So, after the shit experience with Spice last year I went back to band I knew that surely would not fail me in terms of customer service and costume quality. I must say, for the 2 years that I've been away from my beloved TRIBE, it has changed and not for the better in my opinion.
Carnival Monday, I arrived just as we were crossing the stage and I could not help but notice a large number of BLISS masqueraders in their costumes well palancin across the stage with us. But I let it slide, it's Monday , you know? But what got me cross was when I reached the lunch stop, I got food quite easily, cause simply, put I do not dilly dally around D Savannah, after I cross it's food time. My cousin on the other hand who did not want what I got, was having a lot of trouble to get food. In the first of all my mas playing entirety, TRIBE ran out of food! YES......YOU HEARD ME!!!! TRIOBE!!!!!!!
I overheard caterers telling other masqueraders they catered for the amount they were asked to cater for...so what happened? Word on the street is some BLISS masqueraders (the same ones crossing the stage all up in our band) were served food! Now I do not know how true this is, but I hope it's a lesson to TRIBE maybe to start including some form of Monday wear to make your masqueraders easily detectable. Sure not everyone will wear it, but if you make it cute, like the Xian FL monokini's they got, it'll be worn.
We had Mr. Iwer George, perform for us on Stanmore before we left and I s till think that man should've won Soca Monarch....but yes the vibes were a plenty and flowing Monday
Carnival Tuesday now, I reached the band on time! Got my breakfast, bake and buljol and chugged down some blue waters. Our music truck met us on Park Street and jamishness began on Frederick. Our wait to cross the Savannah was not too long, but I will say again as I did last year, after paying close to $4000, I do not feel I should be getting drinks from the Savannah vendors. Bands, please try to invest in those Rotoplastic drinks barrel carts and wheel around water and pepsi or something while we wait to cross, you know it's not going to be any 20 minute process and you know the sun is hot....work with me nah.
Once ah-flickin-gain there were BLISS Masqueraders in our band AGAIN....crossing the stage with us AGAIN!!!!! I could understand getting a lil mixed up with Amazon and Amazonia but there is no yellow and blue in TRIBE(Caprica) and nothing that looks like Pele either.
But on crossing the stage I must admit that TRIBE was significantly smaller than last year. I like the size it was neat.
After crossing we took off to the park and trust, the issue did not happen, I would go as far as to saying they had too much food now. My only complaint, it may sound petty, but I said this the last time I played with TRIBE, if you're going to serve me a huge breast....chop it up, if not give boneless and stop trying to make me look ghetto with this damn breakable plastic fork, no knife and a big ass piece of chicken.
There was also foot and back massage service available...I took one and my God! Please bring it back next year!!!!! (Peter-Anne! I rate yuh)
Now is when the commess start.
So apparantly all the other trucks silently crepped away and only until the last truck start to play music did we realise the band done up and gone. So here is the majority of the band running to catch up to the truck. Now when I see we make a right on Tragarete road, instead of a left. One eyebrow raise. But I said to thyself....
"Self...they must be going down that road with one woodbrook place and ting doh beat up"
Well that was not d case because as soon as we went around that round a bout the blasted truck starta speed down the road. I by the entrance to the barracks and the truck is by Courts speeding going. Now I didn't go to the gym, but apparently I reallll fit cause I ran behind that truck until we reach the flickin amphitheatre!
Ah say aight...it early still we will go down d avenue then come back up or something man.....boyyyyyyyyy was I wrong. TRIBE had yet to go on the avenue or downtown. I don't really care for Downtown, but at least the avenue nah....that's where a lot of dissappointed family members were waiting to see me. In the booklet the route states town and Ariapita, so what happened? Not to mention I didn't get my Mario's eh....I ain't see it yet. We stuck around on the Tragarete for a long time until I decided to leave.
And another thing, the top of my bra strap was covered with brocade, needless to say by 3pm I was steadly re-adjusting my strap because of how uncomfortable it was. Not a bright idea.
All in all I'd give TRIBE a 6.75 out of 10, for the mere fact that I feel as though I am paying more and more and getting less. I remember is 2008, I couldn't walk out with my costume and goody bacg at collection by myself, the amount of things I got was ridiculous, I remember the freeebies on the road itself, and for that I am a tad disappointed. Maybe the management of TRIBE has put more into BLISS and as a result TRIBE's standards have declined. All i know is it's still better than Spice any day all day....