Exodus Debacle Victimisation, or an Over Abundance of Pettiness?

[Pan Times]

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - Exodus—as an organisation and a steelband is reputed to be one of the best in Trinidad and Tobago. In my interview with Pelham Goddard for the T&T Review a little less than three years ago, he spoke about the fact that more people than the section leaders in his steelband read music. My experience would suggest that not many bands have that profile among its members. As is culturally permissible, I am going to concur with the assessment of Exodus’ profile and run the risk of alienating some steelbands who also would take pride in the fact that they are as well organised as Exodus. Nonetheless, it is a risk worth taking.

....This year, the band’s ego would have been severely bruised when, for the first time in 20 years, it failed to make the cut for the finals of the Super Bowl of steelband competitions. It’s only natural for a certain level of disappointment to set in when something like this happens.
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[Catt]

hhmmm, lots of politics in this article wondering all these convuluted extraneous reasons about 'why?'. Seems to me they're looking everywhere else besides the real reason. to me it's much simpler than all that. They just weren't up to par. In their own panyard and at the semi-final, to my ears and my partner's, their tune just didn't cut it. we listened for a while in their yard and turned to each other and shook our heads 'nope' at the same time. we both thought the arrangement was way too busy, way too many notes and repetetive runs crammed in, no space in the music, no clear direction, it was a jumble. semi finals wasn't much better. they did play & execute well, plenty of energy, and looked great, but the tune & arrangement itself was just a jumbled-up mess.

IMO only of course.