The Durham County Council-run festival has filled all corners of County Durham with music, as brass bands descended to perform across its communities and venues. Celebrating twenty years of Durham Brass Festival, the packed programme played to the tune of all music tastes, with unique collaborations, lively street bands and traditional brass for audiences to enjoy. The festival kicked off in style when visitors in Durham City were treated to a pop-up performance in the marketplace, led by Italian street band Girlesque.
A favourite of the street bands programme, the all-female ensemble gathered the crowds, giving audiences a snippet of the Big and Little Brass bashes that were to come to communities throughout the week.
The Brass Bashes built a crescendo to the weekend, where the historic streets of Durham came to life with the iconic Streets of Brass and Party in the Park. Bands also took to the water, with the return of the festival’s boat cruises.
Other highlights of the festival included opening act ELVANA, a Nirvana-Elvis tribute band, who played their eclectic set at Gala Durham alongside rock n roll brass band Oompah Brass XXL.
Another collaboration saw North East band Hector Gannet play songs from their new album in the setting of Redhills Miners Hall, accompanied the Durham Miners’ Association Brass Band.
Meanwhile, Brassed On returned for its third year, shining the spotlight on a trio of emerging artists by pairing their performances with brass ensembles.
True to its roots, the festival celebrated the county’s brass heritage with concerts from renowned brass bands, including the world-famous Grimethorpe Colliery Band; Stanhope Silver Band; and the EverReady Band, who played a magical set of movie scores inside Durham Cathedral.
And communities in Easington, Pelton and Bishop Auckland came together for tea dances, accompanied by the Tyne Valley Big Band and blues band The Revolutionaires.
Audiences young and old also got to experience the sounds of brass, as, throughout the week, street bands delivered lively performances in a tour of the county’s schools and care homes.
To find out more about Durham Brass Festival visit:
www.brassfestival.co.uk
Photo: Loud Noises at the Big Brass Bash in Newton Aycliffe