CARNIVAL 09 "A SUCCESS" oh yeah?....

"The 'best' one in years?".....
I really don't know where to start when writing about something as big and complicated as Notting Hill Carnival, although I will try, and can only start by saying that the authorities have misused it again, thankfully though 'they' (whoever 'they' are this year) failed in their fun spoiling tactics.
They have yet again messed up and missed out as a result, but thankfully the people who did go had a good, good time, some even having very good'n'groovy times!
With the 2012 Olympics coming up, Carnival could have (and still can) help with the selling of modern London (and by inference, modern Britain) to the world as a lead up to the coming sporting event.
Being the worlds third biggest cultural street event of its kind and the biggest in Euroland it it is seen and known about globally and is one of the most decent, public and fun insights into our modern British culture available, but, what did they do? They made us a global laughing stock of course.
'They' began our shame by starting the Carnival at nine o'clock in the early morning! They then delivered their stunning coup-de-grace by unleashing their new finishing time of six p.m, that was also jaw droppingly embarrassing as well as downright rude, the new starting time also publicly displayed a total and utter disregard towards the children who performed that day (The 'Children's Carnival' ironically), and what felt like nothing more than a dismissal of the brilliant, reward deserving hard efforts every one of those kids had all made together, and the fact that they had all spent the best part of a year preparing for that one day.
Those poor kids had spent all year preparing their costumes, music, dances etc., and yet they were told to go out at nine in the morning and do their thing, along still empty streets full only of people setting up Beer and food stalls. It was a shameful way to treat them. Thankfully the streets did eventually fill and the sun came out in time to shine on their efforts before they finished.
The conspiracy.......
Unfortunately, I can't say anything about this years Carnival without including its biggest talking point, that of what had quickly become a widely held and spoken of belief among many of this years attendee's, one which started on Sunday morning and carried on through to Monday night, the one about the many artificial 'bottlenecks' and road blocking barriers that surrounded the Carnival in a ring, ones that were placed there by the authorities. Many in mystifying places for (initially) illogical reasons, some even resembled the familiar defence posts that were used in Ulster during its darkest days, especially the towers that were being used like observational guard posts in a civil war hot spot along Ladbroke Grove.
The rumour centred on how and why the barriers were situated in such a way and in certain places where the crowd was going too be at its fullest, and how they were set up in a way so that a serious accident could (and was, according to a few of the more paranoid among the conspiracy minded people, supposed to) occur, one that would of caused lots of serious accidents as hundreds of people fell over onto the unsteady floor, and onto each other all at once at one of the ludicrously pointless bottleneck's, with floors full of glass and rubbish which made walking a precarious task in a potentially tense situation. This would of given considerable leverage to those in the government and civil service who would happily, if not deliriously dance a 'Health and Safety excuse' Jig around Notting Hill's representation on a street map if Carnival was moved off the streets.
I'm not saying there isn't the occasional trouble, but considering there are more attendee's at Carnival during its two days than any other event in Britain, yet it has less trouble than many Football matches happening across Britain on the same weekend, it has not been easy to justify moving Carnival for those reasons. -Boys and Girls, we've been too good for their own good, well done to you all!!!!
Of the Carnival itself, it was really good this year, thankfully, not many rose to the bait when confronted with the seemingly pointless barriers blocking empty roads and the unmovable attitude of those manning them 24 hours a day. Once 'inside' the barrier ring (the 'Kessel'), the 'vibe' (for want of a better expression') was a good one and the streets were filled with happy partying people, even the heavens blessed the event by giving Carnival a shining Sun, bright blue sky and warmth for the duration, and a blessed, cleansing storm afterwards which for the many residents like me, saved us a lot of hassle of washing down our front steps for us (and avoided the "...but I did it three years running!" type disputes that arise among those residents whose relationship with their neighbour/s is less than 'cordial' shall we say).
Due in large part to the pointless barriers it wasn't possible to spend long at many sound systems or move around, so Sunday I just headed straight to the Gaz's rockin' Blues stage which had "Castro's Cuba" as its theme this year, all I can say is that I had a great time. (I wish it to be known that I didn't wear a Che Guevara t-shirt! 'onest guvnor,) and Gaz's stage rocked that day, sadly, due to a mixture of having just a street full of what seemed like oiled bottles placed especially to make you stumble (or was that last night) and stupid barriers (which disallowed me access through my own street) I was too late for Mondays shenanigans, although I got there just in time to meet some good friends and espy the best pair of Brothel creepers I have seen in many a moon (I am thinking of moving into a faster time dimension because I miss everything)
Prince Buster was to have been the highlight at Gaz's on the Monday I was told, but sadly the great man has suffered a stroke, so instead I'm told (the) Rotten hill gang filled in admirably instead, and were supposedly to be accompanied in part by some heroic old geezer called Mick ...something..... Due in part to those sodding barriers I missed the set so I can't tell you what it was like, but, everyone was in a fine mood after, so it must of gone off reasonably well.
