FLIGHT 868, THE REVIEW

Flight 868

The anticipation leading up to Flight 868 was sickening.  I was so excited that I've literally lost sleep over it..  I mean who wasn't?  Flight 868 is the first fete of the year and whether you're attending Trinidad & Tobago carnival or not, it's a big deal!

OK, I WAS LATE! The planned time of arrival was midnight but leave it to me to only be parking by minutes to 1am.  Never the less, the line wasn't long and it was moving so technically I was on time.

Walking inside gave me hope.  There were about three people outside which in my mind means everyone was inside jamming.  When I got inside, that heat greeted me first but wasn't overbearing.  I saw some familiar faces and did the normal meet and greet. The music playing was okay but it wasn't anything that would make me stop an buss a wine.  The vibes just wasn't there but after all, it was within minutes of stepping in the place.

After finding my 'spot', one of the first things I noticed was the sound.  The music sounded distorted.  I'm not an expert, so I can not tell what the problem was but even I could tell that something was drastically wrong.  When coming to a fete, the music system plays a major part in how we respond to the music.  Take for instance, at Flight 868 The Return Fete last year many of the DJ's played on a system that wasn't tuned correctly yet when Miami's Dream Team came on to play, they immediately cranked up the volume (or whatever it was that they did) and the vibes turned up right along with it.  Don't get me wrong, the volume was loud enough but it sounded bad.

Again listen, don't send me any emails or messages.  I have nothing against any of the DJ's that were carded for the night. I actually showed up JUST for THEM but while I was in the fete, I didn't quite understand how it was a Flight to 868. Flight 868 as in Trinidad and Tobago right?  Trinidad and Tobago CARNIVAL at that correct? I couldn't understand how the fete was to prepare me for Trinidad and Tobago carnival.  I was confused.  That confusion turned to extremely annoyed.  There was a little back in time session that I partially enjoyed and that's only because of my love for soca music but let's not get it twisted, weren't we all at this fete to get familiar? At 3am there should be NO excuse as to why I haven't heard ONE SINGE, SOLITARY SOCA from 2018.  What popped my lid off was the reggae.  So that's what we're doing?  We're going to Trinidad and Tobago.....  For carnival......  Then we hear at the very least 40 minutes of reggae/dancehall music.  Again, don't get me wrong.  I'm a lover of Caribbean music but there is a time and place.  This was NOT the time and Flight868 was NOT the place.

As previously stated, I know for a FACT that each of those DJ's have and know 2018 soca music the question is WHY wasn't it played?  The other question is when it did play, why was it taken off so quickly?  I can answer that question here and with a previous blog post written about a year and a half ago.  You can catch that blog post by clicking RIGHT HERE.  I've also been enlightened, it's not  always how you think it is on the other side.  When Infamous was discussing what should and should not be played that night, it was agreed upon that there should be new music played HOWEVER they also had to express to him that they DO have what he's looking for but they will have to feed off the feterans. As I've said they ALL have the new music but when anything new was dropped only a handful of us began to actually enjoy ourselves.  I saw that because I was looking for it.  I was looking at the crowd get happy to hear the new Kes, we all started to slow wine then rock an come een but after the 'commercial new songs' were done, so was the attention of the crowd.  From the time a song that wasn't already into heavy rotation down here people LITERALLY stood up like statues.  1.  It pissed me off because that is just disrespectful to one of the most talented LIVE DJ's on the planet.  HE IS FIRE!  Whether you like him as a person or not, he can be thrown into any musical realm an mash up the dance and 2. What the whole mudda ass they stood up waitin on PALANCE or FULL EXTREME?
                                                                             Of course they were.... and that was the straw that broke the camel's back for me.  Freeze played maybe 5 new soca chunes and lost the crowd.  I mean they were lost. At that point I was over it.  My poor friend didn't want me to leave and even got me to wine low but after I came up, I cleared it.  I was told that they eventually played the new Machel an Blue Boy (Super Blue) and I didn't care.  I was still happy with my decision to leave.

Once you stay inside of The Warehouse, it is a sweat box and it was that night that Infamous made the decision to permanently move both his Send Off and Return of 868 to another venue.  The party has become too big and has run it's course with the venue.  An YES, I know it. The venue will be a much better fit than Warehouse but you will have to see for yourselves come February 24th which also happens to be my birthdaaaaay!

(THIS, was too much clothes to stay inside with all night)

All in all.
I was disappointed with Flight868.  I've expressed my concerns with Infamous and I appreciate the fact that he not only took time to LISTEN to all concerns I addressed but was proactive! He was already able to tell me the changes put in place so that Flight868, The Return can be a success.  My stance on South Florida fetes hasn't changed.  It is the PEOPLE that make the party.  If you aren't willing to accept change, you will be left in the cold.  Each Caribbean nation that adds to the soca genre has approximately one years time with their music after that time is up, no it is not time to dash the songs away but when that year is up EXPECT to now hear new music.  There is another year coming up! A new Soca Monarch.  A new song for the Steel Pan players to pong and a new Road March.  How can every other state and county get this but Florida?  The ones who are closest to the Caribbean?  At the rate South Florida going, promoters will have to either have age restrictions or just start throwing all inclusive events because no one is actually having a good time.  While the true soca lovers appreciate it all, we understand that there is time and place and the younger ones want to hear the same 20/25 chunes over and over.