Image from Pan Trinbago's Facebook page Live Performance Southern Stars Steel Orchestra.
The Pan Trinbago's Small Conventional Bands Preliminaries saw many vibrant and compelling performances, with Southern Stars Steel Orchestra being one of the most anticipated bands of the event. Under the seasoned direction of Duvone Stewart, renowned as one of the most talented arrangers in the steel pan world today, the Southern Stars had set high expectations. Despite the audience's positive response to their performance, there were mixed emotions on this side of the monitor.
On one hand, Stewart's arrangement was ambitious and captivated the audience with its intricate details. The arrangement of "Mih Lover" added layers of complexity, showcasing Stewart's signature style. The crowd was undeniably thrilled, and the band's energy was infectious. Yet, there was an overabundance of arrangements that stole away some of the softness and soul of the original calypso classic. In some parts, it felt almost like the band was channeling a big band swing rather than focusing on the delicate nuances of the steel pan, which could be both exhilarating and overwhelming.
Unfortunately, the audio feed during their performance reportedly suffered from over-amplification and slight distortion, making the rendition sound less clean than it deserved. The slower version of the song, as rendered by Southern Stars, showed moments of brilliance but couldn’t fully redeem the overall sense of "too much going on." For listeners not familiar with "Mih Lover," it could have been challenging to even identify the song amidst the overelaboration (excessive detail).
Conversely, Golden Hands Steel Orchestra's rendition of the same song was more straightforward and cleaner. Their version retained the essence of the calypso song better, never losing touch with its roots. It was a simpler, more direct approach, but one that resonated more clearly with the audience.
In the end, Southern Stars Steel Orchestra's performance, while energetic and passionate, needed a bit more polishing and restraint. Given Stewart's immense talent and industry reputation, we expect them to take this feedback constructively. Making necessary adjustments will arm them better for the rest of the competition. Southern Stars still have the potential to excel with some careful fine-tuning. Watch this space!
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Production Notes/Music Credits:
Event/Competition: Pan Trinbago’s Small Conventional Bands Preliminaries 2025
Band: Southern Stars Steel Orchestra (D’South Band)
Tune of Choice: Mih Lover
Original Song Artist/Performed by: Lord Nelson
Original song arranged by: Clive Bradley (1982)
Arranged for Southern Stars Steel Orchestra by: Duvone Stewart
Origin: Trinidad, Republic of Trinidad & Tobago
PTSCBP2025
Genre: Steelband Music
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Mih Lover, Lord Nelson