Blue Devils for J'ouvert and the road

Blue Devils Mas and J'ouvert 
There is this group located in Toronto dedicated to Blue Devil Mas. They have expanded their reach beyond J'ouvert and have been popping up at different events frightening children and some adults too.

Check out their website http://www.bluedevilmas.com/
 

They are doing an early J'ouvert over on Toronto island, you have enough time to go over to the Island on Friday August 1^st (Caribana eve), have a picnic and check out the island, go see some devils, take the ferry back across and see Calypso Rose perform for free 9:30pm, go home or to your hotel, have a shower, eat something and head to a fete.

It will be a full day but you can sleep when yuh dead :)

If you are so inclined you can even play mas with the blue devils for $75 (bargain).

See Calypso Rose for Free at Harbourfront Centre

If you guys have been reading for a while, you will know that I really like the Harbourfront Centre as a venue for music, I'm a fan of some of the more seasoned calypso veterans and I don't miss a free show.

Well, Calypso Rose will be performing on Caribana Friday night at 9:30 pm . for free at the Sirius Stage at Harbourfront centre. That leaves plenty of time to check out her show, go home, bathe and go to your jouvert fete. And I am going quite the hell up to KOS jouvert up near Jane North of Steeles, so you have no excuse.

Check out the link for details

Get on, get on, get on!!!

Today was a l l about the kids for the Caribana Junior Carnival. Sixteen mas bands started at Shoreham Drive and ended up at Yorkgate Mall.
I started attending Kiddies when it was on Eglinton West. That parade had a different feel, more of a junior version of Caribana. Since it's moved to our n'hood in North York, I think it's a stronger, more kid friendly event.

We volunteered this year to become more involved in Caribana. We're quite pleased with the experience and will definitely continue to help out.

Jesse Matthews performed a fantastic choreographed number in front of the judges that wowed the audience. If there isn't a prize for best section, there should be!

There were just so many amazing Queens & Kings, Individuals, and costumes (that can't really be called regular) that represented the bands theme extremely well.

This Jr. winer boy stole the show!

Big up Bootsman, Carl, & reader Michelle who recognized Trini-in-Toronto & I and said she'll come out of the shadows & post.

~* Mas Camp Central~*

You guys might remember one of our Caribana friends Bootsman (Anton Gabriel). Last year we did a post showcasing his custom made mas boots. Anton has acquired a space in Scarborough (the east end of greater Toronto) that he has named Mas Camp Central.
He's turned this space into a museum, the first of it's kind, in tribute to everything Carnival.
Its quite a sight to see all of these creations beautifully displayed on mannequins. It looks like a labor of love.

After making mas boots for just over a year, Anton realized he needed a showroom to display his designs not just at Caribana time, but all year. In January of this year he found a location in Scarborough that was within a short driving distance to most of the mas camps that was just right for this. Like most dedicated mas players, his wife had accumulated many years of costumes from Trinidad Carnival & Caribana. He utilized the showroom to display all these costumes on mannequins, and was quickly offered other costumes from friends & clients who purchased boots.

He now has eighty costumes on display & his a goal is to have one hundred by the end of August 2008.

People who donate costumes get the opportunity to dress the mannequins themselves, and the emotional response seems to be quite an experience, he says. So for all of you who don't keep your costume, now you know what you can do with it! It can become a part of Caribana history! Anton looks forward to more costume donations. Karabana knows she'll be bringing in some of hers!
There are costumes from over 15 years ago from Trinidad, Toronto & even Grenada. On display are costumes from Tribe, Island People, Trini Revellers, Harts, Poison and many from Saldenah, Carnival Nationz, TCC, and others.

The showroom is much like a museum, Anton says, where visitors can "talk mas" and look at Carnival DVD's on a large TV, and reference the many books & magazines on display. He says on occasions one may even share some pelau & corn soup as there is seating for 20 people.

We played in Cow Mas in 2007

Schools in the GTA will be making field trips with students in Arts & Culture to experience carnival & Mas Camp Central will be the location for "Show & Tell" of everything mas. Anton is in partnership with all mas people who encouraged him & contributed to making the showroom a unique place to visit.

I think it's worth a visit just to check out the costumes, but you can also check out his custom made leather or vinyl boots with matching fanny packs.
Mas Camp Central is located at 130 Dynamic Drive (perfect name for this!!), Unit 13 in Scarborough. One block west of Markham Road & McNichol. Tel: 416-524-1782. www.mascampcentral.com
I'm very excited for Bootsman and Caribana as a whole that this museum is finally here, and I know Anton your goal will be reached - even surpassed!

Real Plenty pics from Caribana official launch

Caribana is OFFICIALLY here, Yeah baby!!!!!!

While Karabana was hard at work, she sent me down to the launch to get some pics. I didn't really want to spend the afternoon taking pictures of young ladies in costume, but I didn't want to let down the readers :)
The event started on time, but there was about an hour of speeches before the soca started. That was ok though, I hear government funding and more importantly private sponsorship is at an all time high. So if the guys who helping to pay the bills want to get their message out, I can't complain.
It really was a beautiful day and the costumes, pan and performances were outstanding.

Check out the picks and let me know what you think.



Nice Action shot

Nothing can beat flowing beads
She was feeling the Tassa vibes... did I mention there was a tassa band

The younger generation
Throwing waist to the tassa
This is in front the fountain at city hall
tassa causing it again

The costume is brilliant, and she wears it beautifully, but feather eyelashes just bug me... I don't know why.
Real nice head piece ent?

I know some people aren't finding it sexy enough, but I really like this Green IPADA BO-OLOG BON section. Not only do I think it looks real good, I like that if you didn't know what the theme was, you could guess it was something African

This green one is Karabanas' pick for favorite costume this year
I like to see people look happy like this when they are modeling a costume
All these nice gardens are in the heart of our busy city.... come visit us for CARIBANA

The Tassa band
This is John Kam, he is the festival producer


This man is not in costume, this is his normal clothes. He seem like a nice enough fella, he wanted $5 for taking his picture, then eluded to some other arrangement if I didn't want to pay. I think he was, joking but I left anyway.