Photo by Department of Culture
The pulsating sounds of steel pan filled the streets of St. John’s on Friday as Antigua and Barbuda joined the international observance of World Steel Pan Month with an open-air celebration of music and culture.
The afternoon event drew a lively crowd downtown, where top pannists and orchestras delivered an eclectic mix of rhythm and melody that kept listeners swaying from start to finish.
Soloists Gavin Francis, Curtis “C.C.” Cochrane, and Japhon Bartley wowed audiences with intricate performances, while full ensembles Pandemonium Steel Orchestra, Panache Steel Orchestra, and the iconic CUB Hells Gate Steel Orchestra, brought the energy to a crescendo. The event was hosted by Ibis the Livest, who kept the atmosphere vibrant between sets.
The celebration was staged with support from the St. John’s Development Corporation, Antigua and Barbuda Falcons, and KC Music. Organisers hailed the event as a fitting tribute to the steel pan’s enduring role in Caribbean life.
Observed every August, World Steel Pan Month recognises the instrument’s origins in Trinidad and Tobago and its rise as a global symbol of Caribbean creativity.
Good initiative. Let’s keep pan alive
Only in Antigua! Nothing beats the sweet sound of pan on a Friday afternoon in town.
Steel pan started in Trinidad, but Antigua and Barbuda knows how to showcase it with style!
Love this! Steel pan is such a beautiful part of our culture.