Humanity Circle Of Life- The Aftermath

Date: Friday 8th October 2010

Location: Mobs 2, Chaguaramas

Cost: TT$400.00

Well after last year's spectacular launch in Tobago expectations were high for Brian Mac Farlane's 2011 presentation "Humanity-Circle of Life".

We got to Mobs 2 just after 9:00pm and made our way inside. Having not been to Mobs 2 in ages, (probably since the days of glow fete) I was pretty amazed by how the venue looked. A lot of the surface has been graded down and re-paved.

The launch was held in what is usually the VIP area for Insomnia. The theme was black and white and all attendees and guests were asked to comply with the colour theme. The overall effect was very nice and there were lots of fashonistas out and about...(the Bloggerati included of course. LOL)

The show started shortly after Uncle Max arrived at about 10:15pm and we made out way stageside along with the other media present (of which there were plenty!)

Opening the show was the Alternative Quartet who are always fantastic in my opinion. They performed a great rendition of David Rudder's 'Oil and Music'. After the Alternative Quartet, the show began with performers crawling onto the stage amidst smoke. We then saw white versions of birds who then unveiled the large silver hand from which Mac Farlane, dressed as a sage in robes, appeared to give us the story behind the presentation.

I was glad to see the trend that he started last year was continued, with showing of actual costume prototypes. LOVED that.

I think this presentation will have great impact on the road, as black and white is always fierce.

Overall though I'm not loving the individual costumes as much as in previous years and this may be because the presentation is a bit more abstract, I'm not sure.

My favorite sections are: Baptism, Knowledge, Work, Freedom and Passion.

You can check out my album on Facebook HERE.

After the presentation Roy Cape took to the stage.

I am once again making a public plea for someone to step in and act as Rita Jones' stylist. Rita looked she didn't make the cut for Ru Paul's Drag Race.

Other than the distraction of Rita, Roy Cape gave a great performance and got the stoosh crowd moving. Blaxx was entertaining as always. Benjai was a guest performer with the band and sang one of my favorites "Carnival Come Again".

Tony Prescott also performed with the band and informed the crowd that he will be with Roy Cape for Carnival 2011. (What happen to Surface? Anyone?). We left the launch after Roy Cape completed their set.

The food at the launch was on point. I started and ended my night with a cup of delicious corn soup. The wings, accra, pholourie and the sauce was bess. I LOVED the local delicacies...the tamarind ball take win! Drinks flowed all night as well, there was the regular bar as well as the wine bar, and my Coke on the rocks were nice and gassy just how I like it.

Overall this was a good launch, though not as WOW as Tobago and I would give it 4 out of 5.

Mac Farlane - Video

Resurrection:The Mas - The Aftermath

Usually nothing can get me out of my sweet comfy bed early on a Sunday morning, but with Brain Mac Farlane's launch scheduled to be held in Tobago (which I had been eagerly looking forward to all week), I made sure to get up, get dressed and was out of the house by 6:15am and on my way to the airport.

After a minor mix up with my photographer's (hubby) name, we checked in, boarded the plane and started our journey.

Almost immediately on landing, we were whisked off in the chartered coaches to Pigeon Point Heritage Park where we had some light refreshments of coconut water, fruit and vegetable quiche.

With our bellies filled the rest of the festivities began with the bele dancers and drummers making their way to the pier, and the media to the awaiting boats where we were told we would be ferried over to the Buccoo Reef sandbar.

The boat ride was nice, smooth sailing under the warmth of the sun.

As we approached what appeared to be an outcropping of rocks, the boats began to slow and as we got even closer, we saw something gold glittering in the sun among the rocks.

As we got even closer, it seemed as though the rocks began moving.

Closer still and we realise that it is not rocks but people in costumes lying down on the sandbar.

Very close the sandbar now and a drum beat rings out over the ocean and a jab jab gets up and cracks his whip in the air. *CRACK*

*CRACK*

The drum beat gets faster now and more of the 'rocks' begin to reveal themselves.

We see a gold sequined bat, baby dolls, pierrot grenades, minstrels, sailors and a midnight robber (Mac Farlane) in the mix all decked off in varying shades of bronze, gold and cream.

The drum beat break out into a full riddim section now and all hell breaks loose on the sandbar and is level jamming!

The media go paparazzi on us and start taking pictures like crazy! (Myself included)

While all the jamming is happening on the sandbar the intrepid cameraman and his accompanying reporter Roger Dwarika, who were on our boat, jump into the water to be part of the action!

Dat is journalism for yuh money...go where de story is!

After getting their shots (and nearly getting left back as the performance was finished), they get back on the boat and all the boats headed back to the Pigeon Point jetty, and everyone is talking about how amazing the experience was.

There was a bit of a mixup when we got back to Pigeon Point as we were supposed to have been taken to Buccoo. So we jumped back on the boat that took us to Buccoo and the villa where, according to the itinerary, we would get some refreshments, see the costumes and get the opportunity to speak with the man himself, Brian Mac Farlane.

As we appraoched the villa, someone said that this was the very same villa that the Real World/Road Rules MTV people used for The Gauntlet 2 which was filmed in Tobago.

We were greeted with at the entrance of the villa to some delicious fruit and rum punches, pan music and the trademark Mac Farlane framed prints of his costumes.

The food provided was extremely tasty and we had a wide array to choose from including samosas, stuffed crab shells, shrimp, fried plantain (one of my faves), kibbi and so much more. At this point in time and because of the mix up with the boats that occured earlier we were running behind schedule.

When all of the coaches arrived at the villa, Mac Farlane took the opportunity to address his audience. He spoke of his reasons behind selecting Buccoo Reef for the staging of his presentation as the destruciton of the reef symbolised the destruction of the mas, hence the need for the ressurection of the mas.

Mac Farlane also took the opportunity to thank the persons involved, including his brother Jeffery, who allowed him use of the Pigeon Point Heritage Park, the Buccoo Reef at no extra cost, as well as the owner of the villa Keith, who he also presented with a token of appreciation.

At this point in time we were running WAY behind schedule and hastily made our way to the awaiting coaches to be shuttled back to the airport and head back to Trinidad.

I did take the opportunity to purchase the requisite red mango/tambran/pawpaw balls ans sugarcake, which btw is now a hefty $8 each! More on that robbery a next time.

The plane was noticeably missing journalists as I think some ofthem took the opportunity to extend their half day to a full one in Tobago.

Kudos to the Mango Media team who organised the entire day!

Overall, this launch was one of THE BEST launches I have ever been to, form amazing start to amazing finish, and I am already looking forward to see what he comes up with next year!

Resurrection: The Mas Band Launch - Pics

The Event - The Aftermath

Here is just a peek at some of the happenings at The Event created by Brian Mac Farlane which was held last night at the Carlton Savannah.

More videos, pics and the review to come.