In 1959 when Desperadoes played "Noah"s Ark" they had 1500 to 2000 masqueraders and their pans rolled on the ground. In 2014 with all the technology available they they have less than 100, the message in this picture is crystal clear, what they are doing today is not working. Despers was used as an example, this picture is the same for 99.9% of steelbands.
There is always a lot of talk about the history of the steelband, why is there NO dialogue about the present, why is it so easy to accept the attitude that nothing can be done?
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It will certainly be good if the "pan pioneers" that contributed to Bede discussion "Invaders and Tokyo Steelband Clash" share their views on this topic it will be greatly appreciated.
Look at Brooklyn's Jour Ouvert, no one pushes the pan they simply connect them together and have it pulled by a truck. Pan at street level is so much more enjoyable than on a high flat-bed trunk, so if it's done in Brooklyn then why can't it be done in T&T. All Stars and Starlift are trying very hard to keep the old ways alive and we must commend them for their effort because for a lot of people, Pan is yesterday.
The easy thing to do would be to jump on the band wagon and say steelband on the road dead and there is no hope for them but that would be disrespectful to the "Trini Spirit" We are the custodians of the Steelband and Steelpan, the spirits of Bertie, Charlo, Bradley and others will not allow us to do nothing with it.
With All Due Respect. If My Brothers will take a time out and Listen to What they say. We cant allow Our Selfish Feelings Blind Us from the Truth. We want to go Forward But Still thinking about How Nice and Great the Past Was. We cant have Both. One More Time. Steelbands on the Streets on Carnival Days are Dying, Mortally Wounded By Present Times. Sometimes We have to accept the Truth and Not Fight it. Panorama is The Life Line of Pan. Its accepted All over as the Last Bastion in Pan Survival. Because of Panorama We Have all These Young Pan People Playing Pan. Panorama Creates More Pans. We Cant Have Panorama Every Month. Panorama is the Tree that Sprouts Branches and Fruits. Panorama Has Become The Mother of Pan. We Should Try to Better or Save Panorama. Pan is an Instrument that We are All Proud OFF.
Besides, there is no vision for Pan, the Pan powers that be in the Mecca is taking Pan nowhere and it seems to be going there full speed ahead. Poor Fella!!
Bertel, we have a duty to wake-up all who fell asleep on the steelband.
How many steelbands benefit from panorama? we cannot dis the era when the steelbands were self sufficient. The steelbands of today are fat and lazy always waiting for a hand-me-down, it won't be long before sponsors start pulling their support because the cost of instruments and uniforms for seeing their logo 10 mins. on the stage don't compute. The steelbands must never feel comfortable where they are at present.
Waste of time , Cecil. Many us have forgotten how and why we fell in love with the steelband in the first place and we wonder why today's youth do not have a similar feel for the art-form.
We cannot successfully move into the future if we do not take lessons from the past.
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