Old Quebec Street, London, the name of the place to be tonight is Carbon for the sixth installment of Busspepper Promotions chariot of events entitled "Chic". I did not quite understand this concept and any spectacular meaning or intuitive thought process for this titled event but I can safely assume it had something to do with woman? Ah ... I could be wrong. Anyhow, arriving at minutes to twelve as usual, you know how we Trini's do the whole arrive to party at midnight thing, there was not such a long line for this event - I would have thought otherwise since neither rain or any sort of bad weather prevents Caribbean people from attending a Busspepper party .... but the line was short ... hmmm.

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Now for this particular event, Busspepper had a special for VIP and all sorts of mumbo jumbo thing attached to it like pay £200 and get five (5) tickets and waiter service for the entire night plus a bottle of champagne or a bottle of spirits and unlimited chaser.... but I cannot remember it exactly ... check their site next time .... www.busspepper.com. However, maybe I forgot but tonight was different with respect to dress code .... for some strange reason there was a large stress on the dress code i.e. "smart casual" ... no sneakers blah blah blah, so I had my share of laughing at brothers because you know dress code never applies to women - they could come out in a jersey and a short pants, ah ole beach slippers and still come in the dance - but the males, some were in long sleeve shirts AND neatly tucked inside their very sharply ironed dress pants ... LOL … were they going to work?? I distinctly remember a patron asking if they were in an after work lime... well done busspepper - providing entertainment!!

Carbon - the venue - which is delightfully, situated on the outskirts of central London and as a result the transportation links are very sufficient and completely efficient so it was highly unlikely any patron would argue about transportation links. An estranged layout for a club/bar but delightfully constructed on two floors with two main bars one on each floor as well as some of the most gorgeous waitresses I have seen since I have been in London. Around the edges of the ground floor there were some comfortable couches being used by the patrons who were resting their dancing feet. There were also four (4) feet tables situated in the middle of the dance floor as well as in one corner there was a chain like décor room which looked like an estranged boom-boom room. The ceiling was a tad bit low and many dancing individuals were holding onto the ceiling while encouraging their booty flexxxing. One negative aspect of Carbon was the fact that there was no cloak room so the tables in the middle and the interestingly upholstered couches were being used as coat racks. All in all, an interesting venue, and I really don't think anyone complained so kudos to the Busspepper team. (Still Prefer Abacus!!!!!!)

Upstairs was neatly decorated with a main bar, as well as, another set of uniquely upholstered chairs and tables. The overview of downstairs was limited but people can see all the alcohol pursuers purchasing their yak at the core bar. Their was also a clear view of the DJ Booth which was elevated directly above the bar downstairs which I thought was actually very clever as the DJ could see at least 70% of the crowd so as to analyze their reaction to any particular selection being played.

I do not know who exactly the DJ(s) were tonight but the music at this event was much better than the last event but still quite similar. The dancehall was quite limited this time despite the few chart toppers of last year and this year like Vegas - "Hot Wuk", Busy Signal - "Step Out" and Matterhorn - "Dutty Wine". The soca was more than usual tonight as a result of Notting Hill Carnival which is to be held in August. Soca hits of this year and the last three (3) years were rampant throughout the night mostly Machel Montano and his winning road marches - "Jumbie" & "Band Of D Year". His tunes from the years before like "Bubblenut", "Craziness" & "Big Truck" were also some big tunes which soared through the ears of the patrons - are they trying to prepare us for his concert which is soon?? An immaculate highlight I must say was Timmy - "Bumpa Catch A Fire" - where I saw ladies holding on to the chains and shaking what their father give them. Apparently there was some jirating action in the ladies bathroom too and the security guards were privy to some Caribbean dancing flavour. Some old dancehall was also present like Beenie Man, Shabba Ranks, & Buju Banton. I cannot tell you the last time I went to any party and heard Beenie Man & Lady Saw Classic Hit from the 90's - "Healing" - pure bubble pon man waist tune.

As usual there must be some back in time Soca for the veterans in the party. How many times must I really hear Black Stalin - "Tonight The Black Man Feeling To Party"? However, kudos to the DJ for playing some new - old ones like Colin Lucas - "Dollar Wine", Gabby - "Dr. Cassandra" and one my all time favourites David Rudder - "This Is Not A Fete In Here, This Is Madness". I would say the highlight of the party was that session of old school and back in times .... level jirating, level bubble, level wuk up! Just a touch of absolutely no class and best music ... what more can you expect?

However, I must mention there was a technological trauma in the party. Do you all remember in old school disco like Holy Cross, Fatima or even in Bishops when during a nice jamming down session the music would just miraculously cut off ... "we are having some technological problems, please bare with us!" .... would be the usual statement the DJ would say .... nevertheless, in the Chic, we had some technological trauma ... but the DJ had no manners ... nothing was said ... we just stood there waiting patiently ... LOL .... even my fellow TJJ mate was counting ... three minutes to be exact of just chatter being heard ... hey! It was all part of the entertainment ... LOLOL

The usual infamous Hasan was there with his favourite dishes like Pelau with stew chicken and salad, Curry Chicken with Roti, Aloo Pie, Corn Soup and a miraculous Sunday Special Take Away. You have to be sure that Hasan's food is tasty if people are eating all through the night, there was A QUEUE for food, the Sunday special take away WAS being taken away, and still at 3 AM there was still a line for that tasty plate of Caribbean goodies.

As per usual with any party of a Caribbean nature, many people were making out, many buttocks were being squeezed (I saw you), people who just finished exams came out and danced the night away, the usual people arguing when their picture were taken because they were caught doing some immoral acts with the wrong people ... hmmm .... save those things for the four walls of your bedroom. Despite all of this, there were some patrons who just came to pose ... mostly men ... in their "blazers" ... weren't you brothers feeling warm ???

There were some "beauty" queens in the dance, I really did not know what they were there for but they looked alright. The dresses were cool but their chaperone was quite a mean individual - she was not allowing them to dance and bruk-out .... especially when they all were tisic for the flexxx.

Notting Hill Carnival 2007 was also launched that night and some particular band came out with five or six sections. I am sorry if I did not pay much attention to what was being said ... there were too many women in the dance to listen to what the man on the microphone was saying ... but look out for Notting Hill - it supposed to be great this year!

So another event, another weekend gone, another Busspepper, look out for them again. No Guinness tonight ... I was just on a mellow vybe.

Amiel for the TJJ Fam
Always Forward Never Backward

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