Back to Sunday, and after Gaz's it was off to the street next to mine for a house party (the less said about that the better) till morning when we all dribbled away for some 'R'n'R' before going back.
Going home at an early/late hour makes you realise what a great job the cleaners do overnight, how much it stinks, and it makes you wonder why there are so many manned Police roadblocks still.
The main thing though is that everyone had a good time (apart from the obvious cases) and loads of the costumes were brilliant. Lets hope next years Carnival has someone in charge who has a clue regarding these barriers (as long as the rumours aren't true of course), after all, they know what is a safe way to use them and what isn't. Those responsible have hundreds of years of official experience behind them, they know what, and how flash points occur, they know very well how to avoid them as well. Lets hope we see that experience put to some positive use for a change.
Lets hope that this over riding obsession with holding and maintaining complete control over every aspect of how people spend their short, and now even shorter time at Carnival is put to bed. The idea that we must be controlled inside a controlled zone only, and within the adrenalin soaked call of riotous back-up at all times is not right, that level of security is not needed, it is as if we had been judged potential threats and enemies before the Carnival had even started.
We were not there for an open day political rally of death calling radicals with some extremely scary politics, we were there to party and have fun only.
There were thousands of tourists there who came simply to dance at the famous event.
As for Carnival, it is in part here for many good reasons, to celebrate the many great cultural aspects that the 'windrush' generation brought with them, the exceptence of them and their offspring into modern Britain, Black and now mixed culture and great music being a few among the many good reasons. Overall 'we' were there to do nothing else but have a good time and party together as 'we' have done for 50 years now, and to do that we do not need lines of heavily uniformed, shield wielding and helmeted Police standing in a line waiting for some imaginary trouble that no one else except them can see is going to start, maybe their shield has a face visor with highly advanced 'bovver vision' fitted, like in 'Terminator' except that it is tuned to find someone who could be "a bit of bovver later on".
What I want to say is "we do not need to be protected from ourselves and guarded by you when we want to dance together publicly thank you. I also wish to make the point that "we are capable of enjoying ourselves without an official security presence and intimidating measures being put in place. Measures that are frequently held to be 'frightening' and 'intimidating', and the presence of Police at random places in uniforms that are usually identified with riots and violence does the peoples well being no good, and scares children.
The impression has arisen that "they (the Police) look for trouble", "they are just bored so go looking for people to nick" "they sometimes go around like they is just another gang" I was told by some people I asked, Monday evening on Ladbroke Grove.
"They are a gang, an untouchable gang!, its not forgotten that they are the Police, but are thought of as still just another gang, but on a different level by some. This is not helped by their tactics of high 'quick action' visibility, which is also questionable. That is the impression of the Police taken away by some after witnessing or being involved in a bottleneck at its worst time this year, an "us and them" feeling was very strong this year and that is quite sad really.
Why are we, adult citizens in our own country, being treated like we are weapon holding potential enemies every year now? Why is there such panic every year among those bitter few who want it stopped at any cost, even human (-if just half the sensible rumours can be believed)? Is it the old 'racist' reason that blighted it years ago? it can't be the local bean counters from the many local business'), and it brings in people from all over the world (who now have to get up, be ready, try and find, and be there for the new nine a.m. start, and (for shame) be ready for the six p.m. finish. So what is the problem?
Saying all that, I do have to admit that I did have a cracking time once inside the 'kessel' along with thousands of happy people, and you can't beat that.
P.S. I'm not coming from some "kick all the old Bill off our streets at Carnival" angle, I only wish to be treated respectfully in my own area and be allowed to walk where I wish, and not be forced into a tight, tension filled, frightening crowd, while being forced into a crush by barriers that are blocking empty streets. This 'Kessel' system is not thought up by the many officers on the street, its not their fault. Someone though, with help, did think it up. Also, maybe if instead of Coffee, Cola and bacon sarnies, the Police and jobsworth security guards ate Roti's with Lentil Dahl, and drank tepid, or (perish the thought) even warm cups of Chai all night instead of Caffeine and Bulluck jizm filled energy drinks to stay awake, they might act a bit mellower.
See you next year.