‘Display’ tipped to win Road March

A MINISTRY of National Security helicopter passed overhead periodically, Commissioner of Police Hilton Guy oversaw events, and a dozen uniformed officers were supplemented by a visit of MOPS Squad and two mounted officers, plus a small group of soldiers. Further, most of the large bands provided their own band security personnel, Legends for example employing a whopping 325 officers. All this made for a peaceful day at Adam Smith Square, Ariapita Avenue, Woodbrook.

While most in the public stands lapped up the frenzy passing in front of them, many families took five, feeling secure and comfortable enough to picnic on the grass behind the stands. The action began at 8.15 am with Barbarossa’s “Comme Se, Comme Sa” which took 20 minutes to pass, followed by Poison’s “Fleurs de Passion” taking 50 minutes. Viewers enjoyed a wide variety of presentations, some truly making a special impact. Legends’ “Bedazzled” made an impact by its size, requiring 58 minutes for all 15 sections of 2,500 masqueraders to pass the stage area. They were perhaps the most disciplined band, each section being well separated from the others, each group of the masqueraders bursting forth on stage to great effect. Many of the bands had a section which did an introductory dance, and Legends made their mark here. A group quietly filed on, in spiritual all-white, representing peace. They were followed by a couple dozen lovely girls, beautifully dressed in our nationalist red, white and black, this time doing a celebratory dance to David Rudder’s “Hallelujah” and “Trini to the Bone”. Trini Revellers and De BOSS (Belmont Original Stylish Sailors) also gave good introductory dances, revellers forming files and then circles. One band which ditched the theatrics which had previously made a name for it, was Peter Minshall’s Callaloo Company. Minshall’s “Ship of Fools” offered a plain all-white sailor band, including one or two unusual headpieces like an elephant head, but the effort seemed half-hearted. The band took just 13 minutes to pass the stage-area, with many stragglers later passing to catch up and with one of his floats being driven past presumably to be exhibited at a more “deserving” venue.

Making a big splash was the Mystery Raiders’ “Ye Robbers of Marli Street”, a Midnight Robber band which criticised the United States for its embassy take-over of Marli Street, Port-of-Spain, and for its impending war against Iraq. The Robbers were fast-talking and slow-moving, striding about the stage in their variety of impressive outfits, giving verbal and visual displays of their political message. Sporting a mask of US President George Bush, one King George Bushmaster offered several weapons of mas destruction including The National Courthouse Clothes Commission (NCC) and “a misguided missile called Pan — one week its coming from the left, next week from the right”. The Robbers stood their ground against several persons walking through the band and against the loud music of the next big band coming on-stage. Another ole time mas band, the four-strong Minstrel Players, had earlier faced a similar fate, their rich, well-blended voices being threatened by a music-truck, ironically blasting a heavy-bass of remake of Lord Kitchener’s ole time “The Needle”. Other traditional bands which impressed were Tribal Connection’s “Warriors of the Great Plains” and Jab Molassie’s “More Terrorist”. Trini Revellers’ “Gathering of the Tribes” was very pretty bikini-and-beads mas.

A crimson first section gave way to an intensely relaxing spread of pink — plumes and flags, and ultimately regal revellers in leopard skin cloaks, and finally very impressive Native American large red-and-white feathered headdresses. Masquerade/Funtasia’s “Colours of the Wind”  also offered lovely, well- sectioned costumes, the topical Desert Storm section recreating the feel of a desert by the muted yellow, while and orange segments of its flags and capes, all caught up in the wind. Mount Hope Connection’s “A Sailor’s Dream” really drew the crowd’s applause as a group of its tourist masqueraders performed the band’s elaborate introductory dance. De BOSS really impressed with their very intricately colourful sailors. Several steelbands paraded including Desperados, Starlift and Invaders. Newcomers Skandal-R-Us, a medium-sized “pretty mas” band  could well place high in the judging, given their impressive colour combinations.  A rough count of the songs played by each passing truck put Faye-Ann Lyons’ “Display” clearly ahead to win the Road March. Over seven hours at Adam Smith Square yesterday, Lyons’ “Display” was played 12 times, ahead of Destra’s “It’s Carnival” which was played seven times and Iwer George’s “Home” played five times.