UK NATIONAL STEELBAND PANORAMA 2023 ROUNDUP – MANGROVE STEEL ORCHESTRA
The Mangrove Steelband is one of the most prominent in Europe. Formed in 1980 on All Saints Road in Notting Hill, the band started as a ‘Pan Round Neck’ band of the traditional type. They have established themselves as a fully-fledged modern steel orchestra. With an enormous following of supporters they are one of the largest/most travelled and most professional steelbands in Britain and are eight times winners of the UK National Steelband Panorama competition.
The Band was born out of the vision and determination of Trinidadians living in the Notting Hill area in a quest to introduce the culture of the Steelband and Carnival culture to the local youths of their community, thus ensuring that the Caribbean art forms were passed/handed down from generation to generation.
Mangrove players enjoying the music.
A core element of dedicated players rehearse and perform all year round. During the summer months this figure swells to one hundred members as the band prepares to participate in the UK National Panorama Steelband competition.
A competition at which the band has experienced and immense amount of success (winning eight times – 81, 86, 90, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2011, 2018, 2019 and 2021. They have captured the runners- up position ten times – 85, 89, 91, 92, 99, 2001, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2016 and 2022. Mangrove have also attained third place six times – 83, 84, 88, 93, 96, 2007, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2017 establishing themselves as one of Europe’s premiere steelbands. This competition has been running for the past forty three (43) years with Mangrove attaining a position of 1st to 3rd on thirty two occasions. What a feat!
André White directing Mangrove!
With a wide repertoire they have performed at a diversity of prestigious venues and events up and down the UK including the Henley Regatta, Hampton Court Flower Show, The Oxford Midsummer Night Ball, Vivienne Westwood Fashion show, Queen’s Jubilee to name but a few. No strangers to high profile performances the band have appeared in front of an array of distinguished guests including HRH the Queen at the Royal Albert Hall.
Mangrove Steel band provides classes at their pan yard base at Carnival Village @The Tabernacle, Powis Sq., London, W11 2AY with practice on Monday and Thursday between 7:30 – 10:00. Mangrove students follow a progressive programme of basic technical skills, steel pan repertoire and history, aural training and musicianship, improvisation and performance.
The UK National Steelband Panorama, ‘Champions of Steel’ Competition is on Saturday the 26th August so make sure you are early to get a focal position to listen to the wealth of steelband music on offer . This Musical explosion will see seven steel bands battling it out in this Musical War for supremacy and UK bragging rights of being the much sort after accolade of UK National Steelband Panorama ‘Champions of Steel’ 2023.
Mangrove players delivering at Panorama 2022!
Contact Details: Tel: 020 72439999
Website - https://mangrovesteelband.wordpress.com.
Their Panorama band will be made up of one hundred players.
Manager: Matthew Phillip
Arranger: Andre White
Captain: Andrew Facey
Tuner: Augustus ‘Gus’ Peters
Tune of Choice: Long Live Soca by Voice
Players: 100
There are seven steelbands vying for the title this year, Ebony – the reigning champions, Mangrove, Metronomes, CSO, Pan Nation, Real Steel and Southside Harmonics.
The event is hosted by NHC/BAS, and will be held on the 26th August 2023 at the Emslie Horiman’s Pleasance Park, Kensal Road, London W10 5EG.
The gates open at 4:00p.m. and the event ends at 12:00 a.m.
Tickets are available online @ nhcarnival.org/panorama.
Tickets: £20
Children - £7
Children under five accompanied with an adult - Free
