Antigua - Traveling abroad for a major competition is never easy.  Traveling to Antigua for the eccentric Five Alive competition with the expectation of winning is, at best, normally wishful thinking.  The Antiguans are that good at this music/theatre contest.  It's their invention and they have dominated the event since it's inception.

Many other nations have participated in this competition and have  shown themselves as worthy competitors - all seeking to take the top prize back home with them.  Past regional and international competitors have included, Grenada, St. Vincent, Trinidad & Tobago, New York, and the  UK to name a few.  However, none have been able to get the job done.  Until now.

This year there was a greater general anticipation of the championship being up for grabs as the undisputed champions, Musical Youth, winners of five championships in the past seven years, decided to take a break and not participate in this year's event, but instead take in the show as honored spectators.  Even with this opportunity the chance of foreigners taking the prize seemed still very remote.  In the past most of the foreigners seem to get discombobulated trying to get the 'right blend' between musicianship and stage theatrics.

Golden Hands on stage for Five Alive competition

This year Golden Hands from Trinidad & Tobago definitely got the proper blending of judging categories right.  They dropped a 'def' arrangement of King Short Shirt's "Tourist Leggo" with a wicked, crowd attention-grabbing skit.  What makes this 'win' even more amazing, is that Golden Hands has never before performed in Antigua, so therefore never took part in their Five Alive contest, or any similarly-conceived event.  Foreign bands in the past who have participated, found it challenging and even frustrating, to adapt to the spontaneous concept of the competition.  Golden Hands triumphed in this department.  They went home with all the money (and a plaque).  Whatever strategies they used worked to perfection.

With the crowning of Trinbago's Golden Hands as 2006 'Five Alive' champions the field has become wide open.  There is a very strong suspicion among the steelband community that the undefeated Musical Youth will come out of their 'early retirement' to try to reclaim their title and to bring the championship back to Antigua & Barbuda.  We also anticipate that due to the growing international popularity of the event and increase in prize money - $2,006 dollars US -  five-person squads from all over the world will be heading to Antigua in 2007.

Countries, musical organizations and/or ensembles interested in participating in the 2007 'Five Alive' competition should contact the Moods of Pan organizers, Gemonites Steel Orchestra.  Corporate entities desiring to sponsor a team or take advantage of the 2007 marketing and advertising opportunities of the 'Five Alive' contest should contact Gemonites immediately .

click here for 2006 Five Alive Rules