Pan lovers flock to Tobago large band prelims

TOBAGO’S pan lovers came out in their numbers on Saturday night for the preliminary judging of the large conventional bands in this year’s national Panorama competition.

The island has two large steelbands: RBC Redemption Sound Setters and NLCB Buccooneers. Tobago was the first region to be judged in the large band category.

Redemption Sound Setters, located at Montgomery Road, Bethel, played for the judges shortly after 8pm.

The band, formed in 1988, delivered a lively rendition of Mical Teja’s DNA, which was arranged by Michael Toby.

The smartly attired players gave their all and the crowd matched their enthusiasm.

“I just love the steelpan," one dancing tourist told Newsday. "I have been coming to Trinidad’s carnival for years and I move around to all of the pan tents. It is really a beautiful instrument.”

Redemption’s captain and manager Marie Toby told Newsday the players, some of whom have been with the band since its inception, were generally satisfied with their performance given the time in which they had to prepare.

She explained, “You have players moving from band to band and this year was really a crucial year for all of the bands, especially as the Tobago bands had to start off early. When we should have had the finals of the small bands on January 6, we now had to do the semi-finals on January 6 and the finals on January 12. So that kind of push back (preparation).”

Toby said this presented a challenge for Redemption Sound Setters’ rehearsal schedule as several of its members also played with a few of Tobago’s small and medium bands.

Despite the setbacks, she said the season was not a bad one.

“It’s just that it was quick and fast. And that normally happens when you know Carnival is a bit early. But according to the Pan Trinbago president Beverly Ramsey-Moore, ‘There is no season for pan.’ So when we start in October and we now in January, you could imagine.”

Asked about the band’s tune of choice, Toby said, “For me, it is a kind of patriotic tune because everybody knows that TT is mas, kaiso and pan, and the players were more suited for that type of song.”

She said the players are hoping for a spot in the semi-finals on January 28 at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain.

“At the end of the day, the judges’ decision is final. There is nothing we could do about it. But we are hoping to go forward.”

Buccooneers, of Chance Street, Buccoo, also had a good showing with its performance of Superblue’s (Austin Lyons) Fire Coming Down.

Seion Gomez, who arranged the piece, believes the band played well.

“They worked hard, despite the season being short and everything being crammed one on top of the next. So many of the players did not come in until the last minute and we had to get the music down and the players playing the music, which they did and I was satisfied,” he said.

But Gomez said Buccooneers, which tied for sixth place with Phase II Pan Groove in last year’s national final, will have some work to do if the band qualifies for this week’s semi-finals.

Regarding Fire Coming Down, he said the band’s management did not feel that any new songs would “sit well with the players.”

As such, Gomez said they decided to look for an old song.

“In looking for an old tune, I listened to Fire Coming Down but I was hesitant because this was a song that was composed by Robert Greenidge for Desperadoes in 1994 and they won with that song. But there is a kind of unspoken rule where you tend to stay away from those classics. So I bypassed it and went on to others.”

He said a man who is a friend of the captain felt Fire Coming Down was a good choice and they decided to run with it.

Pan Trinbago president Beverly Ramsey-Moore said Tobago’s large band adjudication started off on a very high note.

“In the large band is where the air is rare in the competition and I must admit that I was very impressed with the performances of the two Tobago bands and I know they will be even better once they get into the semi-finals,” she told Newsday.

Ramsey-Moore said she was also very impressed with the support from Tobagonians.

“There was a huge turnout and I look forward to that kind of support for the medium band finals in Tobago on February 4.”

She said Pan Trinbago has also made a request through their consultant, George Leacock, to have the THA prepare a road from the back of the Dwight Yorke stadium right unto the parade path.

“Once that is done, it is going to ease the tension for me because bands were protesting about the logistics in terms of coming down that Demi John Drive with pan racks. And I have given them the assurance that the THA is co-operating with us.”

Ramsey-Moore said the road will benefit the public beyond Panorama.

“Just like in Skinner Park (San Fernando) where you have that circular road around the field to the back of Skinner Park that people use to exercise and where children can ride their bikes, it has become a park now where a lot of activities besides pan can be used on that drag area that has been created.

“So I do hope that the THA has the vision and the foresight to see how important that road will be to facilitate. It is going to work well within the community space.”