Each Friday throughout the Christmas season, free pan and parang is the order of the day at the Woodbrook Carib Playboyz Panyard. The Tragarete Road hot-spot for many pan lovers came alive once again on December 3, as for the fourth consecutive week, soca parang artistes and parangderos, coupled with pannists, musically lifted the spirits of many who sought some semblance of seasonal spirit.
The T&T Guardian 'passed through', and while the event was scheduled to begin at 7 pm, the slow progression of audience arrival prompted a late start. Nevertheless, the vibe remained that of familial enjoyment. It was as though everyone knew each other, and the rhetoric of the day was pure old school vibe.
Men, escorting their women and partners, who simply came out to enjoy a drink together, eventually made their way into the venue around 8:45 pm. And shortly thereafter, the sound of steel filled the night air. Flamberge Steel Orchestra was the first to perform, beating the tunes of slow ballads, among them Climb Every Mountain, which was good enough to welcome some of the elders in the crowd.
Also carded to engage the audience was the Carib Santa Rosa Parang side. Their offerings for the evening ranged from Mi Mama, Senorita, Agua, Vamos A Belum, La Parranda, No Me Dejes and La Promesa. Soca parang icon, Kenny J was also carded to perform, much to the anticipation of the crowd, which had noticeably grown in number by 10 pm.
Celebrating his 67th birthday on that night was patron, Anthony Auguste, a former youth officer at the Sport and Youth Affairs Ministry. He was pleased to highlight the fact that a lot of young people were involved in the steelpan movements.
Just down the road from the Woodbrook Carib Play Boyz Panyard, Silverstars Panyard was also engaging a crowd. At their venue, Alvin Daniel was said to have been launching a brand new CD. Former government senator and minister, Brian Kuei Tung, was a part of the night's proceedings at Woodbrook Playboyz panyard, noticeably welcoming guests and chit chatting with friends throughout the evening.
The night was one of jubilant satisfaction as free entry, the flow of beverages, and the music of the season and that of an emerging Carnival momentum, kept patrons truly happy throughout. The seasonal engagement happens again tomorrow, with new faces of parang and the Carib Woodbrook Playboyz steel orchestra on display, as is the custom at each week's showcase.