After a seemingly endless day of performances, which featured 51 bands in four categories (large, medium, small, single-pan), the top 10 bands for finals have been selected in each category, with a shake-up occurring in at least one group: the large bands.
Unlike past years, the top bands did not include Exodus, but did include, in dramatic fashion, the newly minted large band, Supernovas, led by arranger Amrit Samaroo, son of the legendary Dr. Jit Samaroo. Playing with great enthusiasm and putting in long hours (some say until 5 AM the next day), the Supernovas have been a force to watch ever since their performance at the International Conference and Panorama (ICP Secretariat) in August 2015 where they placed 2nd overall. Another notable addition to the top 10 this year was Redemption Sound Setters, who tied for sixth place with BP Renegades.
With the theme for this year’s Panorama being “excitement and excellence,” the bands worked hard to meet those standards by executing fast and furious arrangements that showcased the virtuosity of the players, as has been a staple of the modern Panorama sound. Perhaps the least complex arrangement managed to take top honors with Len “Boogsie” Sharpe’s “Madd Music” taking first place thanks to its catchy hook, syncopated strumming patterns and memorable jam sections, as have become powerful tools in Sharpe’s arsenal.
The Panorama Finals take place on Feb. 4 for small bands and single-pan bands, and Feb. 6 for medium and large bands. See the complete schedule here: http://www.panonthenet.com/tnt/2016/schedule.htm. The finals can be live streamed through www.ctntworld.com.
The complete semi-finals results are below:
LARGE
1. Phase 11 Pan Groove (with HADCO) Madd Music (274 points)
2. Super Novas (with FCB) Breakthrough (272.5 points)
3. Massy Trinidad All Stars Leave We Alone (271 points)
3. Desperadoes Different Me (271 points)
5. Caribbean Airlines Invaders Take Dat (270 points)
6. bptt Renegades Music Inside Meh Head (269 points)
6. RBC Redemption Sound Setters No No We Eh Going Home (269 points)
8. PCS Nitrogen Silver Stars Panoramic (264 points)
8. Skiffle How She Like It (264 points)
10. NLCB Fonclaire Bass On Fire (263 points)
MEDIUM
1. Pan Elders Me Eh Fighting For No Man (272 points)
2. Petrotrin Katzenjammers I Don’t Mind (267 points)
3. NLCB Buccooneers Bass On Fire (263 points)
4. Curepe Scherzando Madness (262 points)
5. NGC Steel Xplosion Wanted Dead or Alive (260 points)
5. Courts Sound Specialists of Laventille The Ganges And The Nile(260 points)
7. Melodians Fete (259 points)
8. NGC Couva Joylanders Come With It (258 points)
9. Carib Dixieland Soca Baptist (256 points)
9. West Side Symphony Dead Or Alive (256 points)
SMALL
1. Arima Golden Symphony D’Greatest Invention (267 points)
2. Laventille Serenaders Pan Jumbie (266 points)
3. Fascinators Pan Symphony Like Ah Boss (265 points)
3. Five Rivers Modern Symphony Pan In Danger (265 points)
5. Pandemonium My House (264.5 points)
6. Our Boys Gimme More (264 points)
6. Tornadoes Mash It Up (264 points)
8. La Horquetta Pan Groove Raising Dust (263 points)
8. Tamana Pioneers De Mystery Band (263 points)
10 T&TEC New East Side Dimension Both Ah Dem (262 points)
