Trinidad and Tobago - Trinidad and Tobago’s National Panorama competition climaxed for yet another year, with Silver Stars and Steel Xplosion Steel Orchestras taking top honors in their categories on Carnival Saturday night in Port-of-Spain at the Queen’s Park Savannah. Along with bragging rights, both bands walked away with the approximate equivalent of USD $159,489 and USD $96,463, respectively.

In just under eight hours, twenty steel orchestras took the stage - ten each in medium and large categories - and delivered scintillating sounds on steel before thousands of fervent pan music lovers gathered. It would be nearing 3:00 a.m. local time before the final notes were played.

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  • It's ironic that we are debating the relevance of theatrics in the panorama, when TnT is about to embrace Beyonce, the queen of theatre. We know that people who pay to attend her concerts really go to see the woman perform not to hear her sing. Because we know that her singing is mediocre, at best. Trinis love gallery ting so theatrics will always be a factor in our evaluation of just about everything.
    Ah lie?
  • congrats to Tobago for winning the medium size compy. big up to zander.
  • Just a little correction......2010 is Silver Stars' THIRD Panorama appearance in the Large Band Category, NOT second as stated in this post. "Thunder Coming Down" sung by Chucky, was their panorama piece in 2008, where they placed 4th in the finals. They won last year (2009) with "First in the Line" and retained their title in this year (2010) with "Battle Zone". Thanks!
    • You're a little wrong they actually place 5th in 2008 since competing in the Large band category. Personally I think the band have been on a fairy tale run not deserving of in my eyes. Bands in the past have delivered way better performances and have never gained the tittle of National Panorama Champs. Certainly the judges are not using the criteria and scored the band based on crowd response. Theatrics and chromatics really how the hell cud that be a win over Desperadoes, Phase Two, All Stars. Clearly they don't understand panorama.
      • Listen people all this talk about theatrics and who copy what from where only happening because Phase II and the other Large Bands get a proper hiding off from Silver Stars..yes I said it..so all the die-hard Boogsie-ites could take a shot at me now...just remember Phase II’s song was about a Pan Army not a boy scout or cadette troup...Even though Boogsie won the Semis, that meagre four point difference should have informed him to bolster his troops...because I also heard Silver Stars on Semis nite and they had me ducking for cover from the scuds and bombs they dropped out on the track…I would even agree that it was not all that musical on first hearing at the Semis but all that changed on Finals nite, Silver Stars were a polished and deadly force….call it gimmick or whatever you will, but they certainly interpreted a Battlezone in their music and thus executed all others in their path...Panorama is no longer won by name...Exodus ought to know that by now too...you have to play to win and Phase II never once convinced me that they were a serious army, pan or otherwise...Since Boogsie was upset about losing by 1 point last year...he get it by 9 this year...
        • you just talking cause yuh have ah mouth thats why the Large bands are Large have finals without all the big names see who will show up.
  • it has come to my understanding that the medium band is never fair at all for the past two years. what is happening in the judges minds at this crucial time???????????
  • Congrats tuh Silver Stars.......but its been 35 years since a Band from South win ah Panorama Large Bands Finals...It was
    Hatters and Fonclaire in '75.......Since then its like those Southern bands are blighted....Steel Xplosion from Tobago is very
    good....I said so last year,I told a friend on mine,"watch out for that band"....Their rendition of "Radica",a chutney tune is
    very nice......reminds me of the Old Days,a nice "Chipping" tune.............Now I am orginally from Woodbrook,Trinidad,so I
    am an avid supporter of Phase 2 Pan Groove,before I was with Starlift......"Boogsie" Sharpe is way ahead of those other
    arrangers..Phase 2 Pan Groove cannot seem to get that "Hat Trick" (3 Wins In A Row).....The Only Band to have a "Hat Trick" is Renegades......Will Silver Stars have a "Hat Trick" in 2011?.......Or will they be treated like my Band?....I will
    continue to love up the Pan and hope that Pan Trinbago will allow a cd of this year's Panorama and not like no cd for 2009....
  • oh boy............pleasant good day everyone. im finally getting a chance to browse when steel talks and put in my two cents on d panorama. firstly hearty congratulations to LH Pan Groove, Arima Golden Symphony, Steel X-plosion and Silver Stars. Now i have a few issues with regards to the finals of the large conventional bands.....

    firstly despers in no way shouldve placed 7th. i would love to see their score sheet.....secondly i was saddened when i read some of the previous comments. the judging criteria for panorama is.....originality 20 points, performance 20 points, interpretation 20 points, rhythm 10 points, tone 10 points, and well i cant remember d rest. but this is d most important here......now....i salute silver stars on their effort to take panorama to a different level by introducing theatrics. it does sound dam good. but, d judging criteria doesnt include points for theatrics, however, it includes points for originality. i believe having an introduction from a movie is NOT being original. therefore d 20 points for originality, half of it shouldve been deducted because d intro was from a movie theme....u can be theatrical in a different way......

    next thing is....what was up with all da chromatics silver stars played?? most of d arrangement was chromatics. one thing is for sure, phase 2 placed 2nd but silver stars didnt beat them with music. d next thing is, and as someone mentioned earlier, d players had real energy. yes, that what makes it fun, but it plays with d judges minds when we carry on. that is another thing that had d advantage over phase 2. my overall take is, using the judging criteria, phase 2 won the competition. again, the main points go for arrangement/music/orginality/interpretation/creativity of which phase 2 executed well. silver stars certaily did NOT beat phase 2 on music. i mean kudos to pouchet and his excellent vision and arrangement but im sorry the musical dynamics and such were lacking.

    turning to phase 2's arrangement, boogsie is a boss i must say. last year phase 2 attempted to, just as pouchet, change d face of panorama by introducing magic drum. d tune was sweet, it wasnt played fast and to all who keep saying phase 2 comes with d same thing every year, last year and this year was certainly different. this year again, phase came with a slow, sweet tune. d arrangement was par excellence. most folks who visited d pan yards including myself can hum phase 2's arrangement after d night. d players as well im sure can do it. how much of d winner's song can we hum? and this is what i mean by arrangement/creativity. boogsie certainly had MUSIC in his arrangement this year. d band executed well. d introduction was on point and d ending MY GOODNESS! but again, hats off to silver stars i dont blame u, but i blame d judges. they are at loss as to what they should be looking to for, which is above all MUSIC. Phase 2 and Desperadoes certainly delievered that on Saturday night.
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