Viva La Carnival===============
Introduction
=============== It’s
is very difficult to bring the vibes of carnival into a fete. More
often than not the fetes are provided as a means to the “finish” to the
emotional
"roadgasm" that is reached through the road experience. What
most fetes never accomplish is how to integrate and interstice that
“roadgasm” feeling into the fete experience. J’Ouvert themed parties
and paint parties can somewhat do it as they blend the dutty mas and the
Old mas thema into the fetting experience but few have been able to
integrate the pretty mas experience inside of a fete.
We have
all seen fetes that have had models and participants walk around in
costumes in an attempt to bring that feeling into the fete. And while
all of these efforts are great, they still somewhat miss the mark. Like
two beautiful people who just can’t seem to click on a personal and
sexual level. I mean, they look great together but there is just
something missing with the chemistry.
The ability to reach
roadgasm is difficult for most feters. Usually things have to be just
right. The rum. The scents. The smells. The sounds. The vibes. The
ambience. The people. And if these things are off, you can have a great
time but no
“roadgasm.” And
the possibility of getting a “roadgasm” in
a fete is damn near impossible. ......But the
Viva
La Carnival fete pulled it off. They provided the one element that is
necessary for a roadgasm and everybody else found their affective
roadmap to reach their emotional climax.
“
Viva
La Carnival” is translated loosely as “Long Live Carnival” and directly
as “Live The Carnival” or “Carnival Life” and that is exactly what was
provided. The Life Of The Road experience is impossible with The Big
Truck.
At the
Viva La Carnival Fete
their was a big truck right smack dab in the middle of the fete. It
provided the patrons with a little taste of the road and allowed many to
reach a level of euphoria that can only be experienced when on the
road. Even if it wasn’t the best roadgasm ever, many had a roadgasm
none the less. And you know the old saying, “A bad roadgasm is better
than no roadgasm at all.”
================
I Didn’t Come……
================Quite
honestly, I didn’t come into the fete with the right attitude. I
attended the fete as a reporter. As a member of the media. I had my
critiquing eye on full blast and wasn’t able to turn it off as I do in
other instances. And with that being said, I was looking at everything
for the purpose of writing and saw some great things but missed some
others.
Ever since elementary school we’ve heard and have
been taught the old adage, “Don’t Judge A Book By it’s Cover.” But
it’s so hard not to. We’ve been taught to prejudge situations for
safety, to draw inferences from context clues and to compare and
contrast in order to make informative guesses and decisions.
I may have indeed made a mistake by leaving
Viva La Carnival after being there for only 25 minutes.
Here’s how I may have messed up and in turn may have missed one of the best fetes of Miami Carnival
Quite honestly, I did not stay for much of
Viva La Carnival. And a whole car full of my crew drove all the way to
Viva La Carnival from Soca Brainwash and then turned around and left after they got there.
Why?
============
The Venue
============It
was because of the area of where the fete was located at the look of
the venue. Quite honestly, if I wasn’t covering the fete for
TriniJungleJuice, I would have done the same. The location of the fete
just looked a little bit iffy. It was located in an area that I probably
wouldn’t frequent at this stage of my life and when you looked at the
venue, it was in some lot with concrete walls and barbed wire on the
top.
Now, I have no problem with any of this if it is billed as a
J’Ouvert Party but all of the promo material and even the pricing has
me thinking that this was going to be a super classy venue. With that
being said, I didn’t expect the neighborhood location, the fete location
and the venue to have the presentation which it did have. For me, and
others it was a complete turn off. I would have not been comfortable
getting out of my car and walking my wife into that fete per initial
presentation.
And that was enough to throw me off a bit. (And
many of you all know how some ish can “throw you off” and you just can’t
get your mind back into it. And that is what happened to me).
And
I am the biggest proponent of you making the best of your time and
quite honestly, I was not able to do it. And if the fete is in the same
venue I will probably have a hard time coming……. to the fete again.
==============
But…. Lauren Tho
==============So, I didn’t come………. into the fete with the right attitude to reach roadgasm but I can say this…. I get REHL close!!!!!!!!!
Jesus,
Joseph and Mary!!!!!!!!
I ran into this young woman named Lauren.
Lauren gave me the SWEETEST WINE THAT I RECEIVED DURING ALL OF MIAMI
CARNIVAL. PERIOD. Lauren, who is thick like 2 pieces of provision with
peanut butter slapped in between put a sweet wine on me and had me
wanting to stay in the fete when I was on my way out. And I would have
stayed but I also figured, that the wine I just received was the wine of
the night, so I was good. And it was one of those wines that was so
good that I, quite honestly, needed to leave or I would have been
following behind her all night. (Yes, it’s shameful but true).
Thanks Lauren, wherever you are. :-)
Till de next time.
================
THE TAKEAWAY
LESSON:
Do Not Judge A Book
By It’s Cover
================I am guilty of judging the book by its cover. We all do it.
And quite honestly, sometimes we are right and sometimes we are wrong.
I may have indeed made a mistake by leaving
Viva La Carnival after being there for only 25 minutes.
The inside of the fete and the party was a beautiful experience.
And
from the feedback from the patrons and the looks of the video below.
I most certainly did. But….. there’s always next year.
Love, Peace and Soca.
(If you've enjoyed this, you will most certainly enjoy The Ultimate Road Ready Guide)
Blessings From Here To There,
Rhadi Ferguson, PhD
"The Carnival Doctor"
www.TheUltimateRoadReadyGuide.com
P.S. For the best information in the world concerning carnivals please visit www.TriniJungleJuice.com For the most comprehensive site available for fete tickets and masquerader costumes, please visit www.MyCarnivalBands.com
P.P.S. For more information on how to properly prepare for carnival like a true veteran, please visit www.CarnivalPrep.com