NATIONAL Panorama semi-finals had some of everything, from the young
couple locked in tight embrace and passionately kissing each other
as if no one else existed, to the camera shy Prince of Port of Spain,
batting star Brian Lara, to the parrot meekly perched on the shoulder
of it’s owner.
That’s how it was last Sunday during the usual annual steelband
Panorama semi-final lime at the Queen’s Park Savannah.
Action scheduled to kick off at 9 a.m. didn’t get going until
more than one hour later with the first competitor in the small
band category.
Some 14 bands competed in both the small and medium bands category
while 17 large bands competed.
The show never ended until the wee hours of Monday morning forcing
some people to go straight to work.
However, for many patrons it was never about pan, the Panorama was
a place to meet, greet and make new friends so they never ever really
heard the sweet sounds emanating from the steelbands.
They completely missed the energy of the youthful population that
dominated almost all the bands in the three categories this year.
… Like the couple who just couldn’t control their emotions
and in what looked like a marathon session, kissed the evening away
or Trini to the bone Lara enjoying the company of the ladies.
As usual the rhythm sections in the jam-packed North Stand created
problems for the bands on stage, but not even pleas from MC Phil
Simmons to stop playing, could hijack the fun being experienced
by patrons who would trade just about anything to be part of the
revelry in that notorious area of the Savannah.
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