October 8th, 2000: NCB Angel Harps left Grenada today to participate in the first ever World Steelband Music Festival taking place in Port of Spain Trinidad from October 10th to 21st.
The bands first appearance will be in the preliminary stage of the competition on October 11th at the Jean Pierre Complex. NCB Angel Harps, the only Caribbean Steel Orchestra registered under the Orchestra Category of the competition, will play in 4th position on the opening day, behind Laventille Sound Specialists, Exodus and Moods steel orchestras, all from the Trinidad.
The band will play three pieces in the preliminaries, these are: the test piece "Dawn of the Millenium", their tune of choice "Fiesta Paso Doble" and their calypso of choice "Pan around the World". Musical director and ace arranger James Clarkson is confident that the band will do their best at this very high level of competition. "There are areas for improvement" Clarkson says, but he is "not worried as we have two days before our first appearance to really work on those areas".