Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - Eighteen steel orchestras will take to the Western Main Road, in St. James, Trinidad, on Sunday June 15th in the Steelband Parade from 3:00 p.m. as WeBeat 2014 comes to a close.
Participating steel orchestras—the majority of which hail from the West—include Silver Stars, St. James Tripolians, Woodbrook Playboyz, Scrunters Pan Groove, Woodbrook Modernaires, Scrunters Pan Groove, Starlift, Humming Bird Pan Groove, Harvard Harps, Brimblers, Musical Gems, Power Stars and Trinidad Pan Connoisseurs.
Other invited orchestras are Exodus, Old Tech Steel Orchestra, Rhapsody, Arima Golden Symphony and D’Tunapuna Vibrations with La Creole Pan Groove stationary at the Amphitheatre.
Masqueraders of the Traditional Mas genre and Junior Mas Band Zebapique Productions will add a ‘carnivalesque’ atmosphere. On the invitation of the organizers, persons can don their costumes and participate in the parade.
While the format will be ‘Pan-on-the move,’ bands will stop in front of the St. James Amphitheatre, where they will perform their tune of choice before heading to the City. Invited guests will take in the action from that vantage point.
Over the years this event has attracted hundreds to the “City that Never Sleeps” in what has become the largest gathering outside of Carnival. This year, the St. James Community Improvement Committee collaborated with the City of Port-of-Spain to host the Steelband Parade in recognition of the 100th Anniversary of the Restoration of Municipal Rights.
In this regard, eleven steel orchestras - Invaders, Redemption Sound Setters, Sangre Grande Cordettes, Worldwide Symphony, Harlem Syncopators, Tokyo, Blue Diamonds, Belmont Hi Larks, Nostrand Pan Symphony, Freelancers and City Sun Valley, will simultaneously parade from Piccadilly Greens, up Charlotte Street, across Keate Street, down Frederick Street to Woodford Square. At the Square, patrons will be treated to a steelband concert featuring Desperadoes with Superblue, Renegades with Stalin, Phase II Pan Groove with Denyse Plummer and Trinidad All Stars with Scrunter. Showtime is 8:00 p.m.
Several initiatives were added to the nine-day calendar of events such as WeCruise aboard The Treasure Queen on Saturday June 14th. Sailing time is 4:00 pm. Tickets are priced at TT $150.00. In addition to seafarers having a fun time, they will be contributing to the CIC’s fund-raising exercise.
WeBeat St. James Live is produced by the St. James Community Improvement Committee headed by Earl Crosby and supported by The Prime Minister, Ministry of Tourism, Carib, Media 21, Rent A Amp, RBC Royal Bank, National Carnival Commission, Coca Cola, National Carnival Bands Association, Government Information Services, Crosby’s Music Centre, Kenneth Atwell Creations, and i95.5fm.
From the News Desk of the St. James Community Improvement Committee
1 (868) 622 7622
stjamescic@gmail.com
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