Dear Editor,
Hats off to the Hellsgate Steel Band who won the 2025 steelband panorama competition here in Antigua.
Although it will be accepted that Hellsgate is the best steel band in the country, I am still left to wonder if the pan arrangers switched to other bands, if the results would be the same following the band or the arranger. For example, a Khan Cordice arranging for another band etc
Halcyon was the band I had money bet on. Unfortunately, Halcyon did not win. However I was extremely satisfied with their performance and the judge’s results. I definitely got my monies worth. In my view, the band was firing on all cylinders but it just was not enough to impress the judges to win the competition.
The judges decision are always final. For this competition, no one can argue or dispute that the judge’s decision were bias or unfair. The judges did a great job. Generally, the finest of things what the judges look for, most of us as spectators, do not.
As a novist, these are some of the attributes I will use to do my own assessment of the panorama competition, which just might be just a fraction of the judge’s criteria
1. The size of the band. For me the bigger the band the better the amplification
2 The intro. The intro tells me how well the pans are tuned.
3. The stickability. How much the song can be followed throughout the 7 or 8 mins of playing.
4. The Creativity & Arrangement: This determines i can identify the harmonizing of the different pan sections & how much the sections talk to each other
5. The distribution of the instruments to balance the output of the music
The Pandemonium steel band was certainly dynamic. Kudos to Dr. Lake & her team. She did a fantastic job converting boys & gals into men & women. After the band’s rendition the commentators, the spectators were all impressed with their performance.
Overall last evening’s competition will be one to remember for a long time. Woman power cannot be underestimated. There is no doubt that steel pan is alive and kicking in our beautiful island of 268.
Alex