This is the conclusion of a two-part series that explores the viability of the steelband movement and of the Carnival staple, Panorama. Today, cultural analyst and journalist Joanne Briggs looks at how the Panorama competition can be improved for the future development of the artform.
“The steelband tent became a concert hall. Where fellahs had talked about battles, they talked now about music…
Battles on Carnival days between rival warriors became contests of skill between competing orchestras, warriors became critics of music, the advertisers and upholders of the musical genius of the bands to which they belonged.” (Dragon Can’t Dance, Earl Lovelace)
In one paragraph, Earl Lovelace summarised a piece of pan’s history—a transformation from one warriorhood to another warriorhood. The battle of sticks has since expanded to the creation of the Panorama competition, with prize money and followers, the band who wins is adjudged the true warrior.
David Rudder’s ode to the steelband side Exodus, after it won its first Panorama title in 1992, picks up this thread of warriorhood. That could have been the return of the battle of switchblades and broken bottles because an East band tousled with the heavy rollers of Port of Spain and won. Instead, Rudder using the imagery of the gangster, shows that the pan man has maintained his composure, ready to take the challenge back on stage and not on the streets.
“Ah telling yuh, we looking for fight,
it’s trouble tonight
We feeling alright, it’s a panman’s war
Yes me breddah
We come out for war, to settle a score
The tenors sawed off
so it’s booyaka, booyaka Aye mama.”
This musical rivalry is what the audience looks forward to every year, three weeks before Carnival at the battlefield known as the Queen’s Park Savannah. But over the years, the competition has welcomed more dynamics in its event management and the question arises whether Panorama has lost part of its essence as a result of this.
The seminfinal competition on Sunday will feature three competing categories—Single Pan, Medium and Large. There are 20 small bands, 14 medium and 17 large competing for a spot in their respective finals. The semis begin at 9 am and will finish when the last band has played. That equates to more than15 hours of music. For a music lover it may be considered bliss, but for some pan diehards that can be considered a tedious event that finishes at “oh gawd oh clock.”
Ainsworth Mohammed, manager of Republic Bank Exodus, defends the Panorama competition, calling it a very powerful vehicle. “You are not likely to find 120 musicians performing by rote anywhere else but in this place,” he said. But in ensuring that the event sustains its audience, he suggested that Panorama has to be more effectively managed.
“The actual shows end up being too long,” he said. “Sunday will end until whenever. More specifically to the finals, the medium bands and the large bands are together and ends at 4 o’clock in the morning. At the end of the day you shouldn’t really expect to hold an audience for that length of time. It’s not right.”
Years ago, Pan Trinbago hosted zonal competitions as well as separate shows for each category. Perhaps in considering cost effectiveness and Sunday’s ticket going at $400 a head, the all-in-one package is the ideal way of ensuring an audience would attend to listen all the bands at one venue.
A pan enthusiast, who has played and supported CAL Invaders, said it more than just amalgamating the categories. He says there is a lack of interest in the music and the performance and this has a lot to do with the lack of awareness from both the musicians and those who attend pan events.
“There is a need to get more of the Carnival feel back into the arrangements. There is way too much emphasis on standardised music,” he said. “Pan Trinbago has to command more radio airtime for songs. They have to reconnect with the masses in way that people will respect the art form and even know the songs played on the days of competition.”
What upsets him more is that the presence of the Greens which is the venue for a more party-like atmosphere at semi-finals. “Get rid of it. Force the fete promoters to respect the pan days,” he said.
Yet, from a stakeholder perspective, Graeme Suite, communications manager at TSTT, which is a co-sponsor at Panorama, said the Greens serves as an opportunity for establishing relationships more than just a party.
“It gives more latitude to entertain people,” he said. “It’s stakeholder interaction in a more versatile environment, as opposed to being in the stands which has limited movement or space.”
As sponsor, bmobile says it is not involved in the event management of the Panorama thus it cannot make suggestions in how it is run, except to provide expertise or hands on advice in the areas in which they offer service.
“Unless we are owners of the intellectual property, we cannot run the show,” Suite said. “We offer broadband and WiFi access and we have the Greens. Those are the only parts in which we exercise our discretion.”
While for sponsors and other corporate entities it is considered an opportunity to extend cordial ties, one visitor to the Greens admits he does not go the semi-final event to hear pan.
“I go there for the vibes and the fun,” he said.
And now it has become a business opportunity for him. What started as a lime with friends years ago, it has mushroomed into an annual event providing t-shirts for those who purchase tickets from his group to enjoy the DJ supplied music.
Returning to the overall perspective on the improvement of Panorama, the issue of prize money was also considered as a way to improve Panorama’s outlook. Bands should be encouraged to move to a higher category, Mohammed said. Perhaps in making it so, he added, the competition would allow for more upward movement as opposed to a glut of bands. Considering that the winner of the medium category gets as much as the fourth or fifth placed winner in the large category, they prefer to remain where they are.
“When comparing prize money for Calypso Monarch, Soca Monarch and Chutney Soca Monarch, the winner of the Panorama normally has 120 players, not including a backroom crew of 30 to 40 people. That prize should be in vicinity of $2.5, $3 million,” he said.