Judging begins for Panorama large bands prelims on January 20

Pan Trinbago and pannists across Trinidad and Tobago are playing their way to one big Savannah Party on January 28.

The medium bands preliminaries began on January 15 in Tobago and are scheduled to end on January 19 in the South/Central region.

On January 20, the large band preliminaries will start in Tobago. RBC Redemption Sound Setters will be the first to be judged at its pan theatre, Montgomery Road, Bethel, from 8 pm. Judges will then move to Chance Street, Buccoo, where NLCB Buccooneers will play for its chance to move on to the semifinals at the January 28 Savannah Party at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain.

Panorama has been progressing steadily and some titles have already been awarded in the single pan, small band conventional and Junior Panorama categories.

Chord Masters won the single pan category on December 3, 2023, T&TEC New East Side Dimension won the small conventional band category on January 12.

Among the Junior Panorama winners were St Margaret’s Boys’ Anglican in the primary schools category; Holy Faith Convent, Penal, in the secondary school category; and BP Renegades Youth Steel Orchestra took the 21-and-under category on January 14.

Following the Tobago judging, the large band preliminaries flow to the Northern Region on January 21 and the Mucurapo Road band, Proman Starflift Steel Orchestra, will be the first to play in that division, from 7 pm. Up next will be Desperadoes Steel Orchestra, George Street, Port of Spain; Massy Trinidad All Stars, Duke Street, Port of Spain; BP Renegades Steel Orchestra, Charlotte Street, Port of Spain; Shell Invaders Steel Orchestra, Queen’s Park Oval, Tragarete Road, Woodbrook, and HADCO Phase II Pan Groove, Hamilton Holder Street, Woodbrook, in that order.

On January 22, the preliminary judging goes to the Eastern Region and will end in the South Central region on January 23.

Three East bands will be judged: Harmonites, corner Fourth Street and Churchill Roosevelt Highway, Barataria; Republic Bank Exodus, Eastern Main Road, St Augustine; and First Citizens Supernova at Surrey Village, Lopinot.

In the South/Central Zone, judging begins at T&TEC Tropical Angel Harps, Southern Main Road, Enterprise, Chaguanas, followed by Heritage Petroleum Skiffle, Coffee Street, San Fernando; NLCB Fonclaire, Dottin Street, San Fernando. Siparia Deltones will be the last band to be judged at its Ellis Knights Pan Complex, Railway Road, Siparia.

From semifinals on January 28, the top ten medium bands will play for the title at the Dwight York Stadium, Tobago, on February 4, and February 10, at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain, the top ten large bands will play with one becoming 2024’s Panorama champions.

January 20

Tobago Region

RBC Redemption Sound Setters

NLCB Bouccooneers

January 21

Northern Region

Proman Starlift Steel Orchestra

Desperadoes Steel Orchestra

Massy Trinidad All Stars

BP Renegades Steel Orchestra

Shell Invaders Steel Orchestra

HADCO Phase II Pan Groove

January 22

Eastern Region

Harmonites

Republic Bank Exodus

First Citizens Supernova

January 23

South/Central Region

T&TEC Tropical Angel Harps

Heritage Petroleum Skiffle

NLCB Fonclaire

Siparia Deltones