C.W. Prescod Primary, Sea Operations Starlift strong as steel

The future of local pan music appears to be secure, as more than 350 young players contested the 23rd edition of the Junior Pan Fest last Sunday at the Victoria Park.{{more}}

At the end of it all, defending champions C.W. Prescod Primary School out-played five other groups in the schools’ category, while the Sea Operations Starlift Steel Orchestra dethroned last year’s community champions Sion Hill Euphonium and four others, to emerge champs.

The 17-member C.W. Prescod band, captained by Kezron Providence, dominated the field with their Kesslon Wilson arranged rendition of “Baila Sanka,” originally performed by Ken Wiseman with the band Exodus.

Coming in second place were the Girls’ High School, with their rendition of “Pan is Back,” performed by Gosnel Cupid, while in third place was the St Joseph’s Convent Kingstown, with their rendition of the Winston Soso classic “Ah Feel to Party Tonight.”

In fourth place was Adelphi Secondary School with “Head Bad” by Skinny Fabulous; fifth was the Bishop’s College Kingstown, who played Touch’s “Bad Gas,” and in sixth place was the Troumaca Government School with “Facebook Pic,” by Fireman Hooper.

Another Exodus classic, “Perseverance,” this time performed by the late Gerrard “Rasum” Shallow, earned Starlift the community title over last year’s champions, in a keenly contested community competition.

Starlift’s 50-member band, led by veteran arranger Kingsley “Hero” Roberts, and captained by Nicholas Lynch, came out with all guns blazing, and seemed to touch the right notes, to receive the nod of judges Jennifer Glasgow Browne, Ken Isles, Junior Sutherland, Marla Nanton and Geoff Venner.

In their rendition of Fya Empress’ hit “I am a Vincy”, despite beginning with the national pledge, ending with the last lines of the national anthem, and the appearance of reigning Calypso and Ragga Soca Monarch Fya Empress, all to the delight of the crowd, Sion Hill Euphonium could not overcome the Old Montrose based Starlift.

Sion Hill, with its 85 members, had to concede and settle for second place, with the Vita Malt Symphonix coming in third with “Sweet Music in me” from the band Touch.

The St Vincent and the Grenadines Port Authority Genesis Steel Orchestra of Largo Heights placed fourth with “Good Times,” performed by De Man Age, while the Canadian Bank Note New Dimension Steel Orchestra, representing Lowmans Windward, placed fifth with “Ooh La La” by Becket, and the Canadian Bank Note North Stars performing another Becket classic, “Gal Ah Rush Me,” placed sixth.

Despite some light rain showers during the evening, the competition came off without any major hitches, and to the satisfaction of the patrons who turned up at the Victoria Park.

After the competition, the audience was entertained by Fya Empress, and the television characters Pink Panther, Bumblee of Transformers, Elmo from Sesame Street, Ben Ten, and Phineas of Phineas and Ferb.

If Sunday’s performances are anything to go by, pan lovers can expect the senior competition at Dimanche Gras to be keenly contested by the six bands taking part.(JJ)