KONTACT BAND is more than mas, it is an experience. And this year, if all things go as planned, it is expected to be an experience like none before.
This from managing director and bandleader Anthony Layne, who spoke to SATURDAY SUN after the launch of the band’s 2016 Foreday Morning and Grand Kadooment offerings yesterday at the Coral Mist and Blue Orchard Hotel in Hastings, Christ Church.
Layne said that since last Crop Over season they had been pushing especially hard because they wanted to do something extra special for the 50th anniversary and he was certain that the end product of this year’s offering achieved this objective.
Powered by Barbados Yellow Pages, Kontact’s Kadooment band is called Into The Bleu, which features an underwater theme that includes eight sections, among them Bajan Queen.
For the first time ever they will also have a band on the road for Foreday Morning, called The Zone.
“Into The Bleu takes a look at the splendour of what lies beneath the ocean around Barbados . . . natural and man-made, real and imagined. Our Grand Kadooment band this year was once again designed by Nigel Wellington and a new addition to the design team, Kathy-Ann Scott. They have cooked up a kaleidoscope of colour within the six of the eight sections. The Foreday Morning band was designed by Kymoni Creations,” Layne said.
The bandleader noted that although the costumes have not yet been launched there has already been much interest in both Foreday Morning and Kadooment with a number of overseas partners from Miami, New York and Toronto bringing guest sections.
“People already signed up and they haven’t even seen the costumes yet . . . . The interest in Crop Over and the growth of carnival is a worldwide phenomenon, from Germany to Hollywood and all across the island chain; stakeholders in the national festival must be prudent in the way we handle matters relating to Crop Over, as Barbados and Trinidad are no longer the only viable choices,” he added.
Tonight a massive presentation to showcase the costumes will be held at the Lucky Horseshoe, Bagatelle Great House, St Thomas. (SDB Media)
