Exodus sharpening sticks for pan finals

Republic Bank Exodus is not letting its one-point lead into the Panorama large-bands final make it complacent. Instead, it is sharpening its sticks for a gruelling battle with competitors like bp Renegades, its manager Ainsworth Mohammed said in a phone interview on Monday.

The band again led the pack after the announcement of the official results of the February 16 medium and large conventional semifinals, the Savannah Party.

On Sunday, 16 large bands played to advance to the finals, scheduled to be held on March 1. Ten bands will play for the title of Panorama large band champion 2025.

Mohammed said after rest of two days the band plans to resume practice, readying itself for the big event.

The band was also very appreciative of the support it received not only from its hometown of Tunapuna and environs, but the national community. Mohammed said Exodus’s national support began at the preliminaries, with more than 5,000 people showing up at its panyard to listen.

“It is always nice to have community and national support,” he said.

But, he said, “You don’t feel comfortable, no matter the size of your lead. It could be five or eight points. We are happy to maintain the number one spot – but it is only a point.”

Mohammed said every band will sharpen their sticks heading into the finals.

“We just have to continue the work and the arranger will decide whatever he wants to do.”

The Terrence “BJ” Marcelle-arranged version of Voice’s Too Own Way got the band 277 points, while bp Renegades earned 276 points for its arrangement of Machel Montano’s Bet Meh.

First Citizens Supernovas version of Kes’ Cocoa Tea earned the band 275.5 points and third place in the semifinals.

Pan Trinbago president Beverley Ramsey-Moore lauded Sunday’s event and its players.

In a phone interview on Monday she said it was joyous to see pan bringing the communities of TT together.

She described the turnout at the event as massive and added that a government official estimated there were at least 20,000 people on the Drag alone. The North Stand had 5,100 people, she added.

Pan Trinbago managed the entire day’s activities effectively, she said.

Despite some music from the Greens being a minor distraction before RBC Redemption Sound Setters played in 12th position, Ramsey-Moore said the music from that area was not as bad as over the last few years.

Over 20 steelpan wardens are tasked with ensuring all drums and music from the Greens stop as soon as bands are ready to perform.

Ramsey-Moore was unable to say, at the time of writing, how much revenue the Savannah Party had earned.

Corporate North Stand: mixed views

Shell Invaders struck the first chord in the large-band semifinals at 7.20 pm, playing Grenadian Blaka Dan’s Blessing. The soca artiste joined the band on stage, singing the song while they prepared. The crowds in the stands in the Savannah sang “Blessing” when the artiste instructed them to do so.

It was a star-studded affair, with artistes like Machel Montano, Voice, SuperBlue and Kernal Roberts joining bands playing their respective songs onstage.

An intermission was forgone to accommodate the bands playing.

From the vantage point of the Grand Stand, many in the North Stand were seen dancing to the music between bands.

One woman who identified herself as Daenah from Palo Seco said it was her first time and the people, rhythm and lime made her want to return. She said she was always hearing about Panorama and decided to see for herself what it was all about. Her conclusion: it would not be her last.

However, one person, who wished not to be identified, complained that more corporate boxes had been created, and that took away from “North Stand family.”

“They taking up more space, tables and all sorts of stuff.

“Put them in their own space. Put them in the Grand Stand and let the North Stand be the North Stand,” he said.

He also suggested getting rid of rhythm sections in the North Stand.

Chef Nigel Hector said his last Panorama was in 1993 and the event was much improved.

He did not mind corporate bodies taking spaces in the stand, saying they made it fun and it was a matter of where those bodies wanted to go.