The National Cultural Foundation
West Terrace,
St. James, Barbados
246-417-6610
NCF Looks To Surpass 30 000-Strong At Last Year’s Pandemonium
The National Cultural Foundation expects an even larger audience for the 2024 edition the Republic Bank Pandemonium. To date, the event has become one the largest and most widely-anticipated event on the Crop Over calendar, with over 30,000 patrons attending last year. While the Republic Bank Pandemonium event will see the event being staged for the third time when audiences head to the National Botanical Gardens on Sunday, July 14 from 2 p.m., steel pan is not new to the Crop Over experience. Last year police estimated that some 30 000 patrons had attended Pandenonium. Pan has always been key to Barbadian culture and heritage with its sweet sounds adding to the sweetness of Crop Over since its inception. It has been part of Bridgetown Market, the Calypso tents, national parades, and on stage in competition – to say the least. In the late 80’s and 90’s, up to 10 pan groups competed in a popular competition called Pang-a-lang and was part of a trend of steel pan and tuk bands being paired in a joint expression of Barbadian culture.  NCF Iron Massive is back this year to bring the brass & percussion. NCF Event Producer Karen Pestaina said the inclusion of pan is significant especially during the golden anniversary of Crop Over. “As we celebrate this 50th year of Crop Over it is important that a taste of the past and the solid foundation of the future of pan be merged at one event”, Pestaina said. Pan lovers descending on the National Botanical Gardens will experience exactly that among other things.Along with a Children’s Pay Area, there will be a number of food vendors on location. Island Smiles with their Crop Over branded 360 photo booth will be on site to capture the memories of the day.  Republic Bank Pandemonium is a family event. The line-up which includes: Calvary YPS Steelband, St. Leonard’s Band & Choir, the all-female group Dejavu, Phoenix Steel, ZigE Walcott and Black Peppa, Euphony Steel, the Barbados National Youth Steel Orchestra, the Crop Over 50th Anniversary Iron Massive Steel, the Republic Bank Steel Band and live performances by Brucelee Almighty, Walkes, Lorenzo, Mikey, Nikita, Fadda Fox, Saddis, Biggie Irie, Lil Rick and Caribbean Soca Queen Alison Hinds. Special guests, Trinidadians Liam Teague, and Boogsie with the XLR Band, will also be there.The night culminates with the feature act: the NCF’s 100-member strong National Youth Steel Orchestra – the largest steel pan ensemble in Barbados.  The feature of the event is the Barbados National Youth Steel Orchestra. Speaking on the inclusion of Liam “Hands Like Lightning” Teague being part of the event, Pestaina said: “He has long been part of the festival whether solo or with his group from Trinidad and, to also have his son Jaden Nunez-Teague perform this year with the National Youth Steel Orchestra, shows continuity of relations between the islands and region.”“It also shows that pan is on the road of success. Jaden has grown up in the artform with his father tutoring and similarly our juniors have had the opportunity to attend workshops from various artists and local tutors to reach the successes they have achieved”, the event planner explained.Locals and visitors headed to the event are in for a musical treat with a lineup of performances which keep pan at the forefront while adding choir, voice, percussion and more. (PR) |
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