Steel Xplosion wins Medium Bands with ‘Radica’Monday, February 15 2010
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LIGHTNING SPEED: Pannists from Katzenjammers' out of Black Rock, Tobago, play with passion etched on their faces as they performed Edwin Pouchet's arr...
TOBAGO band Steel Xplosion dethroned 2009 Panorama medium band champions Clico Sforzata Steel Orchestra on Saturday night at the National Panorama Finals at the Queen’s Park Savannah.
The medium band from Carnbee Main Road, Tobago, copped the Panorama 2010 Medium Band title, impressing the judges with their rendition of Kenneth Salick’s ‘Radica.’
They took home the $600,000 purse.
Arranged by Carlton “Zanda” Alexander, the band scored 280 points while last year’s winners placed tenth with Andre White’s arrangement of “Wild and Free.”
Steel Xplosion’s captain Jason Duncan said that he felt very proud of his players’ achievement and admitted he knew they were going to be the champions.
“We were ready from the very beginning, from the arranger we had...to the hours of practice and the hard work we put in, we were ready and it paid off,” he said, after the results were announced.
He said it was their first Panorama win and a great success for Tobago, adding that pan lovers should expect greater things from them in the future. As winners of the Medium Band category, they will be performing for patrons entering the Beyonce concert at the Queen’s Park Savannah on February 18.
“We are definitely looking forward to that. It will definitely be an experience,” he said.
In an interview yesterday, Kenneth Salick expressed surprise since he was not aware the band won with his song. “Wow, I am so happy for them. I honestly did not know they won. I want to congratulate them on a job well done,” he said.
He said he felt honoured that they chose his song, admitting that the band’s management did approach him to perform with them at the Panorama semi- finals, but he had to decline.
“I was so tired during this Carnival season and I did not want to disappoint but I could not make it but I am glad they pulled it through at the finals,” he said.
Dressed in flaming-red shirts, with black and white waist coats and black pants, Steel Xplosion’s pannists performed with such energy those with pans and racks on wheels were slightly rolling on the stage.
For their props, there was an elderly gentleman in a bright yellow suit, pleading with his “Radica” to come back home.
Scoring 276.5, Courts Sound Specialists, of Laventille, placed second with Ken “Professor” Philmore’s arrangement of Destra Garcia’s “Surrender”.
Placing third was Katzenjammers, of Black Rock, Tobago, with their exciting performance of Eunice Peter’s “Lightning Strikes Twice” arranged by Edwin Pouchet.
Beginning their piece by striking the sides of their pans to imitate the sound of lightning, they held the crowd’s attention from beginning to end. The young players dressed in black and silver brought patrons to their feet when they began playing with the bottom of their pan sticks and then quickly flipping them back earning them a thunderous standing ovation.
The competition got off a half-an-hour later than its scheduled start of 6 pm because of traffic caused by the Junior Carnival Parade of Bands, earlier in the day.
The final results:
1. Steel Xplosion Radica 28 0
2. Courts Sound Specialists of Laventille Surrender276.5
3. Katzenjammers Lighting Strikes Twice 27 3
4. Curepe Scherzando Battle Zone27 1.5
5. Valley Harps Battle Zone 268.5
6.NLCB Buccooneers Surrender 26 6.5
7. Carib Dixieland Somewhere in Tobago 264.5
8. West Side Symphony Somewhere in Tobago 260
8. Couva Joylanders Smooth Sailing 260
10. Clico Sforzata Wild and Free25 8
