PanTrinbago keeps pan alive with bomb competition in St James

With the pressure of the National Panorama competition behind her, Pan Trinbago’s president Beverley Ramsey-Moore enjoyed the sweet sounds of the steel pan on Tragarete Road, Port of Spain, on Carnival Monday night.

The event was a joint venture between Pan Trinbago and the St James Carnival Improvement Committee where a Steelband Bomb competition, with the theme Keeping Pan in Carnival, was organised for the first time.

According to Ramsey-Moore, “This is an opportunity for the smaller bands to come out and try to earn some money. After the Single Pan finals they have nothing to do so this is for them. As we speak the same thing is happening in San Fernando and Arima.

“The Eastern Region in conjunction with Mayor Lisa Morris is in charge up there while the South Central region of Pan Trinbago is doing their thing in south.”

Ramsey-Moore said each region got $100,000 to organise their competition.

While there was a late start in St James, pan lovers came out to see and hear the national instrument.

There was also a lack of traffic control and massive 40-foot trailers had to manoeuvre around the small steel bands but that was eventually rectified.

The bands moved along Tragarete Road from east to west stopping at the St James Amphitheatre to be judged. Bands like St James Tripolians, Belmont Hi Larks, Brimblers, Ice Water Ensemble, Scrunters Pan Groove, Musical Gems Sapophonics and World Wide Steel Orchestra performed.

The hit of the night was World Wide Steel Orchestra which performed How Great Thou Art in honour of late pan pioneers Hugh Borde and Neville Jules.

The band had the crowd, including Ramsey-Moore, jumping to their rendition throughout the performance.

The DJ at Universal Bar in St James was congratuated for showing support to the bands by cutting the music when they passed by the bar.