Everyone has an opportunity to hear Harlesden’s award winning steel orchestra as the youths perform at this year’s first virtual Notting Hill Carnival.

Brent & Kilburn Times: St Michael's & All Angels Steel Pan Orchestra are performing at the online Notting Hill Carnival. Picture: Patrick McKaySt Michael's & All Angels Steel Pan Orchestra are performing at the online Notting Hill Carnival. Picture: Patrick McKay (Image: Archant)

The St Michael & All Angels Steel Orchestra (SMA3SO) has pre-recorded its performances for the Notting Hill Carnival on Sunday and Monday which is taking place online due to the Covid pandemic.

On SMA3SO’s bill this year is Teddy Bears Picnic, Happy Wanderer, Rum and Coca Cola and Rhythm of The Pan.

The steel pan players are also doing a live warm up performance outside the Trinidad Roti Shop, in Harlesden High Street at 12pm tomorrow (August 29).

The award winning band won Best Category at the Notting Hill Carnival in 2016 with Gloria Gaynor’s ‘I will Survive’ and in 2017 scooped ‘Best Conventional Steelband on the Road’ for their interpretation of Sinatra’s Impossible Dream.

The same year they came joint first in the ‘Best Youth Steelband on the Road’ category with Teddy Bears Picnic.

The young players have been busy with a spontaneous mini concert they organised on Facebook and Instagram on August 25 and August 27 to say thank you to all their supporters.

Patrick McKay, trustee of Pheonix Rising NW10, said: “The inspiration behind this initiative had very little to do with me and everything to do with our young people being able to come together this summer and do positive activity.

“Our young people discussed and agreed this online initiative last Saturday after our morning Community Performance outside the Brent Community Hub in Stonebridge.

“We are intending to do similar online performances in the October half-term as there are still people who are housebound because of Covid-19 who can’t come out to community performances.

“We now know we can do all of it to a much higher standard.”

He added: “A big thank you goes to our Four Tops - Mr B Parris, who made our pans, ‘Uncle (Thomas)Vernon’ who made our stands, ‘Brother’ Toussaint Clarke, who supplied our cases and ‘Teacher Freddy’ Alfred Totesaut whose love of all things pan continues to inspire us, push us to ever higher highs and to be the best that we can be as musicians and good people.”

He also thanked the charity’s supporters including Lyons Charity, Brent Council, Brent 2020 Team, The National Lottery, London Youth, London Sport, Sport England, Trinidad Roti Shop and Destiny House International.

“Never forget that our success is your success,” he added.

To listen to the carnival visit nhcarnival.org/