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Winners: San Juan East Side Symphony, winners of the Panorama 2026 Single Pan competition, at the Queen's Park Savannah on November 30. - Photo by Lincoln HolderJUBILATION reigned as San Juan East Side Symphony clinched its ninth title as Single Pan Panorama champion early on the morning of November 30 at the Queen’s Park Savannah also securing the first Carnival 2026 title.
Performing in position number 21, the defending champions outperformed its 24 other competitors with an impressive Duvone Stewart arrangement of Machel Montano’s Jumbie to reclaim its title.
Coming a close second, only three points behind was La Creole Pan Groove whose performance of a Dejean Cain arrangement of the 1990 composition by the late Ken “Professor” Philmore, Pan By Storm, vocalised by Keith “Designer” Prescott preceded East Side in position 20.
The positions were reversed when after six hours of non-stop pan, the scores were announced by host Jemma Jordan, with the Barataria band, East Side, leading with 285 points ahead of La Creole which hails from La Puerta Avenue, Diego Martin, and which amassed 282 points.
The Laventille Road, Febeau Village, San Juan Chord Masters Steel Orchestra, scored 280 points to earn third place with an Andre White arrangement of another Machel Montano and Xtatic and Burning Flames selection, Showdown (Band meet Band). For its efforts, the band, playing in position number 12, secured 280 points.
One of the two Tobago bands in the first panorama finals for the season, Metro Stars Steel Orchestra brought out the big guns Akhenaton “Yung Bredda” Lewis on the Savannah stage, as the band played his 2024 hit Kettle Pot arranged by Kersh Ramsey but had to settle for fourth spot with 277 points.
There was a tie for fifth place between New Age Trendsetters with earned 274 points for its performance of Mystery Band alongside Hope Pan Groovers which played another Double M hit, Like a Boss.
The protective services also secured spaces in the top ten with Trinidad and Tobago Prisons Service Steel Orchestra earning 273 points to secure seventh place with an Amrit Samaroo arrangement of Nigel Lewis Moving to the Left.
The TT Police Steel Orchestra, also playing Montano's Toro Toro fell three points behind its brothers and sisters in national service, with 270 points to secure eight place.
There was tie for ninth place between Epic Koskeros Steel Orchestra which played Toco Band and D'Original Woodbrook Modernaires Steel Orchestra which performed Ah Cyah Wait. These bands were awarded 269 points each.
The competition started shortly after 6 pm on November 29 with Pan Jammers Steel Orchestra leading the charge among the 25 competing bands with Mighty Gabby's Government Boots, ending just after midnight with the TT Police Steel Orchestra.
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