Laventille Steelband Festival 2007
Laventille Steelband Festival Street Parade 2007 in pictures
TrinbagoPan.com Reporters
Event Date: August 05, 2007
Posted: August 14, 2007
The Laventille Steelband Festival Foundation held its 8th annual Steelband Festival Street Parade titled "Proud to be Laventille...III" last Sunday, August 5th 2007. A record number of Steelbands participated and thousands and thousands of spectators lined the streets of the Eastern Main Road in Laventille to hear their favourite bands play.
Talking with Triniview.com, Michael Cooper shared the vision behind the Steelband Festival, saying that it is Laventille's celebration of Emancipation. "We want to showcase our community in a positive light," he said, "and what better way to do so than with pan". He highlighted that pan is one of the major activities that takes place within the community setting and that it is the mission of the Laventille Steelband Festival Foundation to develop the community through pan activities. According to Cooper, the Laventille Steelband Festival Foundation has been involved in honouring community people and youth who have done well, and this festival continues this trend of changing the negative image of Laventille. "We are proud of the community," he declared, "because there are things to be proud about and we want more people to be aware of this."
Orisha Elder Erin Folami opened the festival with a libation and thanked the Laventille Steelband Festival Foundation for promoting the instrument that, "...gave us worldwide fame."
President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Maxwell Richards
with his wife Jean with Michael Cooper
President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Professor Maxwell Richards, who is the patron the festival, told the many people gathered that Laventille has given the country a treasure chest of music. Professor Richards pointed out that there are many things that are not known about Laventille as the headlines do no give the whole story. Richards described Laventille as the melting pot of creative ideas and said that the contribution of Laventille to the cultural mosaic is legendary. He hailed the contributions made by its people and highlighted Bertie Marshall, Franklyn Ollivere, Singing Sandra, Rudolph Charles, Winston 'Spree' Simon, Larry Harewood, Destra Garcia, Lutalo 'Brother Resistance' Masimba and others as examples. "It is not by chance that such a plethora of creative ideas spring from this place," he said.
Malick Folk Performing Company entertained and educated the crowd with a dramatic presentation of "The Emancipation Story". They reenacted the 1881 law that banned public assemblies, singing, and the beating of drums, showing how the tamboo bamboo bands took the place of the drums, and how the masses of ordinary people were involved in the resistance against colonial authorities. "The colonizers have banned the drum but they could never stop the African in we," declared one actor as two stick-fighters clashed to the sound of the famous Anslem Douglas gayelle chant "When ah dead bury my clothes".
Laventille Rhythm Section members
The Laventille Rhythm Section led the parade that started from Pashley Street, eastwards along the Eastern Main Road. The scintillating rhythms of this renowned rhythm section with the booming bass drum and the energetic iron men delighted the swelling crowd of people.
From this dynamic opening, thousands of people hummed and danced to the constant flow of steelbands. East Side Symphony thrilled the crowed with their interpretation of Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" and Merchant's "Umbayaa". Uni Stars interpretation of the 2007 hit single "Nah Going Home" was spectacular as were many of the performances in the Single Pan category.
After the Single Pan category, the big guns of the Conventional category paraded before the crowd and the judges, each one adding their own unique flavour and style to the festival. Caribbean Airlines Invaders carried a big banner thanking Laventille for their support in their land struggle. The MC, Phil Simmons, in talking about Invaders struggle to keep their Panyard, described the Invaders Panyard as a station of the Pan movement. Reigning National Panorama champ, Neal & Massy Trinidad All Stars, was predictable in their selection of their anthem "Woman on the Bass" but this did not reduce the frenzied impact that it had on the crowd.
Witco Desperadoes and revellers
The rolling of the struggles of ordinary people was given voice in the crescendos and the sweet ring of the steel. The selections by the bands ranged from Calypso, to Soca, to Reggae to Pop, and the number of young persons in that band was a sign of the continuity of the Steelpan tradition. The crowd, young and old, thoroughly enjoyed these sensational performances out of which there was no clear winner in terms of the competition. The festival, which overflowed with sweet pan music, finished just after midnight.
Single Pan Category
Pashphonics
Harlem Syncopaters
Laventille Serenaders
Tripolians
Spree Simon Harmonics
San Juan All Stars
Angostura Woodbrook Playboys
Nostrand Symphony
Uni Stars
Belmont Hi Larks
Sun Valley Pan Groove
Trinidad East Side Symphony
Conventional Category
Solo Pan Kinights Steel Orchestra
Sagicor Exodus
Pamberi
Harmonites
Blue Diamonds
Caribbean Airlines Invaders
Tokyo
Tropical Angel Harps
Potential Symphony
Witco Desperadoes
Neal and Massy Trinidad All Stars
Highlanders
Ebonites
Courts Sound Specialist of Laventille
Laventille Steelband Festival Foundation 2007 Committee Members
Michael Cooper - Chairman
Julien Cudjoe - Vice Chairman
Carol De Roche - Secretary
James Henry
Stafford Pierre
Wayne Jordan
Sandra Awai
Richard Forteau
Folade Motota
Oba Kiteme
George Duncan
Owen Serrette
Keith Harris
Laventille Steelband Festival Street Parade 2007 in pictures:
www.trinbagopan.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=19422
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