Notting Hill Carnival 2020: Access All Areas, the official celebration of Notting Hill Carnival, is delighted to announce its complete line-up of hosts for the August Bank Holiday event including BBC Radio 1Xtra’s DJ Ace and Capital XTRA’s Remel London. Taking place online at www.NHCarnival.org, it brings together some of the most exciting talents from UK radio, educators, MCs, journalists and more alongside the authentic and traditional arts of Carnival.
For the first time in its 54-year history, Notting Hill Carnival will not be on the streets due to Covid-19, but this year’s online celebrations will be kicking off from the UK’s biggest screen in Piccadilly Circus as the event moves to a digital platform.
In the week building up to Notting Hill Carnival 2020: Access All Areas, official partner Samsung will release a series of mini-films, including an exclusive trailer that captures the essence of what this year’s virtual carnival will offer.
These mini-films were shot using the impressive 8K capabilities of the Samsung Galaxy S20 and celebrates Carnival and shines a spotlight on its vibrancy and energy through dance, food and music. The videos will launch Carnival with a live countdown on the Piccadilly Circus screen directing viewers to tune in via Notting Hill Carnival’s official site www.nhcarnival.org.
The move to digital both encourages the safety and wellbeing of the Carnival community, the general public and local residents, but also allows the Notting Hill Carnival to grow as a global spectacle online, for the world to enjoy safely from their home.
The Access All Areas free streams, filmed and produced by Let’s Go Do, will be broken down into four channels each showing performances from bands that participate in Notting Hill Carnival every year and interviews with some of the pioneers of Carnival that were integral to what it is today.
Starting on Saturday 29 August at 6pm until midnight will be the Carnival Warm-Up. From 6pm to 9pm actor, writer and comedian Jason Lewis and renowned culture and diversity celebrator and storyteller Reema Samuel bring you the Steelband Show, and then from 9pm to midnight educator, vocalist, Carnival Arts practitioner and founder of Gemz Mas Giselle Carter alongside Caribbean storyteller, author, writer and one of the UK’s leading MCs Coco P host the Calypso and Groovy Soca. All will be streamed through Channel 1.
Stand-up comedian and presenter of The Scene on BBC Radio London, Aurie Styla and Claire Clottey, an award-winning journalist and host of The Beat London 103.6FM’s #TimeToTalk show and will host Channel 1 (The Culture Channel) on Sunday (30) and Monday (31) from 9am – 12pm.
DJ, presenter and Caribbean music specialist Martin Jay aka Big Pappy and Giselle Carter host Channel 2 (Parade Channel) from 12pm to 8pm on the Sunday and Monday that will show J’ouvert, Mas bands, Brazilian bands and more.
Channel 3 (Sound System Channel) will be hosted by Capital XTRA Breakfast Show host Shayna Marie – who presents the station’s flagship week-day morning show alongside Yinka – and producer and musician Ras Kwame who hosts weekend shows on Capital XTRA and Capital XTRA Reloaded. They will be bringing you sets from some of the most famous Notting Hill Carnival Sound Systems from 12pm to 8pm Sunday and Monday.
Channel 4 is the Main Stage Channel and will be bringing viewers music from all over the world. It will be hosted by BBC Radio 1Xtra mid-morning host DJ Ace and Capital XTRA’s Saturday afternoon host and lead presenter of SKY 1’s What’s Up TV Remel London. They will be hosting from 8pm to 11pm on Sunday and Monday.
This three-day spectacle of music, dancing, food and drink will be brought to you by those that have made Notting Hill Carnival the breathtaking weekend we love today. With more names to be announced, here is a snapshot of some of the performers you will be able to enjoy.
There will be exclusive sets from legendary Sound systems of Notting Hill Carnival and includes Volcano, Arts-A-Light, Disya Jeneration, Gaz’s Rockin Blues, Seduction
City, KCC & The Rockin Crew, King Tubby’s, Love TKO, Rampage, Rough But
Sweet, G T Flex Roadshow, CMC Matrix, Saxon Sound System, Sir Valdez and Channel 1.
The magnificence of Calypso and Soca comes courtesy of Ms Desire, Brown Sugar, Rev B, Latoya, G-String, Triniboi Joocie, De Admiral, Clivus, Muffinman, Batch, Dansa, Alexander D Great, Helena B, DeeVine, Soca Kidd, Sunshine & Nadiva, D’Alberto, Masterlink, Nigel Isaacs and The Divette’s.
The incredible sound of the Steelpan comes from Panash, CSI, Panectar, St Michaels and All Angels, Reading All Steel Percussion Orchestra, Stardust Arts, Steel Pan In Motion, UFO, Nostalgia, Ebony, Mangrove, Metronomes, Real Steel and Brazilian bands Baque De Axe and Tribo.
The colour and panache of Mas is brought to you by Notting Hill Carnival bands The Bride Outreach, Calabash, Flamboyan, Colours, Burrokeets, Tempo Mas, Funatiks, Urban Touch, Ebony Mas, Island Mas, D Riddim Tribe, Karnival Mania, Soca Massive, Jamaica Twist, Vibrance, Cocoyea, Elimu, Mahogany, Elevate, Flagz, Gemz, Saga Boys, Hot Wax, Genesis, CAPCA, Mangrove Mas, Tropical Fusion, IDF and Designers Tiffany Thompson and Edrahil Lucifer.
Carnival kicks off on London’s Piccadilly screen with an exclusive trailer before the full schedule starts at www.nhcarnival.org. The Samsung mini-series, shot in 8K, will play out in full QLED 8K at Samsung KX in Coal Drops Yard, King’s Cross over the whole bank holiday weekend.