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.
Showtime is 4pm for the cultural event being held under the patronage of His
Excellency President George Maxwell Richards. The Festival is free to
the public.
The pan presentation represents Laventille’s contribution to the observance
of Emancipation in Trinidad and Tobago. Therefore, before the actual parade,
there will be a re-enactment of the Emancipation story.
Citing that the parade has become the largest single steelband event outside
of Panorama and Carnival, Julien Cudjoe, deputy chairman of the organising
committee praised the people of Laventille for contributing to its success.
“The co-operation we have and continue to receive from residents to make the
parade free of DJ music is quite an achievement. We have observed that other
pan parades are being reduced to electronic music. Inviting steelbands to
perform at an event, where they are rivalled by DJ music is disturbing. This
Festival is about pure pan music; a celebration of the drum. That’s how the
foundation wants to salute the Emancipation observance.”
The Foundation official describes the Festival as a family event, which
features the best steelbands in the world, in a safe environment.