Pan Trinbago's "Pan in D Country Side" 2015 was fantastic. All participants and patrons agreed that it was one of the best. Maybe it was because of the nature of the event. In this, the last such event for 2015, a number of Steelbands volunteered to give their services free of charge, to raise funds that would assist three icons of the South / Central region in attaining greater mobility.
Out of the many bands wishing to participate, only seven were selected. What an outpouring of love it was. People from all over Trinidad and Tobago came to lend support, and the entertainment was more than they anticipated.
The program started at about 4:00pm with radio I 95.5 fm streaming live from Rio Claro The president Keith Diaz and councilor R Nagassar of the Rio Claro regional corporation welcomed the audience and brought greetings.
FUSION Steel, with vocals and their youthful vibration, kicked things off in a way that only they could. They were followed by HATTERS STEEL Orchestra who had the audience paying closer attention to their serving. Then came NEW AGE TRENDSETTERS Steel, led by Glenford Sobers one of the awardees, followed by the host band RIO KOSKEROS Steel led by another one of the awardees, and they both gave sterling accounts of themselves.
By this time the venue was jam packed with Steelband lovers and supporters. The vendors were all busy selling their different local wares. At this point, the SHOWSTOPPERS TASSA Group was introduced, and they had everyone on their feet, gyrating to the infectious rhythm.
After the tassa performance, the Friends of Pan Trinbago, a group of volunteers working together to assist the organization in any way possible, made a cash presentation in the sum of one thousand dollars to each of the three Icons. Receiving envelopes were Glenford Sobers and Kenny Pascal - honorees. The chairman of South/Central David Balbosa, received on behalf Lennox "Sam" Fortune who was unfortunately hospitalized in San Fernando at the time. Additionally, contribution boxes were taken through the crowd who was asked to give generously to offset the cost of Automated Wheel chairs for the Icons.
The second part of the program started with SUPER NOVAS Steel Orchestra, and as it turned out, the party had only just begun. The more they played, the more people danced, sung and shouted. They did not disappoint. They were followed by WITCO DESPARADOES, who left nothing to chance as they rendered hit after hit as only they can. And the people continued to dance. Following on their heels was SAN CITY Steel Symphony with Brass. Steel pan music lovers could not believe that they were getting so much for so little, as San City Steel treated them to the power of Brass and Steel.
The program ended just as it started, with FUSION STEEL and their young and energetic vocalists taking the show to near midnight, leaving people milling around in a dazed state wondering if the experience of all that beautiful music and wonderful time really took place in one show in one evening. The outpouring of love, and the contributions were generous as the South Central Region collected over four thousand dollars towards our goal of ninety thousand dollars for the purchasing of the three automated wheel chairs for our Icons.
The raffle of one Tenor Pan donated by the president and the Pan Case donated by the South/Central region, was drawn on Wednesday, 11th at the south office. The winner was Neil Lasaldo coming from Sheet# 66. Pan Trinbago expresses our profound thanks for the support of this venture and all others throughout 2015.
May you all have a most enjoyable Christmas season, and a bright and prosperous 2016 as Steel bands continue to prepare for the 2016 Panorama and Carnival season. In looking at the crowd at Rio Claro on Saturday 7th November, it brought to mind a line from a song by Curtis Mayfield that says "Many think that we have blown it, but they too will soon admit, there's still a lot of love amongst us" as we keep on keeping on. Bless!
Continue to support the efforts of the Steel band movement as we move forward to the next level.
Michael L Joseph
Public Relations Officer
Pan Trinbago Inc.
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