Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - The sounds of steel will resonate at the Basketball Court, Arima, on Sunday November 17, 2019, as thirty-one Single Pan Bands vie for positions in the finals carded for one week later at the Grand Stand, Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain. Admission is TT $100.00 on entry.
With the theme “Celebrate De Pan,” this Single Pan Semi-final is one of the innovations by the new Pan Trinbago Central Executive led by President Beverley Ramsey-Moore.
As Mrs. Ramsey-Moore explained: “The most far-reaching effort of the new Executive so far has been the reorganization of the Panorama competitions with each category given its space.”
The Single Pan Prelims saw a total of forty-six bands facing an adjudication panel of Damion Phillip, Jeanette Johnson, Kenrick J. Noel and Michele Dowrich at their respective panyards.
Defending champions, San Juan East Side Symphony, emerged with the highest score of 266 points for their rendition of the Aldwyn Roberts’ composition “Guitar Pan” arranged by Carlon Harewood. They will perform at position number 16. First off the starting block is Stardust with Errol Ballantyne’s “Party Time.” Two Tobago-based bands, Metro Stars and Royal Pan Illusion made the cut and will play at numbers 5 and 24, respectively.
After several intense days of steelpan music, the qualifiers were announced at Murchison Brown Auditorium, Port-of-Spain City Hall, on the morning of Wednesday November 13, in the presence of bands’ representatives.
The draw for playing positions took place the following day, Thursday, at Pan Trinbago’s Head Office, corner of Melbourne & Duke Streets, Port-of-Spain.
Interestingly, there is a father-daughter duo challenging each other in this Single Pan semi-final arena. Veteran arranger Cary Codrington is taking Metro Stars in front the judges at position five, immediately after Gonzales Sheikers with his daughter Keisha Codrington having arranged “Fantastic Friday” for the band, would have taken the stage. Definitely back-to-back performances to look out for.
The order of appearance is as follows:-
| Order | Band | Selection | Arranger |
| 1 | Stardust | Party Time | Simeon Superville |
| 2 | Nostrand Symphony |
Fiery |
Curtis Edwards |
| 3 | Shades In Steel |
Golo |
Dante Pantin |
| 4 | Gonzales Sheikers |
Fantastic Friday |
Keisha Codrington |
| 5 | Metro Stars |
Um Ba Yao |
Cary Codrington |
| 6 | Platinum |
Johnny |
Brandon “Shoes” Johnson |
| 7 | La Famille United |
Fiery |
Arddin Herbert |
| 8 | San Juan All Stars |
Mystery Band |
Roenaldo De Peiza |
| 9 | Pan Elites |
No, No, We Ent Going Home |
Sheldon Peters |
| 10 | All Aces Symphony |
Bounce |
Chuma Watson |
| 11 | New Age Trendsetters |
Poison |
Nicholas Joseph/Myles Phillips |
| 12 | La Creole Pan Groove |
Say Say |
Jamal Gibbs |
| 13 | Pan Angels |
So Long |
Ricardo Dennis |
| 14 | Chord Masters |
Jump and Wave |
Kyshon Frith |
| 15 | Marsicans |
Johnny |
Marlon White |
| 16 | San Juan East Side Symphony |
Guitar Pan |
Carlon Harewood |
| 17 | Pan Stereonettes |
Love In The Cemetery |
Akil Brown |
| 18 | Nu Pioneers Pan Groove |
Unknown Band |
Shaun Marcano |
| 19 | Brazil RX4 |
Party Time |
Anselm Campbell |
| 20 | World Wide |
Music (Dingolay) |
Noel “Mico” Skair |
| 21 | Arima All Stars |
All Dem Tobago Gal |
Mikhail M.A.X. Neils |
| 22 | T&T Prison Services | Big Belly Man | Terrence Sealey |
| 23 | T&T Fire Service |
Pan In A Minor |
Terrance “BJ” Marcelle |
| 24 | Royal Pan Illusion |
This Melody Sweet |
Tony “Pan Jumbie” Williams |
| 25 | Uni Stars |
Suck Meh Soucouyant |
Kareem Brown |
| 26 | Trinidad Nostalgic |
Tribute To Spree Simon |
Amrit Samaroo |
| 27 | Brimblers |
Me Ent Fighting For No Man |
Aaron Clarke |
| 28 | Woodbrook Playboyz |
Fiery |
Michelle Huggins-Watts |
| 29 | T&T Police Service |
Mystery Band |
Kern Summerville |
| 30 | Pan Jammers |
Ah Want It |
Robert Tobitt |
| 31 | Edinburgh 500 Steel Ensemble |
Madness |
Andre Boldan |
Replies
Meh band get ah BAD DRAW -- dey playing in LAST PLACE. By that time everybody hear enough PAN or DRINK TOO MUCH or GONE HOME.
So making THE FINALS will be REAL HARD.
31 BANDS in the SEMI-FINALS. OVERKILL!!!
THIS PARTY could find so many creative ways to SHELL OUT MONEY to their CONSTITUENTS!!!
Why is Pan Trinbago holding two single pan Panoramas in the same year?
How did Merrytones pull this off?
bugs