New York, USA - So while at work I’ve decided to write down the experience from the steelpan musicians’ and management perspective. Every year to get a band to the annual New York Panorama hosted by WIADCA (West Indian American Day Carnival Association) is a challenge by itself - with the bands having to raise their OWN funds, find their rehearsal spaces, and recruit players.
The bands themselves now face a new challenge of a more competitive nature - which is preparing a band for a fierce competition and dealing with their neighbors in their respective areas. Okay: so the time permitted for the bands to rehearse is up to 11:00 p.m. - but as we all know as the time draws near steel orchestras tend to burn the candle a bit, and push the time, with the last week being the exception to the rule. But for some strange reason, this year seems to be the worst yet - with police having already shut down bands such as CASYM, Sonatas, and my band, Pantonic.
I currently don’t know what some of the other bands may have to deal with, but as for us we already have a rough ‘neighbor’ that on two separate occasions found her way into the pan yard with her daughter, fussing and screaming about the noise. This woman has threatened my players and supporters twice - and called the police multiple times, along with calling EMS (Emergency Medical Services) - faking an emergency at the pan yard.
So I’m here still at work wondering to myself: today is Wednesday night - and with the two biggest nights left before you cross the stage at Brooklyn Museum, I have two burning questions:
- What more is left to come, and;
- What is WIADCA planning to do, or doing, about this?
Every year Panorama watches another band bite the dust, and with limited space for a pan yard, and now complaining neighbors to add to the list, rehearsal locations are more than difficult [and this is generally for about only one month a year].
So I hope this reaches the right people to ensure OUR culture lives on!
Wayne Bernard
Pantonic Steel Orchestra Captain
UPDATE: After this posting, later the same evening (Wednesday August 28)-- Pan Sonatas was shut down once more between 10:15 and 10:30 p.m. (four to five NYPD cop cars turned up); Despers USA was shut down at 11:30 p.m. after pleading for an additional twenty minutes to be recorded); Pantonic was not shut down...
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I believe this is an opportunity to engage capable business professional to set up co-operative nonprofit structures for the future well-being of the next generation. It is not just about today's problem or yesterdays' for that matter, it is the solution for tomorrow's pan people. The irate neighbours (Canadian spelling) that call the police after 11:00 PM is really helping you discover or rediscover your felt needs for permanent space. So stop venting about the problem and get back to being creative because this instrument was born under adversity, repression, oppression, suppression, aggression and all sorts of major political and state-sponsored harassment that caused pan music to be where it is today.
Here is one extended example:
Idea #1; Split up the band with one instrument for each voice and create satellite locations to practice using social media, online resources and take your mass band for a retreat one to two weeks beforethe rama. I hope this is not an original thought because there is nothing new under the sun.
BTW, I have all the voices of a steelband in my townhouse basement in Toronto as a satelite location and I am not the only one. Try it you might like it.
Idea # 2; Do the retreat every three months to keep the members acquainted with the process; It is a new idea for some but consider the possibilities.
Idea #3; Rent industrial space for the dress-rehearsals and produce your steelband panorama show for revenue generation to manage expenses.
Look pan people, it is possible,
Love the Nike - Just Do It swoosh!
Mike: I like your post. I don't live in New York but if could establish communications with a few ambitious band members I am sure that we could approach this SPACE PROBLEM and find some long-term solutions over a reasonable period of time.
No magic wand; just the employment of proven market strategies.
The biggest problem facing all steelbands is they don't have the ability to generate revenue. This area is where we need all the young brain power, it is the key the their survival
There is another suggestion I have, which I mentioned in the past...
I don't know how practical this is, but why not start earlier? Not pertaining to time, but to the day ...in other words, if you normally start practice on August 1, why not start on July 1 ? This will give the band much more time to finish the arrangement within the agreed upon time frame, and at the same time maintain peace with the neighbors and the police.
I almost forgot, one more suggestion, which maybe more far fetched than my last; however it's the path I would choose. What I am about to suggest is something I did shortly before resigning from being the director of Calvary Steel Orchestra, so I know it works.
I would have the stage side band learn the entire Panorama tune ahead of time; preferably one or two players from each section. Then when the time comes, I will have each section leader teach the Panorama Band...so instead of having one person teach an entire band by himself while others watch, you will have several section leaders teaching the band at the same time. This saves an incredible amount of time and there will be no need to go beyond the practice time.
GP
I have always found it curious that bands get shut down at 11 PM in the week before panorama when they have regularly gone until 1 AM in the preceding weeks...
I have also observed that often it is not noise but parking that draws the attention of the police. In my years at Sonatas I remember police constantly harassing us every year because spectators were double parking on Sterling and blocking the flow of traffic. The band even had a sign they would put up that read "No double parking by order of NYPD".
But at the end of the day it is cultural differences that are the issue. Steelbands are part and parcel of national identity in places like T&T so it is generally assumed and accepted that they will be a loud presence night after night. Same thing with Carnival, which while a spontaneous and all-encompassing celebration in the West Indies, is relegated here to parade status because it caters to only a segment of the population. In New York where there are many cultures living on top of each other, you may not necessarily have that cultural identification and/or understanding. On one hand I can understand; imagine (hypothetically) that you live in Bay Ridge and in the weeks before Chinese New Year they are setting off firecrackers every night. You would be tired of it very quickly if you have to get up for work, school, etc. in the morning. While steelband is obviously more musical, it is still loud and quite frankly a lot of practice time is spent with everybody coasting which is a cacophony. At the same time, however, this is New York... it is a loud place regardless!
I think the best solution for all is to start earlier and on time...
I know this is difficult and I don't want to sound like a wet blanket, but if the bands have an agreement with the police to end practice at 11pm, the bands must abide by that rule. Anytime you go beyond the time, there's a risk of being shut down by the police; this will always be a challenge for those whose panyards are in residential areas, who practice outside. This problem could even happen with bands that have never had complaints before because neighbors change (move out and move in) and work hours change.
The only suggestions I can give are....practice within the time frame, or look for a panyard in a non-residential area. The ideal situation would be to own your own property (like a hall), where the entire band can practice indoors without having to worry about neighbors. I can sympathize with the captain...it's not easy, but there needs to be a long term plan to address this for the future, before it's too late.
GP
Sorry to hear about the plight of something that I was part of in the 1970's. My suggestion will not stop anyone from complaining about "noise" emanating from a practice facility. I hate to talk about the past, but I wish we from the Caribbean had gotten involved with our elected officials upon our arrival into our new Homeland. let's trust each other and begin to look into what I call "collective entrepreneurship." I suggested this approach many, many years ago when the value of a dollar was 4 times more than today's.
farthing+cent+penny+nickle+dime+6-pence+shilling+quarter+florin+50 cents=$1.775
Something costs 60 cents, and 10 individuals are interested, but neither of them have more than 50 cents. This is where trust and patience=collective entrepreneurship.