In a bid to increase the efficiency in the running of Panorama 2023, steelband fans will see fewer players gracing the stage on competition night.
Eight steel orchestras are set to go head to head in the August 5 contest – the first to take place since 2019 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. And they are each likely to feature less musicians than in previous years.
According to Robin Margetson, Public Relations Officer for the Antigua and Barbuda Pan Association, this could see a decrease in the expenses for some bands.
“The feeling coming out of Covid where there was a lot of inactivity for a lot of the bands, they haven’t been playing, [so] some of the instruments got messed up with the inactivity,” Margetson said.
He explained that in previous years, fans would see between 50 and 110 pannists on stage per band on competition night. However, this year, the numbers will likely decrease to 50 to 75 pannists per band.
Alongside financial troubles, transportation has also been an issue, which is being addressed by the association.
“We are working with the pan subcommittee to iron out all these other things — the judging [and] the transportation,” Margetson said.
The PRO also said that financial support may be necessary for some steel orchestras that are struggling with their expenses.
“Each band’s struggles would be unique to them; it is probably time to seek government intervention in terms of subsidies for bands where we could look to help the development of the bands throughout [the year] and not wait until Panorama,” he explained.
“We also need to encourage the bands to be as active as they possibly can; that way they can maximise the opportunities to lure players to you and develop them in time for Panorama,” he added.
The bands that are slated to take part in this year’s competition are Caribbean Union Bank’s Hell’s Gate Steel Orchestra; West Indies Oil Company Limited Gemonites; Cool and Smooth Ebonites; Original Steel Orchestra; West Side Symphony; Panache; Harmonites; and Halcyon.