It's that time of the year when most of the music you hear is the music of Christmas, with our own parang and parang soca leading the way on the airwaves and at all seasonal events.
Maintaining its tradition of showcasing the music of the season is De Nu Pub, formerly The Mas Camp. Last Thursday, the popular Woodbrook showplace featured Alicia Jaggassar & Los Alumnos de San Juan and cuatrista Robert Munro as the star acts on its Parang Parang Parang series. The series continues next Wednesday at 8.30 pm and its headline acts will be Baron, Crazy, Kenny J, Myron B and Ninja.
Not to be left out, PCS Nitrogen Silver Stars Steel Orchestra is hosting its 26th annual edition of Parang & Steel at its panyard, located at 56 Tragarete Road, Newtown. The 2016 edition premieres on December 3 and will feature Voces Jovenes, Kenny J, Debbie Nahous, DJ Kern Crosby and the host band.
Parang & Steel continues on December 10 and will feature La Divina Pastora and Ancil Valley. The star acts for the December 17 finale are Fuego Caribeno and Rikki Jai.
With the National Parang Association of T&T (Npatt) paying special attention to the nation's youth by successfully staging its junior parang festival, the young ones are grasping at the opportunity to shine. The association highlighted the essence of parang music last weekend when schools from across the nation participated in the festival, held over two days, at the Bishop Anstey Trinity College East facility in Trincity.
In the wake of a magnificent production staged by Massy Trinidad All Stars Steel Orchestra last Saturday at Queen's Hall, next Sunday is The Lydians' turn to shine when this renowned outfit performs at Lydians on the Mount in A Season of Hope, at The Abbey, Mount St Benedict, St Augustine, at 6 pm.
On December 4, Lions Club of Diego Martin West will host its annual fund-raising Sunday Brunch at Lions Civic Centre, Port-of-Spain, from 11 am. Also on that day, Paragon Sports & Cultural Club will hold its Parang & Soca Luncheon at its club house, located next to Massy Stores, West Mall, WMR, Cocorite. Los Cantantes Festivos, Kenny J and DJ Cardo are the main attractions.