Two blocks north of Independence Square is Woodford Square, a
shady park surrounded by Trinity Cathedral, the Courthouse, and the
elegant Red House where Parliament meets. It was in this square that
Dr. Eric Williams, Trinidad and Tobago's first Prime Minister, ad-
dressed the masses in the years preceding independence from Britain.
The consequences of colonialism and other political topics continue to
be enthusiastically debated there by street orators and the audiences
that gather spontaneously. Meanwhile, Spiritual Baptists in long robes
sing hymns, ring bells, and offer libations.

A few blocks from Woodford Square, at the corner of George and
Duke Streets, is the panyard of the Trinidad All Stars Steel Orchestra.
Nearby is the old Hell Yard on the edge of the East Dry River where the
band was formed over fifty years ago. The front of the band's current
yard is wedged between two buildings and some sheds for storing pans
and equipment. The practice space is jammed with pans mounted on
mobile metal frames which the band uses to parade the streets for Car-
nival. During evening rehearsals the sounds of the pans reverberate
from the adjacent buildings at a tremendous volume. Outside on the
pavement, people lime (hang out) and enjoy beers or sweet drinks from
the band's refreshment stand. There are always a few All Stars "old boys"
around, reminiscing about the band's illustrious past and imagining its
future. Drivers of passing cars slow down for a chat or to hear a little of
the rehearsal.

All Stars is a real downtown band, supported by the patrons of nearby
bars and recreation clubs and by the late-night denizens of the sur-
rounding streets. However, it also counts among its followers some of
the most prominent members of Trinidadian society. In fact, All Stars,
like other top bands, attracts players and fans from throughout the is-
land.

On Duke Street one can catch a maxi-taxi for a trip to the west side of
Port of Spain. One passes along Tragarete Road through the residential
neighborhood of Woodbrook, where there are still some airy wooden
houses from the colonial era with large jalousied windows and ornate
fretwork on the gables and eaves. Also on Tragarete Road are the old
Lapeyrouse Cemetery, with its legends of scandalous grave-side occur-
rences, and the Queen's Park Oval where Test level cricket attracts huge
crowds. Across the street from the Oval is the panyard of the Invaders
Steel Orchestra, who like All Stars and Desperadoes is among the oldest
bands in Trinidad. After passing the nineteenth-century police barracks
and Starlift's panyard, one enters St. James, another residential neigh-
borhood with a chaotic main road of bars, fast-food joints, stores, and
racing pools. On leaving St. James, one passes by the Gulf of Paria,

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