Michael "Bro. Scobie" Joseph
Regional Chairman
 Everywhere you turn these days, you can hear talk about what Pan Trinbago Administration should or should not do to promote the Steelband and make money. Most of the talkers are amongst those who would not support a Bar-B-Que to help a Steelband during the year. The very same people who have the North Stand half empty and the Grand Stand, worse, during the very Panorama they claim to love so much, hence the reason they hang out on the drag. The North and Grand Stand cannot hold the amount of people required for Pan Trinbago to make a profit, yet these part time lovers of the Steelbands stay on the drag and enjoy all that sweet music for free. No care for the sacrifice all these pannists made to get there. Then there is the complimentary posse who could afford to pay, but refuse to pay. They have to get free tickets or a picture pass by rights, otherwise they bad talk the organization till thy kingdom come... |
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Alternative Suggestion #2. Like the superbowl, have an half time show, between the Medium and Large, and feature artistes like Machel, bunji, Super, David Rudder, etc.. Put on a show...
People younger than i am, cant comprehend the thought of PAN being on the road for carnival.. We lost that to the DJ's. Its really sad that our discussions allowing the same to creep into our OWN Show...
I wrote the following in reply to the Bertel Gittens "PANORAMA GREENS TO COST "ONLY TWO MILLION"???"..... I am yet to hear another well thought out idea about what to do with the "fall in your lap" opportunity,that "Semis" presents....Some say move it to another venue,not realizing that is the said venue,is where the paying patrons want to be.....Some say keep the "Greens Party" another day,also not recognizing that the paying patrons want to at the "Greens" on "Semis" day.....We must recognize it's the "Atmosphere" of the "Semis" that make it "the where I would pay to be" venue . Fact is the "Greens Party" without the "Semis"does not present the same opportunity,and would never be as successful.
2 million,5 million,10 million should not be really be the concern.The concern should be what/percentage of profit are the benefits to be derived from the expenditure.Some would always be for, and some would always be against the "Greens".
One can correctly argue that it takes away from the true Pan lover Panorama experience,but hasn't the present "Greens crowd" been the reality in the North Stands for umpteen years,they are just there for the lime.....Not everyone who comes to "Semis" is a pan lover per se....like it or not,that's a reality that one's opinion cannot change.....
I just see it as exploiting an opportunity to generate finances that should be used to,let's say, develop the drum factory,or/and continue work on the unsightly structure that's supposed to be the world's Pan headquarters,or funding needed research on pan history,or any other worthwhile endeavour. I have read others disdain for the "Greens" and that's quite alright with me...each one is entitled to an opinion.I leave my concerns with (as someone noted) with the tender processes,the accounting and the uses of the moneys generated.
At this time,I cannot venture one solitary idea to generate the quantum of moneys the "Greens" can generate on "Semi-Finals" day for Pantrinbago......so,once the venture does not interfere with the performances of the steelbands ( as many of the North Stand rhythm crews were guilty of doing ), and there is proper accounting,and the benefits redounds to the whole pan fraternity, I cannot give this venture, a thumbs down.
I have NO ISSUE with the concept of a liming space. I wish they can block half of the savannah and charge people to get in. My issue is with the MUSIC from a DJ / Rhythm Sections COMPETING with the Pan during a COMPETITION. Thats all. So here's my alternative. HAVE the Greens, allow people to bring coolers, bring you chairs, enjoy the atmosphere, drink alllll you want, take all the pictures of you and your friends, HOWEVER NO OTHER MUSICAL INSTRUMENT SHOULD BE ALLOWED. Put up 20 Big Screens, have the place we equipped with speakers, possibly ONE MAIN DJ HIRED BY PAN TRINBAGO, that way you can tell me, these people coming to PAN.
Thank you Mr. Lett! I am told that there were big screens on the Greens, but I hear and support your suggestion that Pan Trinbago should hire one main DJ. With your permission, I wish to add that the DJ should be asked to play mainly the lyrics of the tunes that the pans are playing. Since this conversation is indeed after the fact, I also implore that your suggestion be discussed at the after-panorama forum. I note too, that you were very emphatic when you said that " NO OTHER INSTRUMENT SHOULD BE ALLOWED". Do you consider the tassa drum as another instrument? Having asked that question, I want to state categorically that I enjoy hearing the tassa drums but I am disgusted by its flagrant misuse at the Panorama semi-finals.
Elizabeth: You want the one main DJ to play those boring contrived PAN SONGS that they play in Panorama? You will lose that audience in a minute.
" Eh, Eh Claude! Is dat how yuh refer to we music fuh de pan?"
Now, I did say that the DJ should play MAINLY the songs that the pans are playing. This implies that there will be other songs. Anyhow Sir, I am being the devil's advocate here. If the young patrons on the Greens do not hear the songs that are being played by the bands,how then, according to Mr. Diaz and Ms. Michelle George, will the event "help our young people to appreciate the pan and eventually play it." (Express Newspaper,16th Feb.) This concept was also endorsed by our Minister of Arts and Multi -Culturalism. What say you on that?
Seriously, I do not think that we need a Splash Party to encourage our young people's participation in playing the pan. I still however, support the event as a fundraiser, but with the specific stipulations mentioned before.
Claude have you ever been to one of the Steelbands Boat Cruise like renegades, or All stars?
They can hire one of those Dj's. One that knows how to mix the repertoire. Mix some nice soca groovy, with pan songs like Spanking, Jump high, Woman on de bass, Rebecca, Sparrow, etc
You see i dont know if im expecting too much business etiquette from PT, but a very prominent and successful business man Henry Ford once said— 'If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.'
PT needs to think beyond what people asking for and give them a product they can love and buy..
Pantrinbago have all rights to have a party on the greens, BUT NOT AT THE SAME TIME AS THE PANORAMA COMPETITION. That does not make any sense because it's a disturbance to the bands on stage. I heard the boom boom music playing on the greens while the band on stage were being introduced and also while bands were playing. Would PT have done that if some other competition was going on. I remember at a steelband music festival at the Jean Pierre complex where there was a fete next door which was very disturbing that at times the pan could not be heard, The steelbands should get together and discuss that issue. Time to get professional.
I am one of the pan lovers, who agreed to the staging of the "pool party" as a financial enterprise. I do not think that the same "pool party" patrons will attend that event on any other day, since it is the hype and electrifying atmosphere of the panorama that beckon them. In fact, some of them are the the said persons, who congregate on the drag. However, I did say that ALL MUST be done by the organisers to ensure that activities on the Greens do NOT interfere with the pan competition.Someone from Pan Trinbago should have been stationed on the Greens to liaise with stage side and immediately inform the D.J.when the music should have been stopped.
The same has to happen with the tassa drums that are being played by patrons in the North Stand. Their persistence, in spite of the pleadings of the commentators, is likewise unprofessional, disrespectful and undignified. Did not Despers experience problems because of the North Stand's musical addition to panorama? I believe that proper planning and astute management are the key factors in this new venture. Like life, the pan movement is evolving. It is going through a process and there will be hiccoughs along the way but there is always room for improvement. At present, they need to capitalise on every opportunity to raise funds and I hope that as soon as the season ends, the President of Pan Trinbago will initiate a forum for widespread discussions in order to evaluate the merits and demerits of the event.
1. "proper planning and astute management are the key factors" Currently in Pan Trinbago? lol
2. "They need to capitalize on every opportunity to raise funds" - This is sad that its part of the argument, because as i stated before, there're MANY other ways for them to do so. They HAVE YET to attempt a solid plan, not to their standards, but to the standards of a well produced, well planned and managed event. This sought of rum shop planning i would never support.
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