Massy Trinidad All Stars went onstage at 2.30 yesterday morning before a sizeable Queen’s Park Savannah audience, seven hours into the programme. By the time the band exited the stage and the cheers and standing ovation were over, it was clear to many that its rendition of MX Prime’s Full Extreme had been bound for glory.
Awarded 286 points, the 82-year-old Port-of-Spain band copped its 10th Panorama title with the Leon “Smooth” Edwards arrangement.
In second place on 283 points were 2016 winners Desperadoes.
Now exiled to Frederick Street in Port-of-Spain, the Laventille-born 11-time Panorama champs had opened the Big Band proceedings at 10.45 pm with the programme’s most played tune Good Morning.
In third place, also playing the Jovan James/Peter Ram collaboration on Good Morning was BpTT Renegades which earned 280 points.
They were followed in the standings—by a margin of three points—by Republic Bank Exodus.
Exodus appeared last on the programme with Good Morning and, in the process, tied with CAL Invaders which went for a spirited rendition of Full Extreme.
PCS Silver Stars, a band that had also brought the crowd to its feet, came in sixth with 276 points after playing We Are Conquerors.
Two points behind was Skiffle on 274 followed by Phase 11 Pan Groove with Red, White and Black in a tie on 272 points with MTHL Starlift that chose Good Morning.
Last year’s surprise runners-up, FCB Supernovas failed to similarly impress the judges with arranger Amrit Samaroo’s Rumble in the Jungle on 271 points while T&TEC Tropical Angel Harps were close behind in 11th place on 270.5 points, having played “Single.”
Much earlier, former perennial Large Band competitor, Pan-demonium had opened the Medium Band proceedings with an Akua Leith arrangement of Cheers to Life.
The spirited arrangement announced the start of one of the most keenly-competed Panorama encounters in recent history but only managed to provide the Belmont band with a shared ninth place standing together with Sound Specialists of Laventille on 264 points.
Emerging victorious, now with a record four consecutive wins, was Pan Elders, playing a Duvonne Stewart arrangement of Roti and Talkarie.
The performance earned the band 282 points, leaving in its wake by a margin of seven points, Curepe Scherzando that had chosen the Mighty Shadow’s 2001 Road March winning tune Stranger.
Tobago’s NLCB Buccooneers, with Rhythm Run Things earned 272 points for third place.
A three-way tie for fourth place on 270 bunched HCL Valley Harps, Petrotrin Katzenjammers and Melodians.
The programme got off to a marginally late start at 7.10 pm with an opening statement by embattled Pan Trinbago President, Keith Diaz, but the medium bands kept up an efficient flow between performances.
Valley Harps startled the crowd with a pyrotechnics display during its performance an hour later.
This led to a subsequent announcement that several bands to follow would have later employed the same stunt.
Only two bands in the medium category chose current 2017 selections—Katzenjammers with Good Morning while Buccooneers played Kernal Roberts’ Rhythm Run Tings.
Good Morning was played six times on the evening and Full Extreme twice. Several bands also decided to colour their performances with dancers and dramatic skits.
Renegades brought along a full cast of ole-time mas’ characters while Silver Stars’ players portrayed medieval knights, complete with shields and choreographed dance moves.
Big band winners, All Stars, went the route of fireworks and strobe lights.
Many were also noting the staying power of the Panorama audience at the end of the usual Panorama marathon.
The North Stand never quite reached full capacity, while the Grand Stand was packed tight. Close to eighth hours after the start, it was all over.
All Stars and Pan Elders will hold the winners’ titles until the best steelbands in the world compete for top honours again next year.
• Large Bands
1. Massy Trinidad All Stars “Full Extreme” 286
2. Desperadoes “Good Morning” 283
3. BpTT Renegades “Good Morning” 280
4. Republic Bank Exodus “Good Morning” 277
4. CAL Invaders “Full Extreme” 277
6. PCS Silver Stars “We Are Conquerors” 276
7. Skiffle “Good Morning” 274
8. HADCO Phase 11 Pan Groove “Red, White and Black” 272
8. MTHL Starlift “Good Morning” 272
10. FCB Supernovas “Rumble in the Jungle” 271
11. T&TEC Tropical Angel Harps “Single” 270.5
• Medium Bands
1. Pan Elders “Roti and Talkarie” 282
2. Curepe Scherzando “Stranger” 275
3. NLCB Buccooneers “Rhythm Run Things” 272
4. HCL Valley Harps “Total Disorder” 270
4. Petrotrin Katzenjammers “Good Morning” 270
4. Melodians “Um-Ba Yao 270
7. NGC Couva Joylanders “Band of the Year” 268
8. NGC Steel Xplosion “Wet Meh Down” 267
9. Pan-demonium “Cheers To Life” 264
9. Sound Specialists of Laventille “Dangerous” 264