Notting Hill Carnival 2006
- Thread starter samlighting1
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hiccup said:Yesterday was fun. Aba Shanti-I was sounding HEAVY. I felt cleansed by the bass
you sure it was Aba Shanti? they only ever do Mondays, and were listed as only doing Monday in all the guides.. sure it wasn't another sound?
DJWrongspeed
radio eros
niksativa said:
Yawn, come on , if it moved to Hyde Park it wouldn't be carnival and u know it? Crowds, just work around them, if you've been b4 you'll know that it's possible to just escape them.
The Carnival is a breath of fresh air in this 'risk culture' world, it's the only time when Londoners can properly take to the streets and ave it laaaarge.
I always hear the best sounds, the best riddims and chat very funny people, it'd be London's loss to lose it.
pinkmonkey
2.4 hour party person
I used to love it, best times were when I lived there, 91 -94 - just get loads of keys cut for your mates, fill the fridge with beers, brilliant. Last couple of times we borrowed a boat and cruised there and back, would've loved to have taken our own boat this year, but we were needed elsewhere.
ska invita
back on the other side
DJWrongspeed said:
I suggest Hyde PArk reluctantly and after having to come home early pissed of with being endlessly pushed around- so having slept on it - I still think something has to be done - some thoughts:
My three (and it seems all other U75's) favs, Good Times, Aba, and CMC are practically no go zones - Aba Shanti isnt too too bad (a bit tight), but CMC was just a bundle, and I couldnt even get close to Good Times this year - each year it takes over more and more of that corner, with the same amount of speakers.
-I got there early, and to be honest, at 2pm it was relatively quiet and there was plenty of room - then its a pleasure - but by 5pm it stopped being any fun and just turned into being pushed around.
PArtly the problem is people walking through, past a sound and not stopping - so if you get two or three sounds next to each other on a road and someone wants to walk down that road you get a stream of people pushing through the crowd non-stop.
maybe theres a way of re-possitioning the sets? Moving Good Times under the canopy where Westwood used to be would be good (more space there) and positions GT practically at the heart of carnival: no bad thing - CMC has completely outgrown its spot, needs a wider street - Aba Shanti could move to Good Times spot (more space there, and nice with the tree!)... That kind of tinkering might help a bit.
Some sounds like King Tubbys fit in to their space well (in terms of crowd size), AND are positioned in a way that they get no through traffic, by being in a little dead end, or on a road that doesnt really go anywhere. More of that kind of positioning would be good.
There's plans afoot to join the carnival procession up to Hyde Park, which if it happens is a good thing - spread out the crowd, spread out the area, reduce the concentration of people at any one spot.
There already is a new carnival event at Hyde Park that happens alongside NHC, which, according to a family member, is a much better family day out. (Is it on the same days? I think so.) I think this is good, and hopefully will grow and attract some numbers out of the street thing.
PArtly there is supposedly a problem of stubborness to change amongst the organisers, and a battle culture of us v them, NHC vs the Mayor/COuncil, makes it hard to take steps. Its fair enough - a few years back there was talk by the council of getting rid of the static sounds, so its good the organisers are stubborn. But the format of carnival hasnt changed in the twelve years I've been going, and the sets have pretty much had those same spots in all that time.
Had a whale of a time, and I didn't find the crowds or pushing bad at all this year. A fine old time, although admittedly I didn't move far from the CMC rig.
I would hate to see the carnival move to Hyde Park. It'd ruin the intimate feeling of the place, the atmosphere, the sense that I know I can go there (as I have for over 20 years) and pretty much count on seeing the same people in the same places. It's a genuine community festival, not something to be shunted into the sanitised environment of the park, no doubts with increased corporate sponsorship and visibility.
Best advice I can give to anyone going to Carnival is DON"T GO TO GOOD TIMES. The whole saga of getting there, through the endless crowds, will colour your experience of carnival. And as much as I loved Norman Jay's originality in playing funk and soul at carnival 15 years ago, he's still playing the same records now in the main - the same that every 2-bit 'carwash' night does now up and down the country. I'd wish he'd move on a bit more - great tunes occasionally, but too often you're expecting to hear overplayed numbers - an experience akin to having wet gorgonzola repeatedly shovelled into your ears. And the crowd is one of the least diverse at carnival now - someone called it Clapham by Carnival.
Still, each to his own. But moving the carnival to Hyde Park would ruin it. Carnival's about inspired madness, bustle and intimacy in the streets.
I would hate to see the carnival move to Hyde Park. It'd ruin the intimate feeling of the place, the atmosphere, the sense that I know I can go there (as I have for over 20 years) and pretty much count on seeing the same people in the same places. It's a genuine community festival, not something to be shunted into the sanitised environment of the park, no doubts with increased corporate sponsorship and visibility.
