Shades in Steel – homeless but looking, sounding good

Whenever Shades in Steel members take to a stage to play pan, one this is certain – they put on memorable performances for their audience and themselves.

The south-based single-pan band is about 40 years old. Despite continuing to excel in the industry and making it to the Panorama finals multiple times over the years, it has never had a place to call its own.

Manager Andy "Sharkie" Bissessar acknowledged that while the band is in dire need of a place to call home, it has never stopped them from playing and enjoying steelpan music.

He said, "We (members) are a champion band. We have not missed a finals in years. This year, we will work harder on getting a home. Maybe follow up on the applications to acquire state lands.

"If we get access to the land, we feel we would be resourceful enough to put up our own building. All we would need is something like a big shed with a section to store the instruments, toilets, and that is it."

A few years ago, he submitted four possible locations to the San Fernando West MP office for consideration in getting state lands to use it as a cultural venue for the organisation. Two are near the Marabella police station, and the two at Vistabella near the bridge.

Bissessar, 66, has been with the band from inception. Before becoming the manager, he held the title bandleader for the past 36 years. The band consists basically of young people, many of whom are present and past tertiary students.

Since 2020 when the pandemic hit the country, the band had been "under lockdown." That changed a few weeks ago when the band began auditioning for Pan in de Sancoche, a Carnival pan event held on February 19 in Port of Spain.

Bissessar recalled the agony of being told, a few days before the event, to stop the practice because of noise.

"It was after 10 pm at a house in a street near the Marabella Police Station. That was a blessing in disguise in the sense that, the next day, I called the councillor (Teresa Lynch) and asked her for the use of one of the community centres.

"The lady delivered the same day, allowing us to practice at the centre on Market Street. That is how we managed to go to the Sancho. She saved the day."

Shades In Steel was selected to play in the Pan in de Sancoche which showcased 28 bands, 15 single pan and 13 small conventional, at the Queen’s Park Savannah.

Bissessar said: "We do not have a sponsor, and we never had one, although, over the years, people gave donations. We have some of the best instruments. It is like magic making things happen for us."

He added that management paid the players, arrangers and tuners as well as for uniforms, transport, and refreshments, so expenses add up.

"Year after year, the players always come back. It is because we always try to treat them well. With our winnings, we are able to pay off everybody. We break even most of the time. Sometimes we make a loss but, for the love of pan, we keep going."

"We practice here and there because we love it. We are not giving up. At times the players practice by me too. In 2020, we started the tune home by me."

In 2002, the band won the Panorma finals (single band category) with its performance of My Dulahin by Barnett "Preacher" Henry under arranger Kenneth "Guppy" Brown.

Dante Pantin has been the band's arranger for the past five years. The band’s captain is Michael Joseph.

In 2020, the band missed the top spot in the finals by one point with the hit Golo sung by Second Imij. That year, two bands tied for first place.

"Although we got the second-highest points, we were placed third with 283 points. That was our last Panorama, our last event before we went into the pandemic restrictions," Bissessar said.

"The year before that, 2019, we placed second, missing the top spot by three points. That tells you the calibre of our band. So, we have had a win, two second places, a third, we have had it all."

He reminisced that "way back in the day" when the band started at Bertrand Street, San Fernando, it was under someone’s house.

"We would be in J’Ouvert with the pan around our necks because, back then, we did not have floats and racks.

The band then started to grow, and after a few years, members moved to a compound that housed a boxing gym in Marabella.

Machel Montano's Too Young To Soca, released in 1985, was the first Panorama song they performed on relocating to Marabella. They relocated to Vistabella after a few years.

"Members practiced in a garage next to Fonz's Restaurant and Bar (Vistabella) for roughly 18 years. We still store our instruments there," Bissessar said.

He praised owners Sylvia Jadoo and her late husband Ferdinand "Fonz" Jadoo for allowing the band to use the compound.

About four years ago, residents had taken them to court for allegedly making too much noise. After several hearings, the property owner and band members decided to stop practicing there, ending the court proceedings.

Bissessar said: "We could not give up on the youths. We had to continue fighting for them and that is why the band is still around today."

The band has toured Venezuela "a few times", and performed in Cartagena, Colombia.

Despite the obstacles, Bissessar is optimistic about finding a home soon.