SVG Players International seeking another hattrick

SVG Players International is looking for another hattrick in the Winston “Samo” Samuel Band of the Year title at Mardi Gras come Tuesday July 9.

The band won in 2017 and 2018, and will this year present “Wonders of Nature”. They also won the competition in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 in addition to the 50th anniversary Band of the Year title in 2013.

However, 13 bands are looking to stop Players, including Mirage Productions who placed second last year and will this year present “Sweet Fuh So”. Xtreme FM 104.3 G&T Enterprise Lynx Mas Band who placed third in 2018 and who won their first junior mas band title last weekend are also in the running. They will present “Come Fly With…”

In fourth place last year was BMC Amerijet Magic 103.7 FM in association with UNDP GEF Small Grants Blondie Bird and Friends and they will attempt to take first this year with “Climate Change-The Evolution”.

Nelson Bloc, who placed fifth last year also wants the top spot and will attempt to take it with “Fete fo so”.

The other bands that will cross the stage on Tuesday are Ahdrenalin Carnival Mas Band with “Road of the Valkyries, Beautex International with “Dance SVG Dance”, Metrocint High Voltage Mas Production with “White – The Glow Edition”, Imagination Mas Band with “Watch Out For This”, Melbourne Artisans with “It looks like something we saw before”, Owen Ralph and the Professionals with “Take another look”, Tribes Mas Camp with “Endangered”, Leeward International with “A day in Hollywood and Oxygen Mas Camp with “Treasures of the Sea”.

Head of the Carnival Bands Association (CBA) Hugh Ragguette said that Oxygen Mas Camp will compete for the first time this year. Heineken Dragons and Xtreme Fanatics are out of Mardi Gras.

Mardi Gras will be judged in 16 categories including ‘Band of the Year’, ‘Selwyn “Fuzzy” Knights Best Use of Colour’, ‘Uptown Mas on the Move’ and ‘Individual of the Year’.

After a move to Little Tokyo in 2017, Mardi Gras moved back to Victoria Park in 2018 and this year, the event will be held at the Victoria Park once again and begins at 2 pm.

“The event promises to be an exciting and competitive affair,” said Ragguette.

Shows coordinator Anthony Dennie said that this year, VC3 and the Carnival Development Corporation (CDC) will erect a stage in the vicinity of the Financial Complex on Bay Street.

Masqueraders will be asked to cross that stage as there will be a live stream where VC3 will interact with the them.
Dennie said the stage will be erected “to give a feel, a vibe of what is happening” similar to what happens in Trinidad.