XS pulls out as Soca Village comes back

On the eve of Soca Village presenting its Eruption 2011 - the XS Energy Carnival band has announced it will be sitting out this Carnival.
Soca Village will launch after a few years hiatus on Saturday at the National Cultural Centre from 8:30. The roster is quite impressive and includes reigning Monarch Invader who is sure to perform his groovy hit "What a Bumper" off the Stratosphere Music/ Dutch Productions Black Cinderella riddim as well as former monarch TC Brown who has already released "Nah Nah Nah" and the only women to ever win the Road March title in Saint Lucia Nicole David whose power number "Revellers Army" was one of the first songs released for the season. The Soca Village line-up also includes two time Power Monarch Kakal as well as former Monarch Walleigh and Robbie - a veteran of the Ambassadors calypso tent.
Now the tent is embroiled in a mess with the Saint Lucia Calypso Association 2009 who has placed it on probation despite it being in existence since 1994. The Chairperson Caron Tobierre says the tent is new to the organization that is also new having formed in December last year. But some are saying its sour grapes because in getting itself together Soca Village promised more performance fee and grabbed the Wezon band that used to formally play for Ambassadors. These two factors combined to make the tent lure away talent like Robbie and TC who used to perform at Ambassadors. Tobierre has promised a resolve to the situation the tent says they will not take lying down on Saturday.
Now to XS - the band that once led the single largest number of revelers in Lucian history who is sitting out Carnival. While XS once boasted numbers of 1000 - these days have long gone with the band struggling to make 500 revelers. This despite the band playing a complete mas with Junior portrayal, King and Queen of the band and individual costumes. XS says they are "restructuring" so let's see what comes out of that process.
Meantime this week-end its all about kaiso for so so I will see you at the NCC on Saturday.

Getting the costumes

The costumes are up and it is time to decide. R u red or a Funatic? The costumes for Red can be viewed at http://www.thesweet7.com/2011/04/slu-carnival-2011-red-unlimiteds_30.html. The Just 4 fun costumes can be seen at http://www.thesweet7.com/2011/05/slu-carnival-2011-just-4-fun-band_3566.html...so far I'm loving the East Indian Princess from Just 4 Fun...