Steelpan in the Sauna - a Scorcher of a Band Launch for Despers USA

New York, USA - Sizzling heat... streaming sweat... sauna-like conditions... and Steelbands.  That was the combination within the 2011 band launch of Despers USA this past Saturday.  And it played out in a scorcher of a session in terms of music - and, literally.

Pan, Pan, and more Pan.  So much so, in fact, that players who performed are still half-jokingly referring to the launch as ť“Despers’ semi-finals” - an obvious tongue-in-cheek reference to Trinidad & Tobago’s  annual Panorama semi-finals.  That is in itself a mega marathon of Pan performances by multitudes of the nation’s steel orchestras, from morning through the evening and ending the next morning.

While this launch was not that long, it was still quite a run in the minds of some.  Nevertheless, that meant a mainly ‘A’ list of some of New York’s premier pan artists delivering hot performances which had some in the crowd literally pouring where they stood in puddles of sweat.  Washcloths and the like were out.  But it was not ‘Get Something and Wave,’ it was ‘Get Something and Wipe.’  Simple.  The tempo was that fiery sometimes depending on which track or medley orchestras played at a particular point in time - like CrossFire’s fast-paced output of Dynamite, Bend Over and Ah Ting. 

Try out the likes of Steel Sensation, CASYM, hosts Despers USA, Sonatas, East Side Symphony, Higher Levin, D’Radoes, New York Pan Stars, Pan Ambassadors, Harmony, Pantonic, and of course CrossFire - all under one roof.  And with so many bands, and so much music, and not enough time, understand that when the turn of each came, they jammed, grooved, and made very good use of the minutes allotted them in their respective sets.  And in that heat - can anyone say “Workey”??  It was a musical workout for several panists behind their instruments as they got into the throes of tried and true, current and classic favorites - all crowd-pleasers, as the hours slipped by.

Still wet with sweat?  Those handouts, flyers, always given out by other steel orchestras, alerting the crowd to other upcoming steelband events, and that usually end up on the ground or in the trash?  They were instead in hot demand.  That’s right - those flyers became sought-after and welcome hand fans, fanning furiously, as some ‘Pan fans’ tried desperately to cool the heat while still dancing away.

You know there’s a heat wave - when the water sells out before anything else!  Ah, the additional revenue that was missed...  And this was one of those rare occasions when the likes of Gatorade and Vitamin Water (if offered for sale) would have been going like hot cakes alongside the water, and could have been another financial bonanza.

The very great thing about all New York band launches is the people who are there.  From those who ‘used to be New Yorkers’ but are now living out of state like arranger and steelpan player Nicholas Mohan, and just ‘passing through’ - to familiar folks who are always welcome, especially for the steelband season: Brian “Bean” Griffith, Garvin Blake, CYP’s Franklin “Gerald” Joseph, Desperadoes icon - tenor player Ursula Tudor, legendary Desperadoes player Dennis “Tash” Ash, and so many more.  It happens once a year, and it is always great to reconnect.

And then, there’s family.  From babes in arms, to those who have grown up under everyone’s very eyes, flitting in and out of the crowd on skate boards at times, running around the legs of parents, grand parents and other family members.  The rapt faces of the little ones staring up (because some are still a bit short!) intently at the panists, some their parents, some siblings, as they performed.  “When is it going to be my turn?!” they seem to be wondering, while mesmerized at the movements before them. 

And of course it all comes full circle when the ‘Elders’ of the NY pan movement, now graying and some no longer playing, but always present at such events in support - stand around the bands they used to perform in themselves, casting a watchful but proud eye over the younger generations now playing - in some cases - the very instruments they used.

There was much music to be had and heard, and when all was said and done, twelve bands had braved the heat alongside their loyal steelpan music subjects who had turned out.  Hosts Despers USA who opened the band launch also closed out, finishing off just after 3:15 early Sunday morning.

Hold on to those fans, the temperature - at least that of the music - is sure to rise again in the first weekend in August when both Pantonic and CASYM have their band launches on the 6^th and 7^th, respectively!

Related article: 102° in the Shade - Despers USA’s Launch Raises Steelpan Music Index

 

In Pictures

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