Moods of Pan (MOP) is the brainchild of one of Antigua & Barbuda's premiere steel orchestras, Gemonites.  They have hosted the event for the past seven years, and marked their eighth annual MOP in 2006.  As hosts, they opened the event to an audience seated in anticipation sometime before the scheduled 7:30 PM start.  There was a delay which resulted in a later than scheduled beginning, which is unusual for the organizers.  But once the show opened up with Gemonites founding member Robin Margetson delivering the national anthem of Antigua & Barbuda on pan, there was no turning back.  The event was ably co-hosted in part by Jonathan Bynoe, Director of the Antigua National Chapter of Youth For Christ International.

Robin Margetson

Jonathan Bynoe (at right) with fellow host

  

Moravian Zionites

The gospel movements on steelpan began with Gemonites repertoire which included Majesty, Total Praise, Give Thanks and Bridge Over Troubled Waters, followed by Potters Moravian Zionites with You Are Holy, Jesu - Joy of Man's Desiring and How Great Thou Art.  Some lucky attendees did not leave the event empty-handed.  Throughout the evening, there were numerous giveaways generously provided by official event sponsors.  Though there would also be freebies from sponsors on the two following Moods of Pan festival nights, the opportunities to go home with bounty were far more present on gospel night.

Golden Hands Steel Orchestra

Trinidad & Tobago's Golden Hands Steel Orchestra took the stage after Moravian Zionites. They had an extended performance, probably due to the fact they were to return home on Sunday afternoon, and would not participate in the festival's closing night as would have been the norm.  Leader of the band, Ms. Franka Hills-Headley explained the youngsters in the orchestra were due in school on Monday morning for scheduled examinations, hence their premature departure.  Nonetheless, the loss of the Sunday night attendees (Golden Hands' performance) became the gain of the opening night crowd, when the orchestra laid out a set of nine selections.  They of course put forth their gospel fare first, delivering God and God Alone, Joyful Joyful, Worship Medley, Lord I Lift Your Name on High and Shout to The Lord.  They followed up with seasonal parang Allegria, then closed with Well You Needn't, and Soca Baptist.  Arrangers for their night's repertoire included Franka Hills-Headley, Dane Hinds, Vanessa Headley and Jeannine Remy.  The two youngest members who made the trip for Moods of Pan 2006, Joshua Bedeau and Daron Roberts, were on drums.  Daron was their mainstay during their set, while Joshua exchanged his pan sticks for drum sticks for one selection, giving Daron a stint on the tenor.

Off Springs Pan Group, whose name denotes just that - are musicians whose parents are rooted in Antigua's steel orchestras.  Led by Veron Henry, the group delivered Canon In D, Our God Reigns, Yes - Jesus Loves Me and received audience kudos for their on-point performances.  Fielding six players allowed them to highlight skills of individual musicians with the crowd lapping it up, showing their appreciation by affording the group the loudest applause at that point for the night.

Veron Henry

Members of Holy Family Cathedral Junior Steel Orchestra

Papa San

Also on the card to perform was the Holy Family Cathedral Steel Orchestra, but before they took the stage, their junior membership regaled the audience with gospel endeavors of their own for the evening.  The main orchestra followed with a repertoire which included the Hallelujah Chorus, In Your Hands, Immigration, Walking Down the King's Highway and There's no God like Jehovah.  Holy Family Cathedral closed off the pan performances for the evening of ministry through Gospel pan music.  Soon after it was the turn of the Mad For Christ Youth Group and headline act Papa San, who together with his crew delivered his blend of Gospel, Reggae and Dancehall.  Those two vocal performances were scheduled to bring the curtains down on the first evening of MOP 2006.  

C. Phillips, Basement Press Corp.
©2006 When Steel Talks - All Rights Reserved

Gospel Pan in Pictures