonia Mack costume here. I counted 8 options for the females and 3 for the males.

Nebular's Hypnosis

Nice. Simple. Safe. Blue.

I like it.

Saturn Sanctuary

I did not like the execution of the hoop design for the individual, but it was a nice concept. How yuh wining in dat? I did not get a closeup of the backline and the frontline is okay. Not a fan of that fringe, it's kind of dull, but I like the shoulder pieces.

Vega

I like this costume, and it's green! Love the materials used, not too loving the shoulder hoops though. Both frontline and backline are very pretty.

M51

Allyuh sure Diane Hunt design this? *yawn* Boring. And the frontline model was over sour.

Mars Bliss

What/ TWO Sonia Mack sections?!?!

I like this section for some strange reason. Not that I would wear it, but I like the textured, coral like feel of shoulder pieces and face mask. And I doh mind the body piece at all.

Luna Cycle

This section is the first that looks like it fits to the theme to me. I'm not liking the netted part over the eyes, I would cut that off, and I'm not feeling that stiff headpiece either. The individual was very Lady Gaga, and I liked that.

Zune

Now come on. Ah mean really. Nice design yuh know, but I saw this a month ago in TRIBE launch man. But it was purple and they called it Persian Gold. *sigh* And wait...the hoodie too? What is dat? That being said I did not like this costume at first look, but the leg and arm pieces are fierce.

Galactic Dust

I coulda swear i tell IP retire this colour for their costumes yuh know. And doh think I missed the Jellyfish fabric style from Animal Instincts cause I didn't. Despite that I do like the overall look of this costume.

Meteor Burst

I predict that things will be bursting in IP...bursting out that is. I hope IP giving away pasties with this one. NEK-KID. I doh even think I ever see a Rio costume so nekkid.

Orion's Starbirth

Not a favorite of mine. The colour combo again is too familiar for me. Lovely monokini style on the individual, but lacking decoration, and I doh understand the point of that ugly monstrosity of the backpack.

Forever Orbit

Wait...when did this become a night at the Playboy mansion? What the hell? Is that lingerie? The frontline could pass with a push, but that backline, people will want to know if Yoko Fung band coming back for 2011.

Twilight Phenom

IP for 2011 will have a youth oriented section targeted to the 16-20 age group. This is a great idea that I can see other bands wanting to/should pickup in the future. As far as this costume goes, it's aite. Kinda naked for teens, but some of them wear worse than that to go to the mall/cinema. Not loving the collar and headpiece though.

IP's overall presentation would have been great, had I seen it when it was scheduled to start. As it was, the endless alien appearances and robotic/alien model poses just drew out the show longer than it needed to be.

Swappi came on to entertain the crowd during the grand finale and was decked out in all white wit silver...IP should have that as a male costume, because the males were lacking for the most part, with the exception of probably Sonia Mack.

I would be hard pressed to find a costume to suit me/my taste in IP this year.

Overall I give IP's costumes 3 asteroids out of 5.