It was definitely a night to remember. I was so disappointed! So you can thoroughly understand why, let me give you a little background info. I am Haitian-American. I was raised with Haitian traditions and sensible values. One of the things that I was taught as a young girl was to always be a lady. Whenever I went out, I was to dress for the occasion and be "fre tankou freida."
Does that sound familiar? Was I the last one to be raised like this? What happened to the art of getting dressed? It has literally gone to the dogs! My goodness. The "ladies" at the show last this past Saturday were despicable. Well, at least 95% of them. They came dressed like cheap whores! It was a cool, rainy night in the city. I'm estimating that the temperature was somewhere in the upper 40s. These "ladies" came dressed in the shortest skirts, dresses and shorts (yes shorts in that type of weather). They didn't wear stockings or tights and wore cheap, high-heeled shoes that revealed their disgusting feet. Of course I felt out of place in my tunic and tights ensemble with my flat, suede calf high boots! Mind you, I had originally planned to wear my cocktail dress but feared that I may have been overdressed. It was unbelievable the way these "ladies" presented themselves. Maybe this event should have been called "La Nuit Des Jenès." Then I would have known what to expect and stayed home.
As the night wore on, there was an unmistakable stench in the air on the dancefloor and in the ladies room. It was the smell of hair that hadn't been washed in weeks (weaves), body odour (both the musty and fishy variety) and cheap perfume. On my way home, I still smelled of Chanel Chance, White Linen body powder and Jean Naté even though I had been dancing the whole time that I was there. Come on ladies, is it really that hard to take care of your body? I personally think that if you're going to go commando, please make sure that you can do so in way that doesn't upset anyone's olfactory system. I never understood going commando anyway! Had I known I was going to get flashed by the girls who were pulled on stage, I wouldn't have been so close. Rey, please, pick nicer ladies next time!
Speaking of dancing, does anybody actually "dance" anymore? I like gyrating my hips just as much as the other person but I prefer a two step with complicated turns. Bolero, Salsa, Merengue, bachata...you name it! I love dancing. You'd think with the popularity of shows such as "Dancing with The Stars" and "So You Think You Can Dance" there would be an interest in the craft. I guess the masses prefer to bump and grind on the dancefloor.
As for the men, they weren't any better. The Du-Rags, dirty sneakers and timbs. I was expecting slacks and shoes. Maybe a suit and matching fedora...but I guess that's not a la mode anymore. I remember when my dad had get togethers, everyone came dressed to the nines. I was expecting too much.
I didn't come for the ladies or the men. I came for the performers. Like I said, I never saw a Haitian band perform live. I really wanted to see Kreyol La, T-Vice and Carimi. Kreyol La had an awesome set. Joseph Zenny Jr. (Kreyol La's lead singer) is just as arrogant and conceited as I thought he would be but it works. I totally understand why he's a vagabond for life! I really can't blame him either. They did not disappoint.
However, TVice sorta did. They came dressed like they just hopped off the plane. T-shirts and jeans? Are you serious? I've seen pictures of other performances where these guys looked more presentable. When I saw videos of Tabou Combo and Skah Shah performing, they were always dressed in shiny, matching suits. No I wasn't expecting shiny suits (remember, the Lox said "no more shiny suits") but I was expecting matching, handsome outfits. At least Kreyol La looked like they put some effort into what they were going to wear.
I cannot comment on Carimi. I couldn't stay for their performance. The crowd had grown considerably and the boys were becoming touchy feely. That was my cue that it was time to leave.
All in all I did have a blast. I love music. All kinds of music. However, the music that is my culture is what I love the most. After last Saturday, I have a renowned appreciation for Haitian music. The drums, guitars, synthesizers...my goodness, they all sound so good live. The amazing lyrics are just the icing on the cake. I look forward to the next event and I now know what to expect when I arrive. Somewhat.
This is MY opinion. If you like acting, or being, a jenès then that's on Y-O-U. Seeing how the ladies dressed will NOT make me change the way I dress. So, MY opinion shouldn't make you change the way you dress.
SHA
