J'Ouvert in
Trinidad
Eric Mannweiler reports on his 2011 steelband panorama
experiences
Posted by
Eric Mannweiler
on March 11, 2011 at 3:29 p.m.
Hello everyone,
I
am sorry I haven't posted anything since
finals, but between Carnival, enjoying my
last day in Trinidad, and leaving, I haven't
had time! Even though these are late, I'd
like to share my Carnival experiences in
this discussion, so thanks for sticking with
me!
I played on the road with
Starlift for J'Ouvert, Carnival Monday and
Tuesday, and what an incredible series of
experiences!! I have never seen anything
like Carnival in my life! An entire city
partying over the course of two days (really
three though)... It's something that I think
needs to be seen and experienced to really
understand! There is much to talk about, so
I'll start with J'Ouvert.
J'Ouvert
was nuts! Pure craziness... Walking from my
friend's house at 3:15am to find Starlift's
pan truck, there were already (still
is more likely) people partying in the
streets, waiting for their bands to
assemble. While we loaded up the pans,
people were walking by with a wide range of
dress: some in shorts and t-shirts, some in
old tattered clothes, some looking like they
were... well, more nightly types... Men in
dresses, people covered in metallic silver
paint, groups of people running up and down
the street chanting and randomly
screaming... Around 3:30 the bands really
started to assemble and by 3:50 the streets
were flooded with sound trucks and their
hordes of chipping, wining and
paint-smearing revelers.
I have to be honest and talk
about the one negative thing I experienced.
A few minutes after we started playing down
the avenue, there was a huge fight, which
ended in a rum bottle being smashed against
someone's head and bottles being hurled
around, one of which unintentionally hit the
trailer and sent pieces into the pans.
Nobody in Starlift got hurt, it had nothing
to do with us, but it was the first time I
was legitimately scared (this fight went on
a good while, and happened practically right
below my pan...) For potential first-timers
playing J'Ouvert in the future, just be
aware of your surroundings and go with
people you know. There are plenty of police
out, and it is telling that this was the
only negative thing I saw all of Carnival...
Anyway, after that we
proceeded down Park Street heading towards
Victoria Square. There was a traditional mas
band in front of us with a steelband I
couldn't identify. I saw all kinds of
characters: huge ornate costumes, moko
jumbies, Bookmen, dragons, Dame Lorraine, a
couple devils, and a really great bat (with
extending wings and everything!) As we were
approaching Pan Trinbago's bomb competition,
Renegades jumped in front of us, which was
cool for the Renegades fan in me. Because we
didn't prepare a Bomb tune, we played one of
our road tunes just for kicks ("I Feel Like
Dancing"). I was excited to see Hugh Borde
as one of the judges!
One of the greatest things I
saw throughout Carnival, but particularly
during J'Ouvert, was the love and respect
for pan that people showed. Whenever we
approached a DJ truck, they turned off their
music so we could be heard, and many of them
gave the band a shout-out to the crowd.
Without a second thought, the people in the
crowd and passing by would jump up, throw
their hands in the air, chip, wine, and sing
along to the tune. I loved seeing people
(particularly young people) look up at the
band and react like we were the best music
they had heard all morning! It was also cool
to see people playing along with random
metal objects and cowbells they brought with
them. What is even more incredible is they
all played in time and sounded really good!
J'Ouvert was like nothing I
have ever seen... Sailors, devils, cross
dressers, people covered in mud, people
covered in paint, all in the streets
drinking and having a good time. People of
all shapes, sizes, colors- everyone was in
the street together, acting out together and
enjoying the DJs, rhythm sections and
steelbands together. By the end of the
morning there was paint all over the roads,
people were slowly drinking and dancing back
where they came from... I could feel the
energy was still there though - the show
wasn't over, everyone was just doing a
costume change... As a friend drove me back
home, we passed through a band of young
people that, um... took wining in the street
to the next level, shall we say. My friend
turned to me and said, "And you know, come
Wednesday these people will act like nothing
ever happened!" I about died laughing!
Before J'Ouvert I had an
hour of sleep. I got home and had about 20
minutes of sleep before I had to head out
for Act II: Carnival Monday! I don't want to
make this post too unbearably long, so I
will stop here and write a separate one for
Carnival Monday and Tuesday. Thanks again to
everyone who has been reading this post, and
I hope you will stick with me for these last
posts! Until tomorrow,
Life for Pan
Eric
Mannweiler
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