HIAWASSEE – The Woody Gap Band of Steel received an enthusiastic welcome at the Enchanted Music on the Square Concert Series in Hiawassee on Saturday, Sept. 6.
Returning to the series for the first time since 2019, the group is made up of middle and high school students from Woody Gap School out of Suches in Union County – one of the smallest public schools in Georgia.
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Trained by the likes of professional steelpannist Tracy Thornton and boasting the last set of pans crafted by Elliott Anthony Mannette, a Trinidadian musician and inventor of the steel drums, the Band of Steel maintains a reputation as niche as it is skilled.
Concert organizers have been trying to get them to attend the Enchanted Music series again for the past four years, and when they returned Saturday, they brought with them a wide variety of genres mapped out with Caribbean-flavored flair. Guest Cody Short offered his talents on the electric guitar, adding to the overall “rock” vibe.
As often highlighted in their annual Pan Rocks concert, much of the band’s repertoire includes classic rock, but this time, they brought with them more modern hits such as Radiohead’s “Creep.”
Band Director Doug Roberts explained that while the original version has a very different sound for having come from the ’90s grunge scene, “Creep” performed on the steel pans makes for a somberly beautiful song.
Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Have You Ever Seen the Rain” was especially well-received, and Donna Summer’s “Hot Stuff” got audience members dancing in their seats.
Speaking of the audience, despite the threat of rain and the performance being the last of this year’s Enchanted Music lineup, it was very well attended in Downtown Hiawassee.
“We have had a great year so far in addition to learning songs that we haven’t played in over a year,” Roberts admitted, detailing that Thornton himself visited a few weeks ago as part of a clinic, sharing three new arrangements for the Band of Steel to learn before Saturday’s gig.
On top of giving new tunes a try, the students are great at multitasking. Many of them make a point of learning different instruments, parts or positions. They demonstrated this throughout the concert, with some switching places and many adding choreography to their routines or acting as soloists.
Roberts said that being in such a small school makes it difficult to fundraise, so the best way for the band to receive support is to go out and perform. It helps with maintenance of the instruments and organizing further trips.
“We have many performances scheduled for this fall, and we hope to bring in enough donations so that we could have a spring trip to perform outside of our area sometime in April,” Roberts added.
Although plans for the spring trip are still being ironed out, the performance would allow students to not just get a taste of the world outside the mountains but also spread the good reputation of the Band of Steel and perhaps secure more requests for their presence elsewhere.
By the time they wrapped up Saturday, they received a standing ovation and cheers for their hard work, proving their visit a success. After cleanup came the hour ride home over the mountain, but, as Roberts stated, there will be more opportunities to hear the Band of Steel in the future.
For example, the group holds a gala every March at the top floor of the Union County Community Center, overlooking the Butternut Creek Golf Course, and Pan Rocks rolls around every May.
To keep an eye out for their next visit or learn how to support the band in their ongoing endeavors, feel free to follow the Woody Gap Band of Steel Facebook page.
