Stephen Weir articles, editorials and popular social media weir postings

400 reasons to listen to Reggae Music out front of the American Consulate!  Atlantic Mas puts on  carnival style BLM demonstration  By Stephen Weir for the Caribbean Camera In Toronto this year’s Fourth of July was marked with a Caribbean style protest parade through the downtown streets. And, maybe because a Mas Camp from the Toronto Caribbean Carnival organized the event, this was a protest that managed to score important political points along with a good dash of Jump Up. The Atlantic Mas bandleader Akil Heywood spoke to the media in an hour-long media scrum outside of the Toronto city hall last Saturday morning. There have been many Black Lives Matter (BLM) demonstrations in Toronto this year, but Heywood noted to the Caribbean Camera that there has been little or no representation from the Caribbean community.  Turn up the Soca and Reggae music that all changed after the media scrum ended and the afternoon protest march began. Talk about a demonstration with Caribbean pan

Costume Launch Season To Hit Toronto Really Soon By Stephen Weir Put away the parkas and break out the feathers and glitter.   Toronto Caribbean Carnival' s Band Launch Season is about to begin. The Caribbean Camera has received details about the when, where and hows for nine Mas Camp band launches that will be held this March, April and May in Toronto.   Although not all the details have been released to us, it is clear that the Mas Camps are planning larger, more elaborate themed costume fetes than in 2019. Last year eleven bands held costume launches, this year there are two notable bands missing from the current list is  Michael Williams'   D New Regulars and Forever Carnival and Atlantic Mas . Traditionally D'  Regulars are one of the last bands to announce and stage a launch, so we expect to learn soon about their spring event. Atlantic Mas is usually one of the first to announce; in 2018 Atlantic Mas brought Machel Montano from Trinidad to perf

--> 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 11 th 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 4 th .   “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.

--> Superstar Machel Montano performing at a rare afternoon costume launch. Machel Montano on College Street By Stephen Weir    The Atlantic Mas camp, with the help of Soca superstar singer Machel Montano, has saved the best for last!   Bandleader Akil Heywood says that their third annual costume launch will be held at the Rebel Nightclub (Polson Pier) the afternoon of May 19 th . “Not everyone wants to stay up until 3am in the morning at a costume launch.   We are holding a launch in the afternoon, with Machel Montano performing on stage at the Rebel nightclub. The Rebel nightclub is one of Toronto’s largest and most popular concert destinations,” said Mr. Heywood. “We are calling the launch an ‘Invitation to Dance’ with a theme we call Semba,” he continued.   “ It is the Victoria Day long weekend, the perfect way to spend holiday Saturday.” Getting the Trinidad based performer known as the Soca King, to perform at a costume launch is no mean feat. Mac