I is a man I hadsworn off all N. American “Carnivals”……………..but d jumbie does just start kicking meh sometimes and dais exactly wathappen dis past weekend. Everybody who I talk to about DC Carnival consistently talk bout 2 tings: Mudand Taboo. So we hit I95 south around 3pm and reach d hotel in Maryland around 7:30pm. Take a small nap and hit d road to head to dis party call Taboo ah keep hearing bout. D pace was a little difficult to find since ah was following online directions instead of the written directions they provided on the tickets. We get there and d last time ah tink ah see so much police and in a fete was………………NEVER. Security was tight and ah like dat whenever an open bar involving so many people is involved. Security running tings nice and dey setting up parking in a very organized manner. So we park and enter d fete.
For a moment I was transported back to Beach House in Trinidad, the scenery was very similar. There was a DJ at d top and d buttom of d hill. The food and most of the drinks was located at d buttom of d hill wit d reggae music. D beers was on top of d hill wit d Soca music. i wasnt hungry and ah wasnt in d mood to be climbing up and dung a hill so I parked myself poolside by a speaker. D DJ was playing decent tunes but never had dat talent to give d fete dat push to d next level. But den again d crowd was kinna more interested in socializing and matchmaking more dan partying. I made a trek to the porta potty and there I overheard some woman badtalking d food but I cah talk fuh it since I eh eat none. I did read in a online forum dat d food wasnt all dat great doh. I realy didnt get into full lush mode becuase I was driving and was also discouraged by the long walk.
Arrung 1:30’ish things kinna picked up ut still not full throttle. Eventually the foreign DJ from Trinidad started dropping some oldies but goodies which brought the crowd alive. But with the hits came the lip which is a nasty habit that DJ’s have……oh gorsh jus play the music and doh bump yuh gums nah. Since this was my first trip to DC I would be inclined to give Taboo another try. Reason being I like their effort level with the location ambience and alcohol. Yes folks there was plenty alcohol. Plus they hadDJs specifically for Soca and Reggae. A minor tweeking here and there and it have potential to be a boss fete. Honestly the crowd wasnt my kinna crowd but dat obstacle can be easily overcome with all the other ingredients that were present. I left a bit early but I was told the fete went till like 5 am.
DC is MUD……….Georgia Avenue is MUD…….Canboulay is MUD
1) It was good dat we were able to register on d road.
2) It was bad dat for $40 yuh eh even get a t-shirt…….but dey was selling dem fuh extra
3) It was extremely bad dat yuh had to line up like yuh begging fuh government cheese to get mud yuh already pay $40 for
4) It was bad dat yuh had to get d mud from a moving truck and run behind d truck
5) It was bad dat the idiots controlling the line was allowing folks to cut the line from the side and letting “special people” with no paid bands on their wrist on for the mud
6) It was bad that the DJ wasnt resourceful or creative enough to play a wider variety of music
7) It was bad dat d Carnival was advertised as ending at 5PM but ended 3:30
8) It was good that everybody behaved themselves and I eh see 1 fight
9) It was interesting that once again I was assaulted by some random women
10) It was HORRENDOUS that parentssaw it fit to have their infants out in the heat, noise and rain. how fucking selfish and stupid are people. If I had the number for child protective services I would of called them. Imnot talking boutpeople with their children on the sideline spectating. i talking bout people with theri infants in the middle of the bachannal. When I saw the faces of these children I was really disgusted. On the same note, if yuh physically unabale to walk and in a wheelchair, yuh relly shouldnt be in d mix ah tings either.
11) It was bad dat dey didnt keep security in place till d end since dey did kno it was ending early. By opening d band to the stormers paying patrons were denied the opportunity to salvage the shortened parade. Ah mean come on……..$40…….no t-shirt………not even a cheese paste sandwich……….allyuh could do better.
12) It was so GOOD and made my eyes water to see so many people walking wit dey rum pouches, ah even see women wit dem. Dat is a carnival tradition dat is rare and it was good to see dem ting on d road.
Wining Kriminals 