Finding a space for music-making is getting harder in many communities. And for some groups, their specific needs make finding a space that suits them, that’s accessible and affordable even more of a challenge. We spoke to member group Steel Pan Music CIC about steel bands and why venues that can accommodate steel bands need to be protected for community use.
Pan Nation Steel Band, based in Haringey, North London, is a group of more than 125 young people and adults from early teens to pensioners, who meet each week to learn, practise and performon steel pan instruments. There are more than 40 registered steel bands across the UK, and like many of these, Pan Nation has a steady flow of new recruits from young people progressing from learning the instrument in school to adults from across Greater London. The costs of running the band are significant, especially to take part in the annual National Steelband Competition, Panorama at Notting Hill Carnival and playing 'on the road' with the band on a float in the street procession. Taking part in the three-day event over the August bank holiday weekend costs tens of thousands of pounds. The artisan instruments are handmade, taking many hours, and cost around a thousand pounds each. The band meets the costs through member subscriptions, paid gigs, and project funding, but the environment of rising costs is hitting steel bands hard.
Teacher and founder Christopher Storey posing with members of the Pan Nation Steel Orchestra. Photo credit: Olivia Opara
Hiring spaces for learning, practise and storage is particularly expensive for steel bands. The band needs a large space, with 50 musicians at a time attending weekly sessions. In the summer they have around 130 musicians rehearsing together for the national competition, which moves them outside into the school car park. The band has a good relationship with the school and the volume of the band isn’t a problem in this venue with its playground and parking area - acoustic pan can be played softly and the sound of inside rehearsals is contained within the hall with minimum sound leak when doors are closed.
Whilst robust, steel pan instruments need storing correctly and regular tuning. In the school hall that they hire, Pan Nation has access to a large walk-in storage space off the hall, for all the steel pan instruments in cases, stands, drums and percussion instruments. The band needs 24-hour access to their instruments to be able to accept paid gigs and the location of the storage in the building needs to make it possible for them to set up, pack down and also load their van quickly and easily. In Trinidad, 'Pan Yards' have instruments permanently set up for drop-in practice, but in the UK, bands use school halls, community centres and other multi-use spaces. For Pan Nation’s larger groups it takes ten people 30 minutes to set up all band instruments for every session.
'The value of Pan Nation and steel bands like them to community life in the UK is undeniable. These volunteer-led, grassroots groups engage thousands of children, young people and adults in music-making, are genuinely multicultural and intergenerational, and without the cost of an instrument to buy or lessons to pay for.'
The school venue is working well for the band at the moment, but their tenancy is not guaranteed. Their access relies on one person, the band leader, who also teaches at the school, and the hire agreement depends on them being present. The school is accepting more hires from other groups, so they can’t extend their hire time during busy periods. And of course, costs are going up – the hire cost has increased by 40% since 2019. Pan Nation thinks that similar issues across the country are threatening the survival of even well established community steel bands. To flourish in their communities, bands need secure, long tenancies and spaces with easy access to the storage of their instruments, which can’t be taken home for practise and carried around by the players like most instruments can.
The value of Pan Nation and steel bands like them to community life in the UK is undeniable. These volunteer-led, grassroots groups engage thousands of children, young people and adults in music-making, are genuinely multicultural and intergenerational, and without the cost of an instrument to buy or lessons to pay for. They are vital to the carnival movement, as well as energising gala days, festivals and all kinds of summertime outdoor community activity. The UK National Panorama Steelband Competition in London is the most respected and anticipated steel pan event outside of the Caribbean. Making space for this – and all leisure-time music activity – is essential to its survival.
Find out more about Steel Pan Music CIC on their website and follow them on Instagram / YouTube
Find out more about Pan Nation Steel Band on their website and follow them on Facebook / Instagram / X (Twitter) / YouTube
