Every Sunday evening in Antigua, there’s a party at Shirley Heights, a restored 18th century British military lookout that affords a spectacular view of English Harbour. I got there after 5:00, in time to see the sun set and the sky change from blue to gold.
When I arrived, there were perhaps a hundred people there, though this tripled as the evening went on. Vendors were set up to sell their wares, grillmasters tended their Caribbean barbecues, and bartenders were busy pouring drinks.
People milled around taking in the spectacular views of Antigua and beyond.
Indeed, well beyond. When I looked to the southeast, I could see all the way to Montserrat, that poor doomed Caribbean island that was all but wiped out by volcanic eruptions between 1995 and 2000.
But the views, the food and drink, and the people were not what made the night a party. The missing element was provided by The Halcyon Steel Orchestra. No mere band or combo, this 23-piece ensemble makes a resonant and joyful noise the likes of which I’d never heard before. And it does sound like an orchestra. They played rich, multi-layered arrangements of standards ranging from Glenn Miller’s “In The Mood” to Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling In Love” to The Tokens’ “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.”
As evening turned to night, the band ended with an amazing extended jam.
Then a reggae band took over and stole my heart with a great cover of Lionel Ritchie’s “Hello,” a tune that so easily lent itself to reggae rhythms that I wondered if it hadn’t originally been conceived that way.
I noted in an earlier post about how visiting Antigua during the low season was a somewhat lonely experience. This party was the one and only time I was with a big group of people. It felt good to be around people who were dancing and eating and drinking and having a good time. It rubbed off on me and gave me the lift I needed.
When I left, the party was still going strong.
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