Broken
lock on
ground
left
behind
by
criminals
New York,
USA -
The
Brooklyn,
New York Pan
Yard of
Sesame
Flyers Steel
Orchestra
was broken
into during
the very
early
morning
hours of
Thursday
August 19,
2010 and
vandalized.
The
perpetrators
left the
yard in
disarray and
completely
destroyed
the
electrical
fittings and
extensions
put in place
to
facilitate
lighting for
the band’s
nightly
rehearsals.
Cut
extension
cord on
ground
next to
portable
toilets
Band leader
Keith
Marcelle
(and also
President of
USSA [United
States
Steelband
Association])
told When
Steel Talks
(WST) that
the acts
bore the
markings of
deeds done
“with
complete
malice.”
Surveying
the damage
with his son
KJ Marcelle,
Keith
Marcelle,
Sr. added
that the
vandals also
ensured that
they
completely
ripped from
the ceiling
the
remaining
electrical
wiring, and
further, cut
the power
lines that
went to the
containers
for lighting
purposes
where the
band’s
instruments
are stored.
Not even the
portable
toilets
escaped, as
the cords
running to
those for
lighting
purposes were
cut as well.
Broken
shackles
and
missing
locks on
door
There were
signs that
something
was very
wrong when
Marcelle
went to the
pan yard
shortly
before noon
today and
found the
latch and
lock
securing the
pan yard,
broken. When
he entered
the area,
the
unbelievable
sight of the
ransacked
pan yard
greeted him.
Broken
shackles on
doors, with
other
missing
locks were
also in
evidence
along with
all the cut
and ripped
wires.
Hundreds of
dollars
worth of
refreshments
for the
youth
practicing
on a nightly
basis were
also stolen,
along with a
box and
large band
of Sesame
Flyers Steel
Orchestra
T-Shirts
ready-printed
for
fundraising
purposes,
and for the
steelpan
musicians to
wear.
Marcelle
also noted
that a small
stereo was
missing.
Refreshments
ransacked
at
Sesame
Flyers
pan yard
Keith
Marcelle
said that
the yard had
been closed
around 3:00
this morning
after
practice,
and noted
that the
industrial
work area of
48th Street
and Farragut
Road in
Brooklyn
where the
pan yard is
located,
comes alive
for business
around 6:00
a.m. This
indicates
that the
destruction
and theft
took place
not long
after 3:00
a.m.;
perhaps the
criminals
even hid
nearby
waiting and
watching for
everyone to
leave.
Historically
speaking,
these types
of
occurrences
unfortunately
are not
usually
simple
random
criminal
acts of
opportunity,
but can be
usually
traced back
to
disgruntled
entities -
themselves
related to
the pan
community.
Electrical
wires
run
along
the
ceiling
were
ripped
out
It is
incredible
that in this
day and age,
it appears
that there
might still
be those
prepared to
go to any
lengths to
destabilize
a steel
orchestra
all in the
name of
competition
– as it
appears to
the band
leader that
the
selectivity
with which
this was
done, was
aimed at
setting the
band back at
this late
stage (there
are a mere
fifteen days
left before
the annual
September 4
New York
Panorama
competition). But
Marcelle
stated
resolutely
that, if
anything,
this
unfortunate
event will
make Sesame
Flyers
stronger,
and more
vigilant.
Wires
which
facilitated
temporary
lighting
to
containers
where
instruments
are
stored
are cut
Sesame
Flyers Steel
Orchestra
has called
1021 East
48th Street
(aka CPAC),
between
Farragut
Road and the
“Dead end”
‘home’
during the
panorama
season since
2007. Keith
Marcelle
says that
they
expected to
work in an
effort to
restore
electricity
to the
rehearsal
space in
time for the
evening’s
practice.
But these
unbelievable
acts will
also cause
the band
great
additional
expense – to
replace
T-Shirts and
refreshments
for what
could climb
to more than
eighty
steelpan
musicians by
next week.
During the
year, steel
orchestras
field stage
sides with
anywhere
between ten
and
twenty-five
musicians,
but for the
panorama
season, one
hundred
players and
more
sometimes turn
out to
participate
with
respective
orchestras in the
panorama
competition.
Steel
orchestras
sustain
several tens
of thousands
of dollars
in expense
each year
preparing
for the
annual
panorama,
and most
incur much
debt as they
seek to keep
the
community
engaged and
steelpan
culture
alive
especially
during this
time.
Incredibly,
the first
prize,
besides the
trophy (and
bragging
rights), has
been a
paltry
twenty
thousand
dollars –
nowhere near
what it
costs the
individual steel
orchestras
to prepare
for the
competition.
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