Best advice I can give to anyone going to Carnival is DON"T GO TO GOOD TIMES. The whole saga of getting there, through the endless crowds, will colour your experience of carnival. And as much as I loved Norman Jay's originality in playing funk and soul at carnival 15 years ago, he's still playing the same records now in the main - the same that every 2-bit 'carwash' night does now up and down the country. I'd wish he'd move on a bit more - great tunes occasionally, but too often you're expecting to hear overplayed numbers - an experience akin to having wet gorgonzola repeatedly shovelled into your ears. And the crowd is one of the least diverse at carnival now - someone called it Clapham by Carnival.
Still, each to his own. But moving the carnival to Hyde Park would ruin it. Carnival's about inspired madness, bustle and intimacy in the streets.
girasol
Addicted to handstands!
Couldn't be arsed with the madness and intensity of Notting Hill this year, after a rather heavy weekend, and opted out for the peacefulness of the Caribbean Showcase at Hyde Park (first time I've ever been)...
How refreshing it was not to have huge crowds, the family atmosphere was just what I needed, and the music was great, especially the last two acts: Alison Hinds (she was WOW!!!) and Kymani Marley (Bob Marley's son).
To top it all off it took about 10 minutes to leave the place, which makes a change from the usual difficulty of getting out from Notting Hill. Hopefully they'll keep both going (I really don't think that having the whole carnival at Hyde Park would work, in fact, I think it would kill it)
Caribbean Showcase photos (we even went for a little boat ride on the serpentine
)
How refreshing it was not to have huge crowds, the family atmosphere was just what I needed, and the music was great, especially the last two acts: Alison Hinds (she was WOW!!!) and Kymani Marley (Bob Marley's son).
To top it all off it took about 10 minutes to leave the place, which makes a change from the usual difficulty of getting out from Notting Hill. Hopefully they'll keep both going (I really don't think that having the whole carnival at Hyde Park would work, in fact, I think it would kill it)
Caribbean Showcase photos (we even went for a little boat ride on the serpentine
)
ska invita
back on the other side
tarannau said:
I guess you missed it when the moshing started.
ska invita
back on the other side
my next post was more moderate, with possible imporvement suggestions.TopCat said:No I don't agree and think you should be doused in boiling oil for your audacity.
I think that street carnivals are not for everyone and if its not your bag dont go.
Do something elese for the weekend.
NHC should not be moved, Ken is getting it right, putting on events in other places for those that dont like or can't be arsed with a full on street carnival, but still want a day or two out.
Do something elese for the weekend.
NHC should not be moved, Ken is getting it right, putting on events in other places for those that dont like or can't be arsed with a full on street carnival, but still want a day or two out.
It kind of went past me, but it wasn't too bad ime. That said, I did have some very big blokes acting as a shield around my position. the atmosphere in the crowd was just fine as far as I could see
It's worth noting that Trini friends who have visited consider Trindad's Mas to be far more crowded, with streets with far less space. Notting Hill does get to be a bit of crush, but it's not unbearable most of the time imo.
It's worth noting that Trini friends who have visited consider Trindad's Mas to be far more crowded, with streets with far less space. Notting Hill does get to be a bit of crush, but it's not unbearable most of the time imo.
art of fact
wavvvey
got there well late so missed alot of soundsystem action... got to shake my batty on the genesis float though which was really fun
Went down yesterday mid-afternoon and found Sancho Panza, and stayed there dancing in a huge crowd until it stopped, then had some food and a few beers.
I didn't see any nastiness, although by the time we got a bus home, there seemed to be police vans screaming past with sirens and blue lights every 2 minutes, so bad shit must have been happening somewhere.
Giles..
I didn't see any nastiness, although by the time we got a bus home, there seemed to be police vans screaming past with sirens and blue lights every 2 minutes, so bad shit must have been happening somewhere.
Giles..
DJWrongspeed
radio eros
anyone catch the Confusion rig, St Lukes Road facing Lancaster Road? wicked old skool jungle, MC said "we get 2 days to fuck up the streets" !
ended up walking through an eerily deserted notting hill to Bayswater, huge houses, wet trees, not a soul around, just this distant roar.
ended up walking through an eerily deserted notting hill to Bayswater, huge houses, wet trees, not a soul around, just this distant roar.
Numbers
an ting!
Absolutely loved it, had a ball of a time... cos my bro is on crutches we came down from Kensal Rise and ventured no further than Southern/West Row etc.. mostly staying around AbiShanti, with a little Good Times flirt.
Red Stripe, Rum and Spliff, dancing with my peeps. can't beat it.
My fav' pick of the day,
[/
Red Stripe, Rum and Spliff, dancing with my peeps. can't beat it.
My fav' pick of the day,
max_freakout
Nothing matters
That carnival was AWESOME!, had a really good time, that was my 10th carnival in a row! Spent most of the time raving to abashanti (who were there both days this year) and CMC/matrix, briefly met with psycherelic then lost him again...
Bloody good carnival, shame about the complete lack of hip hop though
Bloody good carnival, shame about the complete lack of hip hop though
I went with a few mates. We stopped off at another mates house on the sunny side of Ladbroke Grove on Sunday and it was nice to chill on the steps and watch stuff go by. I thought it would be better. I think if we'd had a proper plan as to what we wanted to do and who we wanted to see then I would have enjoyed it more, but I 've got some cool photos!!
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