Wunna.
Wunna!
Um is me.
I’m back to review your fave bands and some of the ones you love to hate as well. After a lacklustre Trini Carnival experience due to illness, I’m dying for some diamantes, feathers and aspirational bodies back in my life.
So here we are with Zulu leading the pack once again by launching early as France. I’ve been busy with work so the launch almost caught me unawares but wunna know there is no stopping the dibby.
PARKING
My buddy, Paula, and I arrived around 5 pm to the venue which enabled us to get a decent parking spot (or so I thought because when I left my car was covered in bird shit ugh). Even though there is limited parking available it worked because Zulu management capped the number of launch patrons this year so there wasn’t any double parking or anything to make yuh fling up yuh skirts and carry on. The parking attendants were super polite and even parked some people’s cars for them.
VENUE
Queen’s Park.
I have not been to the park since I gave up going on Christmas morning with my grandmother (God rest her calypso loving soul). I think this venue was boss because there is a lot of Barbadiana attached to it. If you haven’t been to fairs, primary school sports, Agrofest or parading your Xmas outfit there then you’re either not Bajan or were very sheltered. There was a cool breeze the entire time and it was just plain old nice to be somewhere different for a change.
DRINKS
No gin.
But I’ve accepted my fate as an alcohol pariah and I’ve learned to lower my expectations and there will never be any gin when I go to fetes.
After being searched at the door, which I was glad for cuz there are just too many mad ass people out there, we were given a chit for a complimentary drink. I thought that was great especially since the launch was free.
I can’t comment on the prices of the drinks because I’m cutting back on my alcohol consumption and just had the one drink.
VIBES
So Zulu tried something different this year and I think it worked. They opted for a smaller crowd with a more intimate setting. They experimented with limited patrons, in a more intimate setting at the legendary Daphne Joseph Hackett Theatre. Despite the very late start, the vibe was appropriate for the setting.m I didn’t come expecting to pooch back and fling my braids around but I did expect to be entertained and they delivered on that.
COSTUMES
Hidden In The Stars is this year’s theme. I came in expecting costumes depicting the signs of the zodiac but what we got was just as interesting. Most of the costumes were named after celestial bodies, space expeditions and solar systems. Each section was preceded by an explanation/ skit by Simon Alleyne. The nerd in me really appreciated that.
The costumes were…nice. Just nice. Kind of like having a vegan brownie when you really wanted to have a ridiculous one covered in fudge and cheesecake. I didn’t have that “Oh gawdddd I must have that” moment once during the presentation. The main designer was David Dewer, with other designs by Natalie Fonrose of Fonrose The Brand, Kat Gittens and Janiece Springer.
The male costumes…lmao…night sky board shorts in different colours but the guys who jump with Zulu are usually into the juck downs and not the aesthetic anyway so I guess it’s ok.
Aurora- Northern Lights would definitely be an option for me if I decide to jump with Zulu. Love this cut out monokini style.
Milky Way Frontline by Fonrose. I knew this was her work without being told. Definitely her aesthetic and my first choice for Zulu.
You can view all of the costumes on Zulu’s Facebook page
MODELS
As usual, Zulu gets high ratings for their models.
I got my entire life from the models. First of all, they don’t take themselves too seriously and aren’t strutting on stage like they are the next Jourdan Dunn (not shitting on anyone’s dreams btw.
The male models were very entertaing and showed us what the bar was for Zulu revellers i.e ripped bodies and stiff jucks.
Nandi Yard was, again one, of my faves this year.
You ever heard of winning the genetic lottery? Well, the mother-daughter team of Rose Hategekimana and Mutamuliza Cutting won it like 4 times. Flawless.
Rose’s melanin popping so damn severely *insert longest yass ever*
Mutamuliza wearing her costume flawlessly.
I do have one caveat though…it would have been great to have plus-sized models as well.
*Disclaimer (cuz people love to run dem mout): Do Dixie is affiliated with no band or business for Crop Over. I do run Juck Down, a 12- week women-only training program designed to make women Crop Over sexy and do dixie on the road during the season (and yes this is a completely shameless plug)*
Do Dixie 