Gemonites surprises favourites

By Andy Liburd (Antigua Sun)

It was pure classic, like a dream; a script written perfectly down to the very last full stop, or in this case, note.

 In a competition destined to be a battle between the formidable heavyweights of AMP Halcyon and Caribseas Harmonites, the West Indies Oil Company Gemonites Steel Orchestra in deft-like stealth, waited until the dust had all but settled, then in vicious form pounced and literally tore to pieces all who had come before.

 It was classic. A story ending with Gemonites Steel Orchestra reigning once again as Antigua’s Panorama champions, leaving no doubt in the minds of many that they are no pretenders to the throne but in every sense the real deal and deserving of the right to be mentioned among the greats previously named.

 Their tune of choice was “Outta Control,” a song done by one of their members, Carl “De Pan Man” Richards, and arranged by Robin “Schwarp” Margetson. Giving the little time that the bands had to prepare, Gemonites had done the best job in producing an imaginative arrangement of their song and masterfully executing it to the last note.

 It was amazing to see how the emotions of the audience grew. Gemonites, a virtual underdog, received a lukewarm reception, but then with every note and every phrase that passed, from one piece of arrangement into the next, looks of approval were exchanged, heads nodded in approval, and at the end the response was spontaneous. Restrained endorsement broke into loud applause as the tune reached crescendo on its conclusion.

 Margetson, speaking to the SUN yesterday, said he was most pleased by the response since it seemed to have broken the community barrier that the band has struggled with for many years.

 The band, coming out of the Princess Margaret Secondary School, was never tied to a particular village or community like Halcyon with Grays Green, or Harmonites in the Point area for example.

 “The outpouring of love and support that was showered on us last night was really touching,” Margetson commented, after helping his band win their second panorama title in three years.

 The other challenge, Margetson said, was to convince the players that they could produce a winner after having had to change their tune in accordance with the deal struck between the Pan Association and the Carnival Development Committee.

 But it all came together four days before Panorama, he added, and by then after intense drilling and some long hours, they were ready for the stage.

The rendition of “Sweet Pan” by Caribseas Harmonites was nicely done, but the time constraints may have disallowed the arranger Lingfield “Cujo” Martin from showing his full range of skill in this department.

 With Harmonites in first runner-up, Cable and Wireless Hellsgate followed in the second runner up spot with their rendition of De Pan Man’s tune, “Outta Control”. And doing the same tune as the eventual champions, it might have very well been a lost cause with Gemonites coming after them.

 Halcyon could have easily placed higher and probably won the competition. They obviously had the best pan players in the competition but the audience was not treated to the sweetness of the tenors taking the lead, with the other sections defining the support in sweet harmony. The song was executed to almost perfection, but the sound was just not right.

Halcyon played Smartie Jr.’s “Jam De Pan Again” and it was arranged by Victor “Babu” Samuel.

 Filling in the other two spots were Ebonites Steel Orchestra, who played “Road Rage” by the Burning Flames, arranged by Aubrey “Lacu” Samuel and Mahico Stars with “Outta Control”, arranged by Hyimo Hopkins.

 The Iron Band competition, useful in filling the gap between performances, was extremely well received. It brought another flavour to the competition and the performers with their makeshift instruments of a variety of steel items, including car rims and pipes, energised the grounds even further.

 At the end of it however the All Saints Iron Band, sponsored by the Stanford Development Company (SDC) and Bank of Antigua, was named champions. The Urlings Iron band was first runner up while second runner-up went to the Point & Villa Iron Band.

 A number of persons whose outstanding contribution to the development of the pan as an important art form in Antiguan culture were also honoured.