Lancaster, Ohio - Winchester Steel Co. brought the Caribbean rhythms of their steel drums to the Lancaster Festival Bandstand on Wednesday.

Lancaster is a few thousand miles from the Caribbean, but the overhead sun made temperatures seem about as hot.

And though you could get a cheeseburger that tasted like paradise, the audience wasn't wasting away in Margaritaville - soda and water were the beverages of choice.

Standing to the side of the stage with his arms crossed against his chest, Carroll resident Tom Hempleman said he had seen the 25-piece Canal Winchester High school-based drum band a half dozen times. Today the band was scaled back slightly, with only 17 members playing the drums that resemble oil barrels.

United Kingdom - A steel orchestra accused of being too noisy is steeling itself for a legal battle with unhappy neighbours.

The Comets have been based behind Auckland Road, in South Norwood, for the past six years.

But in recent months they have been in dispute with fed up local residents who want to see them kicked out.

Now it is understood neighbours are taking legal advice about what rights the police-backed community orchestra's musicians have at the old sports pavilion where they practice.

Members of the Comets say they have got around 1,200 signatures on a petition calling for the council to show more backing for the project.

They are unhappy that the council cut its practice sessions from 20 hours a week to just five hours last September.

But locals say five hours of music a week is still too much to bear.

Lagos, Nigeria - In a celebration that lasted four hours at the palace of the Alagbara of Agbara, Agbara town in Ogun State, south west Nigeria, two chieftaincy titles were conferred upon panman Bowie Sonnie Bowei, and one upon his wife, Ndudi Bowei. The couple was honored in traditional fashion and in recognition for their ongoing and integral roles in the development of the steelband artform in Nigeria overall, especially within the community where Panland, the parent organization is set up.

Sonnei Bowei was awarded two titles. The first is The Amuludun of Agbara Land meaning “the one who makes that land sweet” (signifying his making the land ‘sweet’ with steelpan music).

United Kingdom- A New Addington based steel band has won a £5,500 grant from a charity.

The Croydon Steel Orchestra, which meets at Fairchildes Primary School, Fairchildes Avenue, once a week was presented with the cheque by representatives from the Jack Petchy Foundation.

The cheque was presented at a special ceremony at the school at 4pm on Wednesday.

Now the group, made up of 60 members aged between 10 and 40, will use the money to put towards a new £13,000 minibus.

Every year the band play hundreds of concerts across Croydon and London.

Venues include Fairfield Halls and busking in Trafalgar Square.

Currently they are rehearsing for the National Champion of Steel Panorama Competition.

It will see the band battle it out against around eight others from across the country in Hyde Park on August 23.

It comes ahead of their appearance at the Notting Hill Carnival on August 24 and 25.

New York - J’Ouvert City International, Inc. under the leadership of Mr. Danville Williamson, President and Founder is proud to announce its 1st J’Ouvert’s Launching of our Carnival celebration 2008 and its 15 years of Presentation of Awards and Trophies for the winning bands at the Brooklyn Borough Hall.

Trinidad and Tobago - Twenty-seven steelbands (conventional and single pan) will entertain patrons attending this year’s staging of the ninth annual Laventille Steelband Festival (LSF) Parade.

The event which takes place on Sunday, August 3, features reigning national Panorama champion Petrotrin Phase II Pan Groove, World Steelband Music Festival victor Sagicor Exodus and Courts Sound Specialists of Laventille, winner of the medium category at this year’s Panorama competition. Harlem Syncopators, Angostura Woodbrook Playboyz and Laventille Serenaders are among the leading single pan bands listed to add their music magic to the eventful programme.

United Kingdom - Monday the 14th July 2007 saw the Engine Room Collective open the Carnival Village’s summer events at the refurbished Tabernacle with their ‘Ladies Night’ featuring some of the UK’s young, gifted and aspiring female pannists backed by the Engine Room Collective.

St. Lucia, W.I. -  As the euphoric panists of Diamond Steel danced on the stage actuated by the proclamation of their victory, an obviously happy but measured Gregory "Shining" Emmanuel declared it "lucky seven" after his band regained the coveted crown two years after their last triumph in 2006.  Arranged by Aimran Simmonds with whom Emmanuel co-wrote their tune of choice Celebration, the name of the selection was a good portent of how the night would end for one of the Caribbean's most talented steel orchestras.   They are no stranger to winner's row, having copped the title six times previously in 1998, 2005 and 2006, with a hat trick from 2000—2002.

Barbados, W.I. - There was a cultural explosion in the heart of Bridgetown yesterday afternoon, as the sweet sounds of pan echoed through the busy streets, signalling the start of the National Cultural Foundation's Pan in de City.

Traffic was literally brought to a standstill and shoppers could be seen marvelling at the colourful spectacle and dancing to the infectious rhythms reverberating from the large buildings in the shopping centre.

The event officially started in Jubilee Gardens with a performance by the Israel Lovell Steel Orchestra.

Tobago, W.I. - Tobago pan pioneers as well as enthusiasts flocked the Scarborough Esplanade on Tuesday night to pay homage to the Katzenjammers Steel Orchestra.

The orchestra, which has been in existence since 1951, boasts among its list of credits to have played for Queen Elizabeth II on her visit to Tobago, as well as winning the TSTT sponsored Pan In The 21st Century Steel Bands competition in 2004 and 2008.

Several conventional and single pan bands provided entertainment for pan lovers as they each rendered a calypso piece and a folk song piece in keeping with the spirit of the Tobago Heritage Festival.

