Large Bands face judges

Steelbands in the National Panorama Large Bands category will begin facing judges at their panyards from tomorrow.

Judging begins in the Eastern Region with five of the 17 bands in this category. The sole Tobago band in this category, RBC Redemption Sound Setters, will face judges on January 21 at 8 pm.

This will be followed by the seven North bands on January 22 and ending with South/Central’s four bands on January 23.

From this, 14 bands will proceed to the National Panorama Medium and Large Semi Finals on January 28 at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain from 1 pm.

Among the big bands’ tune of choices are Inside the Festival, Sweet for Days, Year for Love and Lightening Flash. Some bands have opted for soca selections from Ultimate Rejects, Patrice Roberts, Aaron Voice St Louis and Kes.

Last year’s winner, Massy Trinidad All Stars is hoping that lightening will strike twice with another Ultimate Rejects’ composition, Lightening Flash. All Stars won the 2017 contest with the Ultimate Rejects’ song, Full Extreme.

PCS Nitrogen Silver Stars is going with the same song arranged by Professor Liam Teague.

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

Three bands have chosen Roberts’ Sweet For Days –Republic Bank Exodus, FCB Supernovas and T&TEC Tropical Angel Harps.

Desperadoes and nine times winners bp Renegades will play Voice’s Year for Love as arranged by Carlton Zanda Alexander and Duvone Stewart respectively.

Judges for the Large Band Category are Corinne Soo Ping Chow, Damion Phillip, Roger Sardinah and Lennox London.

Meanwhile, judging continues this weekend in all conventional steelband categories. Tonight, from 6.30 pm preliminary judging of small bands continues in the various South/Central panyards, and as well in the East for judging of the National Medium Conventional prelims.

Tomorrow, simultaneously judges will be adjudicating North Medium Conventional bands, and in the South/Central Small band category.

Then on Sunday there will be preliminary judging of East Small Conventional bands as well, North Medium bands from 7 pm, and on Monday judges will be in the South/Central region for the National Medium prelims at 6.30 pm, the East Small prelims at 7 pm and in North for the Large band category, also from 7 pm.

The order of appearance for Large Bands is as follows:

January 20 East – 7 pm

1. Harmonites - Churchill Roosevelt Highway, Morvant Junction, The Hills Coming Down
2. Genesis Pan Groove - Lp 38 Evans Street, Curepe, Magic Drums
3. Republic Bank Exodus - EMR & St John’s Road, St Augustine, Sweet For Days
4. Birdsong - Corner Sapodilla & St Vincent Sts, Tunapuna, Pan Break
5. FCB Supernovas - Surrey Village, Lopinot Road, Arouca, Sweet For Days

Tobago January 21 - 8 pm
1. RBC Redemption Sound Setters - Montgomery Road, Bethel , Long Time

North January 22 - 7 pm
1. Bp Renegades - Charlotte Street, Port of Spain, Year For Love
2. Massy Trinidad All Stars - Duke Street, Port of Spain, Lightning Flash
3. Desperadoes - Tragarete Road, Year For Love
4. PSC Nitrogen Silver Stars - Tragarete Road, Lightning Flash
5. CAL Invaders - QPCC car park, Inside The Festival
6. Phase II Pan Groove In collaboration with HADCO - Hamilton Holder St, Woodbrook, Hello
7. NMHL Starlift - Christopher Samuel Dr, Woodbrook, Full Of Vibe

South/Central January 23 – 7 pm
1. T&TEC Tropical Angel Harps - Main Road, Enterprise, Sweet For Days
2. Skiffle - Coffee Street, San Fernando - Full of Vibe
3. NLCB Fonclaire - 77 Dottin Road, San Fernando, Inside The Festival
4. NGC La Brea Nightingales - Tanti Park, Pt D’Or, La Brea, Inside The Festival