Grenada-born, Trinidad-raised Dr Conrad Murray, the doctor blamed in Michael Jackson’s accidental death in 2009, was again in town to play mas with Hart’s Ultraviolet Jungle yesterday.
Murray, who has enjoyed Carnival festivities here before, posed long enough for some photographs with his companion Nicole Alvarez and quickly rejoined his section along the Ariapita Avenue, Woodbrook route around 1.45 pm yesterday.
Despite the inclement weather, masqueraders danced along to MX Prime and Ultimate Rejects’ monster hit Full Extreme in the rain when they crossed Adam Smith Square on Ariapita Avenue, Woodbrook.
The venue was, however, devoid of judges, who were relocated to Victoria Square.
Bands dazzled under a clouded sky and the revellers were not deterred by the intermittent downpour of rain. A bystander said the masqueraders “were in a different world.”
Brian MacFarlane’s “Cazabon: The Art of Living” was the first “big-name” band to cross the stage around 9 am and were spared a “wetting” from the elements. In fitting tribute to MacFarlane’s mentor, his masqueraders wore very “Minshallesque-like” full fabric, predominantly white cotton and auburn ornate costumes.
President Anthony Carmona and his wife Reema were in MacFarlane’s band.
A Team Punk’s “A Tribute to Earl Crosby” crossed the stage second.
This was followed by a small band and a lull until 11.15 am, when Ronnie and Caro’s “Fearless” crossed the avenue with its brilliantly-coloured plumed masqueraders.
Utopia’s “Phoenix Rising” was up next.
When Bliss’ Al Sahra took the stage, the deejay whipped the revellers into a frenzy for the stage crossing, when it began to rain.
Splash D-Mas Band followed, however, and thoroughly enjoyed themselves in the rain, as did revellers in YUMA’s Vibe “The Origins From Whence We Came.”
Flirt Carnival’s “Happy Birthday Carnival” came next and then Hart’s Jungle, with its revellers dancing away in the rain around 1.30 pm.