Defending champion San Juan East Side Symphony and the T&T Fire Services topped the National Panorama single pan bands preliminaries with 269 points. San Juan East Side Symphony, under the leadership of Duvone Stewart, played Ronnie Mc Intosh’s Shaking It and Fire Services played Kitchener’s Fever, arranged by Terrance BJ Marcelle. In third position was Marsicans with Arrow’s Long Time. They scored 268 points.
Fourth placed was T&T Defence Force with 267 points for their rendition of Tambu’s This Party Is It. Their piece was arranged by Sheldon Peters and Kion Robinson. There were several two, three and four-way ties among the qualifiers. At the end of the exercise, 33 bands made it to the semi-final, scheduled for the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain, on January 31. Small steelbands will also have their semi-final round on the same day. Starting time is noon and admission is $100, Grand Stand only.
A total of 70 single pan bands performed their tune of choice before the panel of judges over a period of four days at zonal venues in T&T. Three Tobago-based bands are in the running, including Hope Pan Groovers, New Vision and Metro Stars. Representatives of each of the participating bands were invited to witness the opening of the score sheets on Tuesday at Port-of-Spain City Hall Auditorium.
list of semi-finalists
1. T&T Fire Services Fever 269
1. San Juan East Side Symphony Shaking It 269
3. Marsicans Long Time 268
4 T&T Defence Force This Party Is It 267
5. Nu Pioneers Pan Groove Pan In A Rage 266
5. Scorpion Pan Reflections Long Time 266
7. Hope Pan Groovers Nah Do Dat 265
7. Tiger Tanks Fyzabad 4th Dimension Ooh La La 265
9. Pan Jammers Chutney Bacchanal 264
10. Shades in Steel Ah Want It 261
11. Trinidad Nostalgic Ooh La La 259
11. Gonzales Sheikers Too Real 259
11. La Creole Pan Groove Unknown Band 259
14. Trinidad East Side Symphony Fire Coming Down 258
15. Brimblers Toco Band 257
16 Carib Woodbrook Playboyz Ola 255
16. New Vision Ben Lion 255
16 City Sun Valley All Night Tonight 255
16 D’Original W/brook Modernaires Yes Darling 255
20. Pan Elites Free Up 254
20. Uni Stars Rain Melody 254
20. Chord Masters No Wuk For Carnival 254
20 Scrunters Pan Groove Symptoms 254
24. Self Help Marines Rainorama 253
24 Cocorite Road Pan Groovers Ah Going And Party Tonight 253
26. La Famille United Unknown Band 250
26 Blanca 47 Pan In Danger 250
26. St James Tripolians Wet Me 250
29. Metro Stars Showtime 249
29 Rio Claro Koskeros Doh Back Back 249
29. Pan on the Move Ah Feeling 249
32. King’s Row Retro Riddum Wine On Something 248
32. Curepe Polyphonics Sweet Pan 248
