Eighteen steel orchestras will take to the Western Main Road, St James, on Sunday in the Steelband Parade from 3 pm as WeBeat 2014 comes to a close.
Participating bands, the majority from the west, include PCS Nitrogen Silver Stars, St James Tripolians, Carib Woodbrook Playboyz, Scrunters Pan Groove, Woodbrook Modernaires, White Oak Starlift, Humming Bird Pan Groove, Harvard Harps, Brimblers, Musical Gems, Power Stars and Trinidad Pan Connoisseurs.
Other invited bands are Republic Bank Exodus, Old Tech Steel Orchestra, Rhapsody, Arima Golden Symphony and D' Tunapuna Vibrations with La Creole Pan Groove stationary at the amphitheatre, Western Main Road, St James.
Masqueraders of the traditional mas genre and junior mas band Zebapique Productions will add a carnivalsque atmosphere. The organisers said people can don their costumes and participate in the parade.
While the format will be pan-on-the move, bands will stop in front of the amphitheatre where they will perform before heading to the nation's capital. Invited guests will take in the action from that vantage point.
Over the years, this event has attracted hundreds to the "City that never sleeps" in what has become the largest gathering outside of Carnival. This year, the St James Community Improvement Committee (CIC) collaborated with the City of Port-of-Spain to host the Steelband Parade in recognition of the 100th Anniversary of the Restoration of Municipal Rights.
In this regard, 11 steelbands�CAL Invaders, RBC Royal Bank Redemption Sound Setters, Sangre Grande Cordettes, Worldwide Symphony, Harlem Syncopators, Tokyo, Blue Diamonds, Belmont Hi Larks, Nostrand Pan Symphony, Freelancers and City Sun Valley�will simultaneously parade from Piccadilly Greens, up Charlotte Street, across Keate Street, down Frederick Street to Woodford Square.
At the square, patrons will be treated to a steelband concert featuring Witco Desperadoes with SuperBlue, bpTT Renegades with Black Stalin, Petrotrin Phase II Pan Groove with Denyse Plummer and Neal & Massy Trinidad All Stars with Scrunter. Showtime is 8 pm.
Several initiatives were added to the nine-day calendar of events such as WeCruise aboard The Treasure Queen tomorrow. Boarding time is 3 pm. Tickets are priced at $150. In addition to seafarers having a fun time, they will be contributing to the CIC's fund-raising exercise.
WeBeat St James Live is produced by the St James CIC headed by Earl Crosby and supported by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Ministry of Tourism, Carib, Media 21, Rent A Amp, RBC Royal Bank, National Carnival Commission, Coca Cola, National Carnival Bands Association, Government Information Services, Crosby's Music Centre, Kenneth Atwell Creations, and i95.5FM.
The weekend's steelband action actually begins this evening when Pan Trinbago's Northern Region premieres Pan on the Food Court at the Queen's Park Savannah, at 7 pm with Musical Gems and City Sun Valley. This initiative will feature two steelbands performing at the Food Court one Friday a month.
A Northern Region spokesman said: "The whole idea is to give some of the bands within the region a chance to showcase their repertoire whilst entertaining the customers purchasing food and people who just want to come to hear the steelpan, like visitors from other countries."
A second concert is being arranged for July 11. Tomorrow, Pan Trinbago hosts the second edition of Pan in De Countryside for 2014, at the Tabaquite Recreation Grounds, Main Road, Tabaquite. This free, open-air concert, from 5 pm to midnight, features NGC Couva Joylanders, Petrotrin Hatters, Pan Elders, NGC Couva Joylanders, Uni Stars, Pan Jammers, La Creole Pan Groove and DJ KC...Klass Is Class.
DVD of pan music released
Connoisseurs of pan music are in for a delightful treat with the release of the DVD Video of the Petrotrin Single Pan and Small Bands Finals. The DVD captures the sounds and sights of the event which was staged at Skinner Park, San Fernando, earlier this year.
Produced, recorded and mastered by KMP Music Lab, San Fernando, the double-disc package is a collaborative effort with Pan Trinbago. The album is a fantastic collection of the performances and music of the 16 single-pan bands and ten small bands as they vied for titles in their categories. This DVD is a welcome addition to the catalogue of pan music and a great reminisce. A limited number of copies are available at Pan Trinbago and selected music stores.
CIC students host Contagious XI
The St Mary's College's Prefect Body will be hosting a fund-raising event titled No Man's Land–A Contagious Event, on July 12, at the college's courtyard, Pembroke Street, Port-of-Spain. The event, which is targeted at senior students of secondary schools, consists of a fashion show and a non-alcoholic party.
The fashion show runs from 6 pm to 8 pm, with the after-party ending at midnight. The event has been sanctioned by Nigel Joseph, acting principal of St Mary's College.
A release from the organisers said this event is an annual fund-raising project, which enables the students to make a tangible contribution to the financing of a selected project for the benefit of the college. They are guided by the fundamental principles of promoting excellence, developing well-rounded young adults and preparing them for the wider business world. The students are also seeking to showcase their event-planning capabilities and demonstrate innovative marketing, promotion and financial management. The event is mostly managed by students of the college, giving them the opportunity to work with their peers in planning, promoting and executing a real world event.
Apart from St Mary's College, there will be models from St Joseph's Convent, (Port-of-Spain and St Joseph), Holy Name Convent, St Augustine Girls' High School and Providence Girls.
The fashion show will feature designs from Peter Elias, Stacy Smith, Bang Bang, Detour, Converse and Alien Gear among others.
Tickets cost $120 and are available from Louis R Ramdhanie 371-9193); Jarryon Paul 703-8048; Nikolai Emmanuel,379- 0999; Damian Clarke, 320-2771; Trevin Lewis, 361-0293; D'Javan Lara 474-9329; Keegan Dos Santos 766-4920; and, Joshua Peter, 301-6701.
School receives financial help
Members of the Sunny Side Up Carnival Fete Family were on hand recently, to present a cheque for $30,000 to the principal of the Diego Martin Central Secondary School Claudia Lewis.
Witnessing the handover was Diego Martin councillor Gail La Touche, Sunny Side up committee members Derek Douragh and Colin Miles, students of the school.
In addition to the funds, some repair work was done to the school's structure, and two students selected by the school will be given financial assistance towards the purchase of their books and uniforms.
The funds were realised from the staging of the popular Carnival Sunday Morning Breakfast Party Sunny Side Up.
Both Miles and Douragh indicated that the Sunny Side Up Family had assisted communities in the past when partnering with them to stage the event, however, this year was even more special as the party not only provided a great time for patrons to enjoy, but helped students in realising their study goals.