St. Lucian, W.I. - The Beausejour Cricket Grounds will come alive tonight Friday 18th 2008 from 8 pm when Panorama 2008 kicks off. Six steel bands are scheduled to compete, performing one warm up piece and one test piece each. Busta Emerald Steel, Cable and Wireless Diamond Steel, Courts Babonneau, Digicel Pan Time and Harmonites will all try to wrest the title from the 2007 winner, Leverage North Stars.

IIn addition to the competition performances, patrons are guaranteed an evening full of excitement and top quality side acts including stilt walking, masquerade and folk music.

Jamaica, W.I. - Panfest 2008 closed with not so much a bang as a helluva blast to a near full house, which was very vocal in its appreciation of the music and movement of the steelpan players, at the Philip Sherlock Centre for the Creative Arts on Sunday evening.

Presented in HD (with a TV guide-style programme to boot), a radio on-stage to the audience's right jumping through channels to often humorous effects and a television on the left 'projecting' highlights of the university's 60th anniversary between numbers, the members of the UWI Panoridim Steel Orchestra not only played music well.

Cayman Islands - The University College of the Cayman Islands (UCCI) will be able to purchase much-needed pans for its steel bands after a $25,000 donation from Cayman National.

Brian Chapell, UCCI Acting President and Dean, said the donation was a “big moment for UCCI (and) a tremendous investment for the students”. He was speaking at the signing of the sponsorship agreement on Friday, 11 July at the Cayman National (CN) building in George Town.

The UCCI Acting President pointed out that the contribution enables the university to furnish complete sets of pans for steel bands at its sites in both Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac.

“We can’t thank CN enough for their contribution,” Dr Chapell said.

Ormond Williams, President of Cayman National Bank, said the donation spoke to the company’s commitment to education, youth in the community and to investing in the cultural heritage of the Cayman Islands.

“The arts are critical to the development of culture and a people,” he said, adding that playing in the band offers opportunities for members to network as well as develop self-confidence.

St. Lucia, W.I. - This year five (5) bands will be trying to dethrone the defending champions Leverage North Stars Steel Orchestra, included in the five bands is new comer Harmonites Steel Orchestra. 

The competition takes place this Friday 18^th July 2008 at the Beausejour Cricket Grounds and showtime is 8:00. p.m.

Sponsors include Cable and Wireless, The Bank of Nova Scotia, Accela Marketing, St. Lucia Distillers Limited, just to name a few.

This year promises to be even bigger and better than last year. 

Ambridge, Pennsylvania — When Sal Aloe began teaching band at Ambridge Area High School, he wanted Richard Zana to be his assistant.

Zana had taught music at the junior high for years and had an accomplished reputation. As a high school student, Aloe remembers Zana organized “fantastic” musicals at what is now the Ambridge Junior High and had high school band members play for them.

When Zana agreed to take the role, Aloe had him work with the steel drums.

“He took the steel drums to another level,” said Aloe, former Ambridge high school band director, now director of artistic studies at Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School in Midland.

YOULOU PAN MOVEMENT VINLEC JUNIOR PANORAMA 2008

Cayman Islands - It’s the realization of a dream beyond their wildest expectations for UCCI’s steel pan players with the announcement of a $25,000 donation to purchase two brand new steel pan sets, one for each campus.

Now being fabricated in Trinidad, the pans are the culmination of a student–driven campaign to solidify pan music education at the post–secondary level. 

Baltimore, Maryland - There was great weather, great performances, great fans, a committed host and an area ideally suited for outdoor performances by steelbands.  So: why was this event denied an ‘A plus’ grade?  Simply put - insufficient time for these great performances, but it must be noted here - through no direct fault of the host, Carl Merez.  As scheduled within the original time-frame, the event afforded more than enough time for even the most  ardent steelpan music junkie to get his or her fix of a full complement of pan music.  The free event was slated to begin at 3:00 pm and finish at 10:00 pm.

The Good

Philadelphia [Philly] Pan Stars put on a great performance during the competitive phase of the event.  However, contrary to information originally conveyed to When Steel Talks at the end of the event, organizers have since claimed that there has been no winner decided upon in the competition.  We will keep you posted as to how organizers eventually resolve this phase of the event. 

Nonetheless, Philadelphia Pan Stars delivered a  rousing rendition of a Patrick Davis-arrangement of the late Maestro’s (covered by Bunji Garlin) “Fiery.”  This year, though, their approach was one of a panorama styling, with musical variation implemented by Davis.

Miami, Fla., USA - Simple as plain water.

“A man’s passion could be a flat white stone in the river.”

That remark by Trinidadian poet Mervyn Taylor in a recent chat about mas, pulls me in like a compelling storyteller.

That’s because I’m mulling over events that spanned 24 years since an opportune visit to the Los Angeles home of Rudolph Charles – The Hammer himself, the headstrong leader of Desperadoes on Laventille hill. He migrated there to be with family, but the development of pan had always been his fire. The Carnival over, he’d be in chilly LA engaging himself in various aspects of the art – tuning, inventing, metallurgy (the technique of working with metals) and forming relationships with drum factories.

Trinidad - Ace Panist and arranger Robert "Robbie" Greenidge feels the national instrument (steelpan) should be in EVERY school in Trinidad and Tobago. He also believes youths in Trinidad and Tobago must learn to read and write music and they should study the instrument.

Interviewed recently by the Express he said: "Pans are in schools and universities in Europe and the US. Why must we play catch up with our own thing? He asked.

"We have some of the greatest players, arrangers and tuners in the world; we could show them what we are made of."

St. Lucia - True to its promise to continue sponsoring St Lucia’s national events, Cable & Wireless is providing more support for carnival, this time to the St Lucia National Steel Bands Association.
C&W has provided the Association with a sponsorship contribution of $50,000 in cash