Band to mark 75 years of steel pan music in the UK

A band from Coventry have been selected to play at an event marking 75 years of steel pan music in the UK.

Impact Steel Band, which features 10 to 12 musicians, will play at the Southbank Centre in London on Sunday, as part of its Steel Scenes festival, which also coincides with the building's 75th anniversary.

Fareed Siddiqui, the group's manager, said 15 bands were taking part in the two-day live music event, with only three of them having been selected from outside of the capital.

"To be representing central England is a huge honour for us," he said.

The band, which was formed in 2007 and has previously played at festivals including Godiva, were invited to perform by event organisers who had seen their tours and gigs on social media.

"They sort of said we want you guys represented because it's a different part of the country and we want you to showcase what you guys do and tell your story," Siddiqui said.

"We've hired a minibus and also a very long transit bus to take all the kit down," he explained.

"We're going to have a good time travelling down the M1."

Siddiqui, who is also the band's musical director, said he was inspired to take up steel pan as a child, after trying out other instruments including violin and flute.

"The main thing I love about it, it's an ensemble, it's a group activity so everybody can get involved," he said.

"It's a great vibe... it brings a lot of joy and smile to people when they hear it."

He said his 13-year-old son composed a special piece of music that the band would perform at the Southbank, which commemorates the first steel band performance in the UK.

"[My son] just came up with ideas and before we know it he came downstairs and said 'Dad, I've got an arrangement", we put it together and it absolutely worked," he said.

"It's great to show and to give honour to the first generation of people that came over there to perform, that [with] the next generation... steel pan is very much looked after."

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