IslandMix

Having a conversation with pointhova on how mas on the road goes, i figured that some ppl who have never been to tnt would have the same inquiries like she had.

we'll start w/ mas on the road, and since the majority of ppl on this site are playing w/ poison, i'll break it down to the best of my knowledge.

monday mas.
shortly after jouvert, revellers either continue to drink, lime, n fete into the monday celebrations, while many other patrons who decide to play mas on Monday, head off to their mascamps sometime in the 11oclock hour to meet the band. The attire goes as pleases. Some decide to wear the full costume, some decide not to wear any pieces of the costume at all, and some are given outfits designed especially for the Monday celebrations. Most females on Monday will wear the bra piece, occassionally the neckband, and pum pum shorts, while many of the men just come out barbeback in shorts. Less ppl play on Monday, so the day goes by quicker. From the larger bands to the smaller bands, the largest of bands could pass each judging point in less then an hour, reaching an hour. Since many of the mascamps are located in Woodbrook, many of the bands leave from an appointed place the band leader has picked or at the mascamp. There is a route to follow, but unlike the parkway and other Caribbean carnivals i.e. Barbados, all bands do not start from the same location.
Ex. Poison Carnival Monday
We'll say the band forms at 11:30 by the Oval, and heads down to Aripita avenue to the first venue(Adam Smith Square) by now the time is 12:00. The revellers parade across the stage and head down Aripita Ave, following along until Park Street across to the next venue (Victoria Square), and should be ready to cross that stage for around 1:00-1:30. The band if follows the normal route will head downtown via Richmond Street, going across Indepence Square heading down onto South Quay for the downtown venue. By this time it should be 2:30- 2:45 The band will cross the downtown stage heading back up onto Independence Square heading up Fredrick Street. The band will proceed up Fredrick Street, making a right onto Park Street, making another left onto Charlotte Street. The band will proceed up Charlotte Street until Memorial Park making a left onto Queens Park West heading into the Savannah. Judging that there will be bands in front of Poison the wait shouldn't be as long as Tuesday to hit the stage. By this time the band should be in the Savannah by 4:15- 4:30 ready to cross the stage at the latest 5:15-5:30 the band will then go across the stage and come out the Savannah proceeding onto Queens Park West making a left onto Cipriani Blvd. The band will head down Cipriani Blvd making a right onto Tragerette Mainroad heading back into the Woodbrook St. James area. By this time it should be around 6:45, and the band will pack up w/ djs and bands on the truck at the location, where the band leader best sees fit.

Cont. Carnival Tues.

Tues Mas. Starts much earlier.
Many bands decide to form around 7 and the latest 8. Most venues if not all are open for band competition by 8. Like Monday all bands leave from different locations. Harts for example form at the left of the Savannah for about 6:30 and head to the stage for 8. Legends another example forms usually on St. Vincent Street, going dowtown first, for about 8:30. Poison has been said to form by the Oval, for sometime in the 8:00 hour.
Unlike Monday, all masqueraders are out in their "full glory." Full Costume, w/ more ppl. Unlike Monday, where many masqueraders play out of section all day and chip where the feel, on Tues, bandleaders do ask that when it comes time to cross one of the four stages(venues) that u do resume back into your section. Other then crossing the stage, masqueraders are free to roam the band, bounce up friends in other sections, truck hop, and play outta section. When reaching close to a venue, the band will re-esemble back into their sections which can take up to 1/2 hour. At a venue, it won't be unlikely that you will have to wait for 2 or 3 bands to pass before your band does, and if it's like the Savannah in recent years, you could be waiting to cross the Savannah stage up to 4 hours.
Ex. Poison again.
We'll say the band will assemble for 8:00 by the Oval, and leave for Adam Smith by 8:30. By 8:45-9:00 Poison should be waiting at Adam Smith to cross the stage. Seeing that it is Carnival Tues. and Poison might have to wait on 3 or 4 bands to pass, we'll say they'll hit the stage at Adam Smith for 9:30 10:00 at the latest. The band will go across the stage heading down to Victoria Square. For the hour it takes to head down to Victoria Square, many masqueraders will take their first leave of their section and roam the band. By the time the band hits Victoria Square it should be 10:30 10:45. The band will re-esemble back into its sections and we'll say the band will cross for 11:00 11:15. The band will then now head down Richmond Street, going down to the downtown venue, this should take all of 45 minutes to an hour, and adding the wait factor to cross the stage, Poison should be ready and assembled to cross the dowtown stage for 12:45 1:00. From the time the band left Victoria Square, again as a masquerader you are free to roam the band, and play out of section. The band now will head up to the Savannah, reaching by Memorial Park by 2:30, now is when masqueraders really are out of section, coming up Fredrick Street, and up Charlotte Street. By this time Poison has been playin mas whole day and masqueraders are playin as they feel. By 3:45 4:00 the band should be in the Savannah, while security try to get the band sectionized again, this time efforts are even harder, ppl really doing as they feel, but for the most part most of the ppl are in their designated section. By 4:30 Poison should be onstage, w/ masqueraders crossing the stage and going back into other sections(tho frowned upon by judges). Trying to cross 10000 ppl Poison will attempt to be off the stage in full by 6:00. By this time they head back into Woodbrook, St. James area, and again Masqueraders are free to roam as they please, b/c they have crossed all venues, and are done competing for the day.


The times might be off, b/c its unpredictable but usually that's how it goes. Tunes selected for roadmarch are tunes that will be played over and over at the four venues.

:cool2 Very good explanation there Rudes. You painted a very good picture of playing mas in Trinidad.

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BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA 44th PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!

it's been a long time comin'.... but I know....a CHANGE is gonna come

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thanks babes, last nite i went to reduce the IM box and i closed it by mistake

rudes you should go into journalism

COULD SOMEONE LET THE VONTRAPPS READ THE PART IN CARNIVAL TUESDAY ABOUT PLAYING OUT OF ONE'S SECTION UNTIL IT IS TIME TO CROSS? I'VE SEEN THEM REALLY FORCING PEOPLE TO STAY IN ORDER..........ON CARNIVAL TUESDAY?

Good gosh man. You got it down nice. :p *remembers...follow rudes instructions when rum hits rummy head too hard*