All Stars, Renegades thrill Duke Street

STEELBAND heavy-rollers Neal and Massy Trinidad All Stars and bp Renegades Steel Orchestra were in usual high gear on Friday night when they performed at the second installment of the 2004 Laventille Steelband Festival (LSF) pan yard concert series. Venue was the Duke Street pan yard of Neal and Massy Trinidad All Stars Steel Orchestra, where these champion bands were joined by single pan colleagues Harlem Syncopators and Freelances Pan Groove.

The four-and-a-half hour programme attracted pan enthusiasts in their numbers, despite the inclement weather that pervaded mere hours before. With their carefully chosen repertoires the cast of steelbands ensured that there was something for everyone at the musical showcase. From Renegades, patrons heard “Pan In A Minor,” one of its past National Panorama choices, by the late Grand Master of Calypso Lord Kitchener. Additionally, the band rendered other Kitchener selections as “My Pussin,” “Fever” and “Rainorama.” All Stars served up the latin number “Masquenada,” its tune-of-choice in this year’s Pan In The 21st Century competition, which it jointly won. Other selections included Bob Marley’s “War” and De Fosto’s “Fire Storm.” The latter is one of the band’s popular Panorama selections.

Harlem Syncopators was hit for its delivery of  Shurwayne Winchester’s Road March song  “Look the Band Coming,” while Freelancers Pan Groove, in single pan style, gave infectious doses of ole-time melodies. The series of pan yard concerts is scheduled to continue this Thursday, when activities head east to Harmonites Steel Orchestra located at Churchill Roosevelt Highway, Barataria. Harmonites is billed to perform with Caribbean Paradise and Laventille Rhythm Section. WITCO Desperadoes will culminate the pan yard concert series the following day at its Laventille home. Listed to perform on the Desperadoes showcase are Laventille Serenaders, Petrotrin Phase II Pan Groove and vocalist Karene Asche. Conclusion of the pan yard concert series will clear the way for the highly anticipated steelband street parade along the “Eastern Parkway” (Eastern Main Road) scheduled to take place on Sunday, August 8. Mc Allister Street, Laventille, heading east stopping at Leon Street, is the designated route where 37 steelbands — a mix of conventional and single pan — have been invited to parade.