For only the third time in its history, the Blue Diamonds Steel Orchestra has qualified for the Panorama semifinal.
And the band’s captain Wayne St Clair Babb is hoping that Blue Diamonds can finally go all the way this year.
St Clair Babb has thanked Soca superstar Machel Montano for helping the small conventional band achieve its potential and reach this far.
The majority of payers in the band are teenagers.
Montano became to the band’s benefactor last month after reading a Guardian Media article highlighting the financial woes of the unsponsored steelpan side.
He gifted the band with some new steel pans, a new trap set, a banner, and jerseys for all their players.
When the Panorama judges visited the band’s George Street, Port-of-Spain panyard on Sunday, Montano was present.
Blue Diamonds made it to the Panorama semifinal in 2006 when they played the song “Gold” by Cecile “Maestro” Hume.
They missed the final by three points then.
In 2017, the band returned to the Panorama semifinal when they played Aldwyn “Kitchener” Roberts song “Miss Tourist”.
They missed the final by seven points then.
This year, Blue Diamonds is hoping to make the Panorama final stage, St Clair Babb said.
The band is playing Montano’s 2008 Soca “Blazing The Trail” arranged by Triston Marcano this Panorama.
According to results released by Pan Trinbago, Blue Diamonds is in a three-way tie for position 19 in the small band category with a total of 266 points.
They are currently tied with Crescendoes Musical and Tunapuna Tipica.
A total of 30 small bands are scheduled to be in the semifinal on Saturday.
There is currently also a three-way tie for first place at the moment in the small bands competition.
The T&T Defence Force, T&TEC New East Side Dimension and Uptown Fascinators are all currently tied with 278 points at the top of the table.