A scintillating performance from North West Laventille Folk Performers was not enough to save Friday's Pantastic Friday produced by ten-time National Panorama champion Witco Desperadoes Steel Orchestra from its lacklustre fate.
Desperadoes was on stage before a captive audience eager to hear the band render its much loved arrangement of Super Blue's Rebecca. However, law enforcement officers did not allow a ten-minute extension at the event held at the Paddock Area at the Grand Stand, Queen's Park Savannah in Port-of-Spain.
The police pulled the plug on the show a mere ten minutes past 1 am, when it was officially scheduled to end. The cultural showcase could not have witnessed a better cast, but poor stage management on the part of the promoter accounted for delays.
Reigning National Panorama champion Petrotrin Phase II Pan Groove, Caribbean Airlines Invaders, Neal & Massy Trinidad All Stars, as well as joint International Soca Monarch and Road March Monarch Austin "SuperBlue" Lyons, as well as North West Laventille Folk Performers all took the spotlight.But somehow, the stars did not align. Performers, it seemed, failed to read the audience and delivered repertoires that were more self-styled, than people centred.
By the time SuperBlue took the spotlight culture lovers had become so overwhelmed by the inconsistency in the performances that not even the champ could move them, in spite of his hits.It was the drumology unit from North West Laventille that injected new life into the night's presentation with their contagious well thought out patterns.The dance troupe was on fire but could not deliver its performance with the intensity required because the stage was too small, in addition to being unsteady.
MC Jemma Jordon had to caution the dancers on the worthiness of the stage ahead of them taking the spotlight.