Trinidad superstar closes the Mas Costume Launch season with the NDP


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Make Way For Montano’s Toronto Caribbean Carnival

Story and Photographs by Stephen Weir
Forget Peeks, the name sponsor of the Grand Parade. This year the annual festival could well be called Machel Montano’s Toronto Caribbean Carnival.
The 2018 Mas Camp Costume Launch season ended last Saturday evening at the Rebel nightclub when Atlantic Mas held the 11th and final mas fashion show.  What a way to go -- the King of Soca, Machel Montano stood on stage and told Torontonians to go down the road with him this August 4th.  “Get your costume from Atlantic Mas and join me as we party till 6 am” the Trinidad singer told the estimated audience of 1,000+ at the high-energy costume launch.
The world’s most recognizable Soca performer jetted in from New York City on the weekend, to perform at the costume launch and introduce his own Atlantic Mas section. “I am going to be on the (Atlantic Mas) truck! And after the parade we party” he said from the stage.
Before leaving the stage, Montano brought out two well-known Sikh politicians - Gurratan Singh, the NDP candidate in the provincial riding of Brampton East and his brother Jagmeet Singh the federal NDP party leader. They didn’t talk politics and elections. Instead they got a dance lesson and a hug from Machel Montano.

The appearance by Montano capped off what was a delayed costume show.  The afternoon start time was pushed back to the early evening, apparently because of arrival delays by Montano.
The wait didn’t bother the 1,000+ people crowded into the Portland’s nightclub.  They sang. They danced. They called out Machel’s name.
They made waiting a fun event in itself.
The costume launch is a fashion show to let revellers know what the Mas band will be wearing in the Toronto Caribbean Carnival grand parade this August 4th along Toronto’s waterfront Lakeshore Blvd.
Atlantic Mas, now in its 3rd year went with a minimalist designs for backline costumes, perky frontline outfits and, of strip-down outfits for the men.
What made the costume presentations so well received were the engaging ebullient models.  There were seven sections presenting on the large, well-lit stage.  They were well-rehearsed models – the men were buff and shirtless, the women beautiful. Many of the models closed the fashion show with flips, splits and amazing dance moves.
Atlantic Mas expects that Machel Montano's participation will help them sell a 1,000 costumes and vault them into the forefront of the competing bands at this year's road Bandleader Akil Heywood says "we called the launch an 'Invitation to Dance' with a theme we call Semba," he continued. 
" It was the Victoria Day long weekend, the perfect way to spend holiday Saturday in Toronto."



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