Venue: Pier 1
Price: $260
Better late than never right? This is my review as a non-biased non-TRIBER for life. ;)
This was my first year going to TRIBE's Launch.
Even though I left home at 10:00pm, I still ended up in the most ridiculous traffic since AC3. My crew and I, including blogger Ms. Licious who I carpooled with (thanks Ms!), eventually made it to the venue, parked somewhere behind God back and walked to Pier 1 entrance.
Kudos to TRIBE for encouraging people to carpool with the parking at Pier 2 for those who did.
My first impression of the venue: WOW!
But then again I expected nothing less from TRIBE...ah mean love them or hate them...we know TRIBE does deliver.
Cages and bush and waterfalls and lights everywhere.
Fake birds chirping (lil loud), real birds chirping up in their cages, the parrot at the entrance telling you "Welcome to TRIBE *SQUAWK*" Corny as heck, but you got the idea...yuh reach TRIBE launch and it have something to do with birds. I too had some concern about the birds and told Ms. Licious that I was SURE someone would talk about that, so said so done.
Women in costume in cages too! Anyhoo...
We reach inside...if allyuh see people! If I didn't know better I would have thought I was transported back in time to Bazodee Friday or something...people like feathers on a headpiece! Like beads on a costume (unless is Paprika we talking about :P)
We headed straight for the bar grabbed some drinks and then stage front because an earlier text from Saucy said presentation starting at 12:00. As we were making our was stage side we heard an announcement that said Costumes at 1:00am. I guess plenty people were still stuck in traffic and they wanted to make sure as many people saw the presentation as possible.
Well 1:00am came and passed and nothing. Nothing at 1:15am.
In the meantime this inconsiderate woman to the front of the stage kept leaning back (on me) to take pics of her friends.Okay fine, you happy you here and your friends are having a time, but oh shizzle man, the space in front already tight with everybody taking up a position for pics, why you have to behave foolish so? And why your friends can't tell you to cool your stupid ass and behave? People have some control over allyuh friends please cause I was ready tuh cuff dat woman in her face and just had to move away, cause I wanted to see the costumes more.
Aye aye finally 1:30ish reach and we hearing some action, birds making noise over the speaker system and some action on the sidelines of the stage.
It seemed (to me at least) that TRIBE had some kinda difficulty (technical or otherwise) before costumes finally made it to the stage.
*COUGH COUGH*
Sorry there, for a minute I was blinded by the smoke/fog machine.
Here I was thinking that TRIBE does read Saucy blog and know that Fog+Camera=Bad pictures and Upset Phototakeoutters.
Finally the fog clears somewhat and we are able to see the Brazilian Macaw individual costume on display.
Then in a flurry, the male costumes came on.I think TRIBE actually made an effort with the male costumes this year.
As for the African Love Bird male model *applause*.
First impressions of the costumes: SKIMPY! Beautiful. Ohh...nice. Where the rest of that one?
Now let's have a one on one with each costume, starting from my least favorites to my absolute favorites.
"Not my favorites"
Flight of the Ibis
When I heard that a Scarlet Ibis costume was being done I thought to myself yes, our National Bird being represented...excellent!
Then I saw Flight of the Ibis Individual. :|
THE. WORST. COSTUME.
TRIBE has effectively made our National Bird extinct with that costume.
When the costume came on the crowd actually went quiet.
It looks likes too many ideas flung onto one costume by several designers. Everybody wanted to be a part of this costume. What's with the beak on the the hand? How the heck am I the masquerader supposed to drink/eat with a beak on my right hand and holding my sad looking wing with my left?
This costume, specifically the individual and frontline costume, rewind and come again TRIBE.
Golden Dove
The frontline of this costume reminds me of Golden Cockfight from Poison. The headpiece seems unbalanced to the arm pieces (I particularly do not like the arm pieces), the bathing suit just confuses me. I do not like this FL costume.
The backline is nice. I like the bathing suit in the backline and the headpiece is nice and manageable.
Pink Flamingo
Does this section have a frontline?
A pink costume with a funny looking feathery thing on your bumsee. It will sell to people who like pink in any form or fashion. It does not even look like it's supposed to represent a bird, it's just another costume with feathers. Next.
There ends my Least Favorite costume list.
Next up is the "Not so Bad/Decent" list.
Night Owl
I had heard that Owl was rumoured to be THE ugliest costume of the lot. It isn't.
Owl is a very nice costume.
