San
Fernando, Trinidad & Tobago, W.I.
- For Mother’s Day 2010,
hundreds of mothers,
grandmothers and their partners
turned out to an Evening of
Excellence at Skiffle Bunch Pan
Theatre, Coffee Street, San
Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago.
The event, dubbed “A Tribute to
Mother” was hosted by the
incumbent Member of Parliament
for San Fernando West and the
only panist in the world to sit
in a House of Representatives, Junia Regrello, captain of
Skiffle Bunch Steel Orchestra.
Apart from the host band - Skiffle Bunch - guests included
Neal and Massy Trinidad All
Stars and Witco Desperadoes.
House of Jacqui Models
The event, carried live
on WACK Radio 90.1FM, kicked off
with a fashion show featuring
models from the House of Jacqui
whose professionalism and
artistry had the attentive
audience spellbound for about
forty-five minutes with their
often sexy and creative attire.
Trinidad All Stars Steel
Orchestra
Each orchestra was allotted an
hour divided into two segments.
First up were the suave-looking
Trinidad All Stars with their polo neck
T-shirts suggesting “the future
is bright, the future is
orange.” As the band hit
the first note the crowd, which
consisted mainly of hundreds of
women, surged in front of the
stage as if they were just
waiting to shake something – and
so they did. Trinidad All
Stars’ repertoire included Len
“Boogsie” Sharpe’s
Magic Drum,
Sparrow’s Doh
Do Dat, and Rikki Jai’s
soca-chutney hit -
Barman.
What was significant about the
band’s performance was their
inclusion of what appears to be
an electronic horn in a couple
of their pieces.
Skiffle Bunch Steel Orchestra
Next up was reigning Pan in the
21st Century
defending champions TCL Group
Skiffle Bunch who, as hosts, did
not disappoint. With the most
youthful outfit on show their
statement was “looks don’t
deceive” and so they did not. Decked in their lily white tops
with the TCL insignia, the
teenage-looking outfit often
appeared to be moving to
choreographed pieces which
ranged from Pretend You’re
Happy
When You’re Blue,
Nessum Dorma
to Superman, among others.
Desperadoes Steel Orchestra
Then entered the highly
acclaimed Desperadoes (inclusive of
Pan Trinbago’s president – Keith
Diaz) who, unlike the other bands,
were dressed in mufti. However,
the sounds emanating from the
instruments made up for their
attire – Love is a
Many–Splendored
Thing, Somebody Go Jam Yuh, Love
in de Cemetery, Rain in Africa
and Rebecca. Oh, how sweet were
their melodies.
The house DJ was Power Source.
It was indeed a truly well spent
evening. Patrons are now
awaiting the follow–up one year
from now.
by
Hollis Clifton
Pan Diaspora Visionary
pandiaspora@gmail.com
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