Soca music to rule pan semis

GARY CARDINEZ

Soca music is set to rock the annual Savannah Party, as five of the 16 steel orchestras in the Large Band category will go to the National Panorama semi-finals on January 28 playing songs by the Ultimate Rejects.

Eight others will play soca songs by Patrice Roberts, Aaron “Voice” St Louis/ Marge Blackman and Kes at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain.

Last year Massy Trinidad All Stars won the Panorama title with the most popular song in the Carnival – Full Extreme by Ultimate Rejects. The four-man team (Ultimate Rejects) has put out four songs for 2018: Vex, Brimstone, Lightning Flash and Inside the Festival. Three steel orchestras have chosen Inside the Festival and the other two are coming with Lightning Flash.

Ten times Panorama winners Massy Trinidad All Stars is hoping to repeat its 2017 feat with Lightning Flash, arranged by Leon Smooth Edwards, while PCS Nitrogen Silver Stars is going with the same song as arranged by Prof Liam Teague.

NLCB Fonclaire, La Brea Nightingales and CAL Invaders will be playing Inside the Festival, the first song Ultimate Rejects released for Carnival 2018.

Patrons in the Savannah Party will also be jumping to Roberts’ Sweet For Days as three steel orchestras – Republic Bank Exodus, FCB Supernovas and T&TEC Tropical Angel Harps – have chosen to do this hot number by prolific composer Jovan James.

Reigning Soca Monarch Voice will also be heard in the Savannah as 11-times Panorama champions, Desperadoes and nine-times winners, bp Renegades will play his composition Year for Love as arranged by Carlton Zanda Alexander and Duvone Stewart respectively.

The Savannah speaker system will continue to blast Voice’s music when MHTL Starlift and Skiffle Steel appear on stage, as they have chosen Full of Vibes a song he recorded with Marge Blackman.

After switching from Nilah Blackman’s Sokah, Len Boogsie Sharpe and Phase II Pan Groove will play Kes’ Hello and birdsong is coming with Pan Break as arranged by Rudy “Two Left” Smith.

Two steel orchestras have chosen to do songs of the past: Redemption Sound Setters will play Arrow’s Long Time arranged by Michael Toby, and Harmonites will play The Hills Coming Down.