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Antigua & Barbuda
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Six bands competed for Antigua’s
2008 National Panorama Championship. The featured
bands in the competition were Mahico Stars, Gemonites,
Harmonites International, Ebonites, Halcyon and Hells
Gate, the defending champion. The annual event was held
at Carnival City (Antigua’s Recreation Grounds), St.
John’s, Antigua. Each band performed one song
before the judges. A significant amount of the
musical material performed in this year’s
competition was from past years.
Defending champion Hells Gate
Steel Orchestra came into the competition seeking that elusive hat-trick,
but on this night, that feat was not to be - as Halcyon Steel Orchestra
took the 2008 panorama crown. Pandemonium
and joy broke out on the stage as the members of Halcyon
clad in blue tops pranced and danced across, even before the announcer
officially declared them the 2008 champions. Sharing in
that realization and joy was none other than the prime
minister of Antigua and Barbuda, the honorable
Baldwin Spencer. Mr.
Spencer, a panman and a
Halcyon Steel Orchestra ‘old boy’ was on stage
with all the members, lapping up the joy of winning
a panorama; after all, it was back in 1995 when they
last had such a privilege. Indeed, it is the envy of any steel
orchestra in the world, to have a head of state as a member/active
supporter of its organization.
Halcyon took a non-traditional and
somewhat risky approach to their performance before the
judges. They executed their piece at a tempo that
was much slower than the norm in a panorama situation.
The Halcyon leader explained that the reason for this approach
was to ensure that musical parts were heard clearly and not
‘jumbled’ up. Cleary by the eventual results of this approach,
it was
the right thing to do. This was the ninth panorama
win for Halcyon.
The show began promptly at 8:17 PM with the national anthem
being played on the steelpan. Harmonites
International Steel Orchestra, celebrating their
41st year, was the first band
to take the stage to perform their version of King Short Shirt’s
“My Pledge;” their arranger was Aubrey “Lacu” Samuel.
They were followed by Ebonites Steel Orchestra, which
according to one of its leaders, was
looking to make a serious statement and took the stage with
nearly ninety players - the largest they have ever been
at a panorama. Next
up -
Hells Gate, the defending champions took the stage with
one hundred musicians, looking to capture their third title in row.
Their tune of choice was King Short Shirt’s “Jamming”
arranged by Veron Henry.
Mahico Stars
followed with the
Mighty Swallow’s “Rev up Jam”
- a “Hymo”
Watkins’ arrangement. A much-smaller-than-is
customary Gemonites Steel
Orchestra took the stage with fifty players. Their
tune of choice was “Sweet Song” by Burning Flames.
The final band of the night and eventual winner was Halcyon steel
orchestra also boasting one hundred musicians.
Halcyon’s tune of choice was “Hit Man” by Latumba,
arranged by Fitzroy “Blakey” Phillips and
Curtis “CC” Cochrane.
RESULTS for Antigua & Barbuda
2008 National Panorama
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Results / Points |
Bands |
Order of Appearance |
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1st / |
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No. 6 |
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Fitzroy “Blakey” Phillips
&
Curtis “CC” Cochrane
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2nd / |
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No. 3 |
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Veron
Henry & Patmore “Maestro” Smith.
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3rd/ |
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No. 2 |
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4th / |
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No. 5 |
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5th / |
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No. 4 |
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6th / |
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No. 1 |
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Aubrey “Lacu” Samuel
&
Paul Samuels
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Antigua Panorama Champions
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1. Hells Gate (champions 1949,1958,1959,1960,1964,1967,1976,1990,1991,
2002, 2006 & 2007)
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2. Halcyon (champions 1975,1978,1979,1986,1987,1992,1993,1994, 1995
& 2008)
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3. Harmonites (champions 1968,
1969, 1971, 1972,
1974, 1985, 2001
& 2004)
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5. Gemonites (champions 1981,
2003 &
2005)
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6. Ebonites (champions 1977)
Click for more on steelpan in Antigua
www.Antigua.panonthenet.com
Steelband Champions of Antigua and Barbuda |
