How funny that my first year playing mas my #1 costume pick, Tribe's Amazon ended up being my costume. Will be forever greatful to my friend and her links for this experience, cuz of course since around 2008 getting into TRIBE minus a TLC card is only possible if you have that good good pre-registration hook-up! Strangely enough I had no real intentions of playing mas this year, compared to other years where I registered and then sold my costume (will always regret not playing in Water Nymph!) or contemplated playing with other bands....and then said nahhh
So because I tend to b a lil blonde at times, silly me didnt let one of my friends pick my costume up, but instead waited til I got home to go collect it. Collection was smooth-ish. They go by this chit system that if applied properly would make sense, but on this day for some reason they waited til they had a lot of people present and then started handing out chits so of course everybody rushed and the expected ' we were here first and they get chits before us' arguments started with one particular woman threatening to 'get beetham on them' *bbm scared face*
Then a few hours wait for my chit no to be called, but after that things moved smoothly until....the TRIBE Distribution lady came out holding my costume box and NO HEADPIECE. Fifteen minutes later and still no headpiece but the very nice lady keeps coming back to reassure me that 'the issue with my costume' was being sorted out. Eventually she comes up with a large headpiece (i had ordered a small) and told me that it was on the house and apologizes profusely. Now while this issue was dealt with swiftly and promptly and I LOVED my new headpiece, other masqueraders were not so lucky. While I was there there were a LOT of Iroquois masqueraders who were upset about their missing headpieces as well as the guy next to me was somehow registered for a wrong section in error by TRIBE and had to take a costume from another section. I'm not sure what it was about this year, if by bringing out two bands maybe they stretched their resources too thin but from the get go there were quite a few hiccups.
I had a great time on the road Monday, and have absolutely no complaints, the wait to cross the stage wasnt too bad, drinks were flowing, my lunch (pelau) tasted great and OMG those cocktails they served after lunch were divine! Some people complained about the length of time we stayed at the rest stop but I honestly feel like for me at least that was necessary for me to last the rest of the day on the road.
Tuesday...blehh...the wait to get to the stage was borderline ridic, no fault of Tribe's I know but I really wish that the powers that be would allow the drinks trucks to remain with the masqueraders until they actually go on stage as opposed to turning off beforehand. My stage experience on Tuesday wasnt all that either. Monday they held my section back until the stage was clear then let us go all at once so we got that euphoric burst onto the stage. I jus remember feeling this huge release and understanding that yes THIS was what the savannah stage was all about, niceness! Tuesday....there was a truck mix up..they started letting Amazon on then Hoppa had to tell the security no and call us back. Then when we did get on you could barely hear the music for some reason...and i dunno..it just didnt have that climax like Monday. Also there were nuff BLISS masqueraders with us..chippin wit the band..inside the rope mind you, getting drinks by the truck..and crossing, yes i said it crossing the stage with us as well. Now my thing is, if you pay for the ultra exclusive experience, because TRIBE is too big and what not then STAY with your ultra exclusive band nuh. Then people wonder how TRIBE ran out of food monday. well obviously if BLISS folks were up in the mix there wouldnt be enough food because they simply didnt cater for that.
What else...there was no announcement when the trucks started pulling off after lunch, so lo and behold by the time we get ourselves together the last truck is announcing that its leaving. Now this truck had some difficulties rounding a corner and ended up getting left behind, but the masqueraders that were left waited on it. Now imagine our surprise when this truck starts speeding off leaving us to literally run behind it to catch up to the band. and that set the trend for the rest of the day cuz from then on it was either the band not moving at all or they speeding :S. BUT I still had fun, I mean neverending Johnnie, sexy TRIBE men and that god send that is the TRIBE cool zone was all i needed to keep me happy lol. Until the storming started...I dunno if security was only hired to work until sunset but after it got dark had rel unsavory band-less types all up on the truck and smack in the middle of the sections as if they pay they money too. meanwhile security chippin right next to them holding the rope...make sense to u? no right.
O and as for my costume...smh..stuff was falling off before I even tried anything on. Monday Wear moved from an option to a necessity simply because there was no way that costume could have taken two days of jammin. I was chippin on the road and shedding beads all over lol. Thankfully not in obvious places but..yeh...better glue next time por favor!
Now being the unfit lazy person I am I just couldnt make with the after party, but kudos Tribe cuz the security to get in were not playing games, talking about 5 diff ppl checking your bands b4 they let you in and party had bare vibes, next yr when i'm a lil more fit I will take full advantage lol
All in all I had a great time BUT I really hope TRIBE takes note of what their masqueraders are saying and get these issues addressed and fixed in time for next year. And note I said addressed because to me it seems that they have been strangely silent post-carnival in light of all this feedback that they have been getting. I mean can we get a little email self saying that you guys acknowledge there were glitches and are working on them? That being said...I look forward to bigger and better things from TRIBE for Carnival 2012. Even with these little issues they are still my #1 :)
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