With Mas Domnik 2020 quickly approaching, several contemporary and traditional bands are hopeful of winning prizes.
Caesar Emmanuel, President and Band Leader of the Thunderbirds, revealed that the band is taking a more relaxed approach to carnival this year, with the theme ‘Clowns of the Universe’, through which they plan to portray images of clowns with which they are familiar.
“Our costumes are normally made in Dominica, with the exception of this year. It’s a few being made in Dominica. We had a really hard time last year. We did ‘Jewels of Dominica’, which was very, very expensive, and we were really not compensated for that huge investment we made,” he explained, in an exclusive interview with Dominica News Online. (DNO). “So, this year we decided we were going to lighten up and let everybody free up themselves with ‘Clowns of the Universe’, where most of the costumes, for the first time, are being imported.”
The band, which took home the 2019 award for Most Creative Band in the traditional section, has existed for over sixty years.
Emmanuel noted that although he is “very confident” in the group’s chances of once again claiming a prize this year, he is dissatisfied with the Dominica Festivals Committee’s (DFC’s)approach to the distribution of bands’ awards.
“We put a lot of time… plenty, plenty time, and to see that you take the thing and you slice it so thin was a disaster for us, because let’s say you give each one of the categories ten thousand dollars, that’s thirty thousand dollars, where if you had one band, that group would’ve gotten thirty thousand dollars and been better prepared this year for carnival,” the band leader said. “It’s a very expensive undertaking; it costs us about forty thousand dollars to put a band on the road for two days…”
He also commented that what he views as “the worst… economy around Carnival time” has affected citizen’s participation in carnival activities.
Meantime, Public Relations Officer (PRO) of Karnival Korner, Emmanuel Loblack, revealed to DNO that the band, which he credits with the “revival of the sensay costume” plans to take a more “patriotic” approach to mas this year, under the theme ‘Colors of the OECS’.
“Every costume we have had has been done locally. We don’t import. The only thing we import are the materials. We get a theme and we conceptualize the idea,” he said.“This year, for example, we are doing ‘Colours of the OECS’, portraying the most dominant colours we have on the flags.”
Loblack stated that the “diverse” carnival band, which has been in existence for twenty-five years, is now experiencing a decrease in registration, which he believes is due to the hysteria surrounding the recent outbreak of the new coronavirus (2019-nCoV).
“This year in particular, registration is slow, because people have a number of concerns with that virus [Coronavirus],” he noted.
Co-founder of contemporary band, Pulse Experience, Lincoln Riviere, expressed his hope that the band “fills a void” during the Carnival season.
“We felt like the road needed some more vibes, some more colour, and we felt that we could bring something to the people that they needed to have because Pulse is really by the people, for the people,” he told DNO.
This year, the band will follow the theme ‘Temptation Island’, with costumes designed locally by Shammah Laurent.
According to Riviere, the group, which came third as the Most Creative Band in the contemporary section in 2019, is focused on providing patrons with a wholesome, memorable experience.
“We don’t go in there trying to win band of the year, we go in there trying to make sure customers get band for their money. If we win band of the year, then we win band of the year… Our main aim really, as Pulse, is customer service…,” he explained.“If there are ten things on our list, then customer service takes up nine. We try to make sure that everybody gets value for the money that they are paying for the experience… We want them to have an experience that they will remember.”
The bands are set to put their work on display on Carnival Monday and Tuesday (February 24 and 25).
Pulse all the way!!!