By By Gary Cardinez
The preliminary rounds of Pan is Beautiful XII are behind us, and we eagerly await the finals in the solo, single pan, ensemble and orchestra categories.
Sadly, the turnout for the preliminary rounds of competition at the Queen’s Park Savannah in Port of Spain was woeful, with only a handful of patrons showing up each night. The combined attendance for the four nights of competition could be estimated at less than 1,000 people.
This raises the question, “Is pan really beautiful, and for whom?” In reality, that is a total contradiction, because the pan is a beautiful instrument, and when played it gives you goose bumps. Examples are San City Steel Orchestra’s rendition of “Skyfall” and NGC Couva Joylanders’ execution of the theme from “Lord of the Rings.”
www.trinidadexpress.com/sunday-mix/Poor-attendance-for-beautiful-pan-229353481.html
Replies
Maybe, the should set up the "Greens" for this event too. Pan is beautiful? Yeah, right. If you know you're beautiful, you wouldn't feel the need to go around telling others that you are. Like me, I don't go around telling people that I'm handsome...because I KNOW I'm not. ☺ Ghost.
The Ministry of Culture hands off approach to things of the steelband and steelpan could end up having a negative impact in the long-run. They owe it to the people of T&T to safe guard our culture.
You tell me. Do we really think that pan is beautiful when we allow it - our National Instrument - to be ridiculed in this manner?
While it is true that the top bands are not competiting and as a result attendance is low, I like some other members believe that marketing is the key.
Some time ago PanTrinbago announced that they were planning an International Panorama competition in 2014, around the Indepence holiday. When are they going to disclose more information about this event, or is it a secret? I am sure a lot of people like myself are waiting to get some more information in order to plan their vacation around the time of the event.
This event should be on the front burner with a constant reminder to the International audience. They should be in the process of acquiring the broadcast rights, if they have not done that already. Take a page from Kim Johnson's effort, his film is not complete, but it has already been sold to PBC.
The yearly Panorama sells itself, therefore more emphasis should be place on the International event at this time. From mid November to early December emphasis can once more be on the yearly Panorama. But as I said, I guess it is a secret.
Robert: At the time of the annnouncement of the "International Panorama" I saw it as a political ploy. You have more faith in Diaz than me, but I still don't see that event happening.
Aye Claude,
Wey yuh talkin bout boi, D foreign bands comming from Tobago. lol
I will just share my 2 cents, I think we need to be honest with this situation. To illustrate, I cannot imagine a world cup without the likes of Brazil, Germany, Italy, Argentina, Holland, and now Spain attracting the same level of patronage and worldwide interest that the tournament currently enjoys. In the days when the Music Festival was packed, you could be certain the All Stars, Desperadoes, Renegades, Phase 11, and Exodus would be there in the finals, creating memories that last to this day.
If Pan Trinbago wants to attract the masses, they have to find a way to woo the bands that pull the masses, case closed, no disrespect to the bands currently participating. All entertainment businesses understand this concept - just look at the Soca Monarch which has managed to pull not only Machel Montano, but this year even Superblue, back into the limelight. Its about the stars, and good entertainment managers understand that stars equal ticket sales.
If anyone doubts this, just take a critical look at the Classical Jewels series of Classical Concerts that Trinidad All Stars resurrected in 2010 and have continued biannually. The combined attendance at these weekend concerts more than likely eclipses the attendance at the whole Music Festival with all those bands. This is not about which band you like, or who is small band and who is big band, its about understanding the business and who the movers and shakers are.
The other obvious issue is the prize money. Panorama now rewards in the millions - the cost of running a steelband has increased dramatically at the same time. Top bands will not participate unless the financial rewards are worth it, simple.
Lastly, and again no disrespect to the bands participating, but the stiffer the competition, the more you get out of the bands and players. When all the top guns are there going at each other's throats as it were, the quality of the show or at least the public's perception of the quality, also increases. This is reflected in interest, and attendance.
Its time the pan world be honest with itself and stop jostling like crabs in a barrel. This is showtime, and the whole world is watching.
Leon I echo what you have stated that professional marketing is the key to any successful presentation. It needs to be strategically worked out. the time of the year, the venue, the participating artists, the cost for admission ..etc...
That said and done, Trinidad is a funny crowd of people and funnier when it comes to Pan... It is said that we are the greatest lovers of Pan but in the next breath it can also be said that we are the greatest haters of Pan.. if that be so then the equation cancels out... so where does it leave us?
There is this "Thing" with Trinidadians that they somehow feel that they should not "Pay" to go see a pan show and that is a sad reality for Pan in the country of birth.
An overall concept of marketing that will attract and change the mentality and attitude of Trinis to Pan is definitely something worth looking at and investing into ....but who really cares..... I read an article recently that Nestor Sullivan wrote about the last summit in Trinidad where all of the heads of state were visiting...yet only Obama and the USA got a Pan and as Nestor rightly put it "we missed an opportunity to market the Pan internationally by giving each country the unique gift of our invention "The Pan". I keep saying we need a "Ministry exclusively for the Pan" where the Pan can have its own budget, own resources, own ability to take it to the higher levels it needs to go. everything else to me is just lip-service and tokens ...but who is listening in T&T and who really cares !!!
Salah
Trinidadians take we ting "Steelpan" for granted, as you say, they don't want to pay, they want it to be free. All them affairs that they have that are free you see plenty people, but to Pay, NO
Salah,
Even with good marketing the not so popular bands will strugle for attendance, Part of the problem is that we are only seeing pan through the eyes of PanTrinbago.
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