The nine-day WeBeat St James Live Festival staged by the St James Community Improvement Committee (CIC) begins this evening and runs until June 15, at The Amphitheatre, Western Main Road, St James.
This year, the 14th edition, will honour Freddie Kissoon HBM, ADB, and Kleah Mannette. Kissoon is a successful playwright as well as founder/director of the Trinidad Strolling Players Company, while Mannette is an honour roll student and recipient of the Dr Leroy Clarke Trophy for the Most Outstanding Art Student. The Honoree Night will be held this evening.
WeBeat which celebrates T&T's cultural heritage and diversity will include additional events such as ARTBeat (June 11) at which artisans can display their crafts; book launch by national football icon Lincoln Phillips; WeCruise aboard The Treasure Queen on June 14; and, the merging of the popular steelband parade with that of the Port-of-Spain City Corporation's on June 15, from 3 pm.
Another addition is tomorrow night's We Party–The Purple Passion, hosted by WeBeat St James Live and Victoria's & The Goodmen Crew, at the Second Division Officers Mess, Long Circular Road, St James. Music will be by DJs Special Delivery and Sensational Noel.
Regular attractions include WeFilm Night (June 7), in collaboration with the T&T Film Festival14, featuring Dal Puri Diaspora. The Health Day (June 9), is in conjunction with the PoS North Lions and the North West Regional Health Authority; We Treat (June 8); and WeTalk–Historian Talk Show with the theme The Return of the Municipal Rights to the City of Port-of-Spain–The 100th Anniversary" (June 9). These events are free.
On June 10, the focus will be on humour when Kissoon's Strolling Players stage three plays: Girls Wanted, Beauty Contest and Doo Doo.
June 12 is designated Steel & Jazz featuring PSC Nitrogen Silver Stars, Leston Paul, Clifford Charles and Rhapsody, while We Kaiso, featuring young and veteran artistes is on June 13. For these events the admission fees range from $50 to $150.
Plans are afoot to include Indulge Tobago, a non-government organisation, to showcase Tobago's rich heritage and to include a blue food festival as well.
WeBeat 14 is being backed by the Minister of Tourism Senator Gerald Hadeed and the ministry; Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar; Carib Brewery, Coca Cola, National Carnival Commission, Rent-A-Amp, Media 21, RBC Royal Bank, The National Carnival Bands Association, Exim Bank, Jhullian Graphics, Kenneth Atwell Creations and Crosby's.
Steelband weekendin town and country
MP Dr Suruj Rambachan is assisting Pan Trinbago with its second instalment of Pan in De Countryside on June 14 at the Tabaquite Recreation Grounds, Main Road, Tabaquite. Also assisting Pan Trinbago will be members of the Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo Regional Corporation.
The concert begins at 5 pm and Pan Trinbago is providing a shuttle service, with limited available seating from its headquarters on Park Street, Port-of-Spain, from 2 pm.
NGC Couva Joylanders, Petrotrin Hatters, Pan Elders, Uni Stars, Pan Jammers and La Creole Pan Groove are expected to perform. Also included is resident Pan Trinbago disc jockey KC ...Klass Is Class.
Port-of-Spain and environs are expected to pulsate with pan on Father's Day (June 15) at the 100th anniversary of the City of Port-of-Spain.
ands from the inner city and east Port-of-Spain will parade from Piccadilly Greens while bands from the west will begin their trek to town from the St James Amphitheatre, coinciding with the climax of We Beat. Bands including Petrotrin Phase II Pan Groove, Witco Desperadoes, bpTT Renegades and Neal & Massy Trinidad All Stars will converge at Woodford Square for a pan extravaganza.
Tributes to Robbie
Robert Greenidge was honoured by The Trini Posse of Conyers, Georgia, USA, on May 26. Greenidge was in town for a concert with The Jimmy Buffett Coral Reefer Band in Atlanta and, in appreciation for his contribution to the steelpan world, he was awarded with a surprise gala hosted and organised by Lynette "The Priestess" Rocke and Don Clarke of Atlanta, Georgia.
Invaders crowned champs
The event drew a large crowd of friends and supporters who were anxious to meet and shake hands with this musical genius, including Barnet "Preacher" Henry, still remembered for his 1994 Road March Jump and Wave.
Plenty of good, indigenous foods and beverages were served. Most of the music played was from a collection of Greenidge's greatest hits. A plaque was presented to Greenidge on behalf of The Trini Posse with the inscription "The Sweetest Hands on Pan."
�2 CAL Invaders was crowned Overall Champion of the 14th edition of the comPANions Steelband Sports and Family Day held on May 30, at Eddie Hart Grounds, Tacarigua. Fifteen steelbands participated in the event. N&M Trinidad All Stars sponsored the challenge trophy, dedicated in honour of Neville Jules, for the overall champion, decided after more than a month of competition in different sporting disciplines in panyards across the country.
The fun day was jointly co-ordinated by Julie Williams of Republic Bank Exodus and N&M Trinidad All Stars' Denise Hernandez, with a T&T Fire Services crew co-ordinating the actual events. Also assisting were Ensphere Events; DJ Dynamic Sounds; and Giselle Westfield who filled in for Williams who was in Zimbabwe, Africa.
Pan Jammers of Santa Cruz, made up of young people from the age of six, provided a fabulous range of music. Tunapuna's Fascinators Pan Symphony's diverse repertoire kept guests and participants in a lively mood.
Witco Desperadoes won the Fun Past Parade, which was themed A Tribute to the Mighty Sparrow. Runners-up were Phase II Pan Groove and Renegades, Courts Sound Specialists and Invaders, respectively.
In the tug-o-war event Invaders beat Fascinators Pan Symphony in the final while the athletic members Phase II won the aerobics burnout competition. Invaders also won the Champion of the Day award, ahead of Fascinators, Renegades and Desperadoes, respectively.
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