Tribe, Harts sold out

With Carnival Monday and Tuesday only two and a half weeks away, two big bands, Harts Ltd and Tribe, are completely sold out while the majority of the other big bands have attained over 50 percent of their targeted sales.

Thais Hart, of Harts Ltd, yesterday said that the 20 sections of her band "Voyage BC" were fully sold out. Harts has a total of 3,000 masqueraders.

This position was echoed by Dean Akim of Tribe. Just in its second year, Akim said Tribe had been sold out since September last year. Some 3,300 masqueraders will make up that band portraying "What Lies Beneath."

At the reigning Band of the Year’s camp, Trini Revellers bandleader Dave Cameron told Newsday that between 60 to 70 percent of their costumes had been sold. Five of the 24 sections depicting "Rome — The Empire" are completely closed, but Cameron said they will be making costumes for the off-the-line buying, especially when visitors to our shores come into town. The band will be 2,500 members strong.

The popular Poison Mas outfit led by Michael Headley has 28 band sections portraying various "Dreams" for Carnival. Headley said 85 percent of his in-house sections have already been sold out, but could not say how sales in the private sections were going. He said his major concern was that the band does not cross the 6,000 figure.

Juliet de la Bastide of Legacy told Newsday that six of their 12 in-house sections have been closed and 75 percent of the band altogether has been sold out. De la Bastide and "Big Mike" Antoine will lead 19 sections with 2,500 masqueraders depicting "Kingdom" for Carnival.

Across at the Island Events Mas camp, Michelle Khan said that 80 percent of the band "Mardi Gras" has been sold. She added that there were a lot of online registrations that afforded her such a high registration at this time.

However, both Mas-querade and medium band Genesis are bemoaning the slowness of registrations. Earl Patterson, bandleader of Masquerade that will be portraying "Atlantis," said the delay may have been caused by the many people leaving the country due to the crime situation.

He said he felt that the Government should come out and allay the fears of citizens so that they could come out and play their Mas.

Fifty-five percent of his band of 11 sections has been sold out, but he is still making costumes to facilitate tourist arrivals.

Ian McKenzie of Genesis reported a meagre 40 percent registration of his band "Festivals."

He is expecting to have 800 to 900 masqueraders on the road for Carnival in the medium band category. Doing a little better in that category is Skandal-Us, with 50 percent of its costumes sold. Maggie Lloyd, spokesperson for the band, said people were now catching the Carnival fever, and she is hopeful that all 14 sections of their band "Havana" will be sold by Carnival. Mean-while, veteran mas man Peter Minshall decided to come out of retirement after a few years absence, and launch "The Sacred Heart."

His Mas designer buddy, who filled the void for him, Brian Mac Farlane, is expected to launch his "Threads of Joy" on Sunday.