WeBeat to honour Power Stars

THE St James Community Improvement Committee (St James CIC) has selected Power Stars, formerly known as Blue Stars, as this year’s WeBeat St James Live 18 honoree.

The steelband was established in 1957 as Blue Stars, but ten years later, the band got sponsorship from the Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission (T&TEC) and subsequently became known as T&TEC Power Stars. That relationship went on for 41 years.

Over the years, the steel orchestra has participated at National Panorama, Best of the Rest and Steelband Music Festival competitions.

Power Stars has also formed alliances with many a junior steelband inclusive of St Francois Girls’ College of Belmont and Mucurapo Senior Comprehensive School.

In 2008, the band lost its sponsorship but continues to strive to keep itself firmly fixed in the steelband firmament by doing things which will ensure its continued existence and be a source of upliftment to the St James/Cocorite community.

This year, the community festival will run for four consecutive days from June 6-9, at the St James Amphitheatre, Western Main Road, St James.

The annual affair which celebrates TT's cultural heritage and diversity will see health day and film night on June 6, PanJazz on June 7, Komedy Kaiso on June 8, and on June 9, at the break of dawn there will be a J’Ouvert and later in the day, the ever popular steelband and traditional mas street parade that will be led off by Nite Brite Mas Band.

In addition, there will also be two supporting events on June 1 and 2. The former is a fund-raising steelband concert Let’s Do It For Tony, for pan icon Anthony Williams OTT who will be celebrating his 87th birthday, and the other, a road show in front of Crosby’s Music Store, Western Main Road. This event will showcase local talent while paying tribute to the late Baba Erin Folami (Esmond King). Both events are free.

WeBeat St James Live 18 is under the patronage of the Mayor of Port of Spain, Alderman Joel Martinez.