IT WAS LATE SUNDAY AFTERNOON, and the Wednesday 2000 band house was steadily coming to life. Prototypes on full display at Speedbird House, the City base; equipment was being delivered for the “full throttle” towards Kadooment Day; faithful band members popping in to take a look at The Times Of Our Lives, the 21-year-old band’s presentation for 2015.
“From [tomorrow], we will be here and in the back and really hitting the [work],” Mackie told Easy.
Daughter Nikki Holder has already started working on the intricate backpacks and headpieces featured in the female costumes. She also handles bringing Mackie’s ideas to life.
“ . . .That is why I say that the band is designed by the Holders. I usually decide what I am going to do and choose the theme and . . . Nikki would flesh out the designs and come back, then we would have some hard conversations sometimes,” Mackie explained with a laugh.
“We . . . look at the materials and decide what we are going to go with. I know what I want and that we want a different look every year so that like everything else, we evolve.”
The “50-something” father said that Nikki was involved in the band from its inception – save two years putting her academic pursuits into practice through assisting with the band.
“She was one of the first students in the Barbados Community College’s associate fine arts programme and she also went on to do the degree. So it was also an avenue for her to practise some skills. It is a whole family-wide thing with the Kings [and] the Holders.”
Two of his other children, Neisha Holder and Rodney King, also assist with the band. Mackie’s main role was pulling everything together in order to make sure that Wednesday 2000 revellers have as safe and enjoyable time as possible.
“I am very good at organising . . . but after 21 years, we have a team that has basically been in place, give or take a few people, for all [those years]. Bandleader is the same – Brian Corbin – and he is assisted by Rodney King, who is Nikki’s brother. We have the same security and truck people, the same back staff. When we are in here working the same person cooks our food . . . We have reliable people so we know what we are going to get.”
It was the sense of community that propelled a younger Mackie and friends to start the Kadooment band.
He recalled: “We started as a youth group mainly out of St Peter. We thought that getting involved in Crop Over would be a good way of getting young people to get involved in something national.
“ . . . . Bands were allowed to be a T-shirt band in the first two years, so it was just about printing some designs on some T-shirts and down the road we gone. Our first band was 800 so we started really, really massive and we went from there. We won prizes every year except one year.”
It was also easier to start a band in earlier years, especially since the business community was more supportive and there was more emphasis on having a good time. He also proudly recollected that Wednesday 2000 was the first band to provide full breakfast and an air conditioned bus on the road for its revellers.
“Our security is very tight and there are very little issues, although there have been some. But every year has been memorable,” he added.
But costs are greater and there is less support from the business community. Added to that are the “safety concerns, the famous BRA [Barbados revenue Authority] and people expect premium drinks.”
Mackie estimated his out of pocket costs for the season at $20 000. Yet he marches on.
“I like it because it brings the family together, we have a good time and we have made a lot of friends. . . Everybody comes together and we are there on Kadooment Day and are working behind the scenes to make it happen, and there is the wider family that has always been with us.”
As explores the possibility of transitioning out of the band to make room for new blood, Mackie was willing to have his children continue the Wednesday 2000 legacy.
“Nikki and Rodney have their own Foreday Morning band [called] Kama Sutra with some of Rodney’s friends. They have the ability and the talent so if they want to take it forward, why not? There is already a following and a name and while there have been [some issues] over the years, we are known for delivering great service to our band members.”