There doesn't seem to be a frontline, but the headpiece has a nice detail with the effect of owl eyes and a beak.
Wild Parrot
Cute costume and the colour combination is nice. I wouldn't rush to register with this costume, but it may be taken up by the teeny-boppers who "just want to play in TRIBE".Humming Bird
This costume was initially on my fabulous list, but I downgraded it.The colours of the costume are spot on, but I found the chick who modelled the frontline costume didn't do it justice and it seems as if it stops just short of being fabulous. Maybe it needs more wing. Or something.
Blue Tanager
This was the costume featured on last Friday's Guardian and I thought was the backline, but is actually the frontline. Nice blue costume. I like how the wings a neat and tucked back and the headpiece is nice.This next list gets kinda fuzzy.
These are "Costumes I like, but would not necessarily play in"
Ruby Topaz
Yes the backline is nice.
Yes the frontline wings are gorgeous, but this costume just reminds me too much of Mystique and Isis of this year. (Extra material left over perhaps?)
And for those of you who, like me, had no idea what a ruby topaz was/is Google it.
Brazilian Macaw
Love the colours in this costume and I think the male version of this costume may sellout first.
Jamie-Lee Phillips who modelled this costume looked absolutely stunning. Like this costume was custom made for her and her boobies.
Pheasant
Nice costume and these feathers always look good when put together. Love the backpack and headpiece.
Snowy Owl
With the exception of the spirals things on the back, I like this costume. Gives you the whole snowy effect and feel.Spangled Cottinga
Wait a minute, am I at Spice's launch? Isn't that costume called Blue Melilot?
Yes I understand that its the same designer, but dred even if the colour was different it mighta make people less inclined to say, "TRIBE tief from Spice".
But then again, very few people seem to know that Spice even exists. So I guess TRIBE safe.
Nevertheless, the costume is amazing! While I didn't like it as Blue Melilot, it is stunning as Spangled Cottinga. FAB! swimsuit. FAB! headpiece! FAB! tail...even though I do not like tails.
The backline is simple yet detailed. May just need a few more feathers in the headpiece though.
African Love Bird
The costume drew a lot of oohhh's and ahhh's form the crowd. Beautiful in its detail, I would not play in this section only because I played in those exact colours this year. But it is simply stunning.Now to my "If I was playing in TRIBE, I would play in this section" list.
Caged Canary
Okay I'll admit it. At first I did not like this costume as I was not feeling those wrist pieces at all. I told the designer that on the night. But now when I look at it, it is one of my favorites.
This costume has plenty good points. The vibrant colours. The wrist pieces are now a plus cause it gives you the FAB! without you having anything on your bumsee blocking your wine! Excellent.
Green Honeycreeper
Never saw a green costume I liked until this one. The frontline reminds me a lot of Goddess and Defenders (IP circa 2007), but it is beautiful . The male frontline/individual...HOT! HOT!HOT! Did I mention hot?!Bird of Paradise
Classy. Elegant. Gorgeous.This is a stunning costume. It's simple but effective. The backline is nice. The individual is gorgeous as well.
Kiskadee
This costume speaks to me.
The colour is rich and vibrant. The headpiece is too die for. The leg pieces...I am already seeing the boots to go with this. The tail piece for me is the only drawback as you know Afro Chic does not like things on her bumsee hampering her wine, but for this costume...I would play in TRIBE.
Peacock Individual
This costume also drew some ooh's and ahh's from the crowd, and while it did look good with the nude swimsuit, it looked like a struggle for the model to manouever.
Kudos to TRIBE for having thier models model the costumes wearing boots. It added that extra something.
That's the end of my costume review.
My camera which was not charged during the day, died on me just as the Peacock Individual left the stage and the male individuals came on. I found the male individuals that came on then just okay. Nothing overly amazing to me.
Immediately after the costumes made their last lap on the stage, Bunji and Fayeann came and performed (over tracks). It was a good time to go empty your bladder which I did.
Talking about bladder, kudos to TRIBE for the endless number of porta potties at the venue. Not much waiting, and there were mirrors, hand cream, bounty paper towels. The floor was plenty wet and nasty though. *shudder*
While The Sauce was uploading her pics backstage, I was in front having a time, wining down low and sipping on screwdrivers. (Thank goodness I wasn't driving!)
We got a mix of music, soca when the models were on stage and soca and dancehall during the party afterwards.
I left with Ms. Licous just after 3:30am.
TRIBE's 2009 presentation gets a 8.5 feathers out of 10.
