When 3Canal headlined a show in July 2015, and performed before a sold out Mas Camp Pub audience, titled New Fire—The Fire This Time, none of its owners or the patrons who packed the popular Woodbrook showplace that night knew how prophetic the show’s theme would be in March 2017. In existence for the past 30 years and more recently renamed De Nu Pub, this iconic cultural venue was completely gutted by fire on Sunday, March 26, a blaze which also destroyed adjoining Sweet Lime Restaurant and Ma Pau Members Club.
I have fond memories of The Mas Camp, even before it became a home to this country’s artistes, music lovers, ballroom dancers and thousands of returning overseas nationals. Originally, it was the mas camp of masman Peter Minshall and his band back in the ‘80s, the womb for epic mas productions like Danse Macabre, Papillon and Rat Race. I remember the artisans of team Minshall, including veteran Pascall Ramkissoon, Chuckaree and Sonia Sanchez working feverishly around the clock on mas costumes that would astound spectators on the streets of Port-of-Spain and at competition venues. In fact, before being redesigned, as patrons arrived in the foyer of The Mas Camp, then corralled by a steel barrier, they were welcomed by Man Rat, the 1987 King of Carnival, worn by Peter Samuel.
The Mas Camp was actually opened in 1986 and the first act presented on its stage, then a makeshift, raised structure which was then at the rear of the eventually remodelled showplace, was Mervyn Aird and a group from the Lions Club singing retro calypsoes and parang.
Back then, the world’s top soca band, Charlie’s Roots, led by Pelham Goddard, and fronted by singers Chris “Tambu” Herbert and David Rudder, was an integral part of not just Minshall mas but also of The Mas Camp Pub. One can say it was this unique aggregation that inspired Mas Camp owners, the Ward brothers (Mac Donald, Roderick and Frank), to commit their establishment to the promotion of live calypso music.
Apart from nurturing talent, The Mas Camp Pub was also the embryo for many a fledgling, wide-eyed artiste, if only because late impresario Holly Betaudier once used the venue as home for the popular Scouting for Talent amateur competition. The showplace was also a rehearsal site and audition space for numerous competitions and shows.
Bands like Atlantik, Machel Montano’s Pranasonic Express, managed then by his father Winston Montano, Chandileer, Fire Flight, Blue Ventures, and Splash, the Seafront Lions band, performed some memorable gigs at the venue as well.
How can one forget the Friday evening after-work limes and shows at the Camp, hosted for some time by the late Mystic Prowler? People used to come from across the country to hear Prowler sing and, when he won the 1998 National Calypso Monarch competition, the celebration was huge. Following Prowler’s passing, other artistes who kept the Friday evening show going were the late Bubble Man, whose covers of Swamp Dogg hits were always a crowd-pleaser, Jennylyn, David Baptiste and Gail Valentine and Kerwin Trotman.
Any artiste, regardless of chosen genre, be it calypso, soca, reggae, chutney, chutney soca, jazz, gospel or crossover, was afforded access to the Mas Camp stage. Through the years, patrons welcomed the opportunity to rub shoulders with kings and queens of calypso who also made The Mas Camp a second home, artistes like Sparrow, Black Stalin, Cro Cro, Baron, Singing Sandra, Brigo, The Original De Fosto Himself, Bro Superior, Crazy, Bro Valentino, Contender, Ras Kommanda and Explainer. On any given Wednesday night, one of them would be there, if not on stage, chilling at the bar taking in a show.
Divas Calypso Cabaret International was based at The Mas Camp; operated by Dr Rudolph Ottley, it was the only all-female cast of calypsonians in T&T, around since 2004. Recent international music awardee Calypso Rose also performed at Mas Camp a few years ago.
The Mas Camp Pub was also home away from home for many a calypso lover. Some of the familiar, regular faces seen weekly included Diane Dupres, Justice Malcolm Holdip and his wife Dianne, Pam Hosten, Adella Moses, Yuklin Chin Choy, Ray Brathwaite, Pat Harper, Bunny Dieffenthaller, Murchison Brown, Danny Ming, Raymond Tim Kee, Burt Clarke, Hollick Rajkumar, Wilton Howell, Brian Awang, Yvonne Regis and Bro Resistance.
I remember one Wednesday night show when 1983 Road March champion SuperBlue and 1986 National Calypso Monarch David Rudder walked into the Camp and spontaneously volunteered to perform. That night, patrons who were lucky to be in attendance say it was one of the best shows they’d ever attended. For decades, the band behind the artistes on stage has been Len Cummings & D Wailers, featuring its zany and colourful percussionist/singer Bunny Bynoe. Whether the Camp was packed or had a handful of patrons, Cummings and his musicians would play as though they were performing to thousands.
For the three decades of its existence, The Mas Camp Pub was also graced by the presence of many politicians including Patrick Manning, Kamla Persad Bissessar, Keith Rowley, Joan Yuille Williams, Winston Peters, Lincoln Douglas and Arnold Piggott. Douglas, a drummer, and Peters, calypsonian Gypsy, have also performed there.
Last August, The Mas Camp Pub (De Nu Pub) marked its 30th anniversary with a bumper show, hosted by Sprangalang and featuring Bro Superior, Luta, Twiggy, Duane O’Connor, Singing Sandra, Chuck Gordon and Cro Cro.
The Mas Camp Pub is greatly missed by artistes and music lovers alike and, like favourite showplaces like Upper Level Club, Pelican Inn, Impact Disco, White Elephant, Heritage 67, Leo Toro, TJs by the Sea, Wazo Dayzel and The Base. there appeal and allure will never be duplicated.