St. Croix's Xpress Band repeated as V.I. Carnival 2000 Brass-O-Rama champions Thursday night in a three-way competition at the Lionel Roberts Stadium.
The slim field of four competitors scheduled to perform was narrowed to three when Positive Image Combo pulled out, citing problems with its horn section and arranger. That left the 1999 champions up against two school groups making their first appearance in the event — bands from Central High on St. Croix and Addelita Cancryn Junior High on St. Thomas.
Each band played two pieces — its own arrangement of the required test tune, "Let the Band Play On" by the Mighty Sparrow, and a selection of its own choosing.
At the end of the night, Xpress was named best brass band, Central High placed second and Cancryn, third. Xpress Band member Juan Harrigan secured the best arranger award.
The Cancryn band led off the competition, appearing on stage in white pants, yellow T- shirts and navy vests. They stepped and swayed to a pulsating calypso rhythm before tearing into the test tune. The young band's first appearance in the competition and its clean sound had supporters on their feet applauding throughout the presentation.
Xpress Band followed, its members coming onstage dressed as astronauts having just returned from space to participate in the Y2K Carnival celebration. They wore white jumpsuits emblazoned with NASA in large blue letters and white caps also bearing the National Aeronautics and Space Administration insignia.
The Central High School band appeared as firefighters, some wearing fire helmets.
There were few people in the audience when the show opened just after 8 p.m., and the crowd reached no more than about 300 by the end of the night. In terms of both attendance and number of bands participating, it was one of the poorest showings at a Brass-O-Rama in recent history, according to some of those present.
Following the competition, Antigua's Burning Flames band came onstage as guest artists to present a 90-minute concert that ended just before 1 a.m.
