It’s not just your parent’s marching band anymore.
At least not at St. Louis High School
Although many schools offer marching, concert and jazz bands, there’s another option available at SLHS – steel drum bands.
This weekend mid-Michigan residents can get a firsthand look, and listen, to the unique music those bands provide when the school hosts its annual “Festival of Steel” at 6 p.m. Saturday in the high school gymnasium.
The event will include a number of steel bands from throughout the state.
In addition to three from SLHS, Shark Steel, Carnival Steel and J’ouvert Steel, other bands set to perform are Mid-Michigan Student Steel Band, Mid-Michigan Adult Steel Band, Steel Syndicates, RMS Steel, Strike, Bay City Central Red Steel, Bay City Central Blue Steel, Kalamazoo College Steel Band, Oakland University Pan Jumbies and Third Coast Steel.
There will also be appearances by guest artists Tracy Thornton and Patrick Fitzgibbon.
Steel drum music is said to have originated on the Caribbean island of Trinidad in the early 1940s. It was an invention of poor people who didn’t have access to musical instruments and came up with their own made of pots and pans.
The SLHS steel drum bands, under the direction of Steve Lawhorne, make appearances at festivals and concerts throughout Michigan providing their own unique touch to a special brand of music.
