Carnival Monday in Port of Spain, more so at the Queen’s Park Savannah, was one of the most subdued in years. By 2 p.m. yesterday, only a few bands had crossed the judging point opposite the construction site of the Performing Arts Centre and the majority of the bands did not have their full complement of masqueraders.

Some members of the various mas bands chose to wear either t-shirts that had been given them by the bands, or normal casual wear, rather than their costumes. Those who did come out in costume wore only part of it. By 2 p.m., only Spice, Tribe, Elements, Harts, Masquerade, Trini Revellers and a few smaller bands had passed by the Savannah.

Although several hundred people occupied the stands that lined the southern perimetre of the Savannah, and scores milled around the area, the atmosphere was not much of a jubilant one. People just stood around, hardly even moving to the music playing from the trucks that passed by. Masqueraders too were simply walking alongside the music trucks, as though in some sort of solemn procession instead of jumping up.

As for the Road March race, the most played song at the Savannah judging point was Fay-Ann Lyons-Alvarez’s Soca Monarch winning hit ’Meet SuperBlue’, while Destra’s ’Bacchanal’ and Machel Montano’s ’Wild Antz’ seemed to be jostling for the second position. During the time the Express was there, ’Tustee’, by Blaxx, had not been played before the judges, but could be heard as the music trucks approached.

One of the most popular songs on the streets, however, was ’Drunk Again’ by Benjai. This was the song of choice for the sound systems at the makeshift bars and other such places throughout the city. Also enjoying favour at these places was ’Heavy T’ by Lyons-Alvarez, ’Banana’ by Bunji Garlin and ’Radica’ by Chutney Monarch Kenneth Salick.

The people gathered at the Savannah were for the most part interested in seeing one band, Africa: Her People, Her Glory, Her Tears by Brian Mac Farlane. (See Page 5.) At around 2.30 p.m., this band was somewhere on Edward Street and quite a few members were walking along the Brian Lara Promenade getting drinks and food, meaning that the spectators at the Savannah had a bit of wait before seeing the defending Large Band of the Year pass through.