Loughborough Concert Band

It’s a sign of success when the same venue invites you to return, but it’s a real challenge too. Obviously we wish to maintain the standard but we also need to play things that are different from the previous programme. And they ask for the old favourites of Jerusalem, Sea songs and Pomp and Circumstance so it’s nice to give them the right music to build up to the grand finale. And, once again, Dave Coble pulled off a programme that did that.

Colonel Bogey evokes memories of watching The Bridge over the River Kwai and keeping a stiff upper lip and always gives our compere, Eddie Pearson, the chance to remind us of how the title of the piece was chosen. The stirring sounds of Pirates of the Carribean get right into the blood and Black and White Rag is a tricky piece designed to get toes tapping. The first half ended on a rousing note with the William Tell Fantasia, a favourite of Katie our drummer.

The second half built tension: the audience knows what is coming and wait with song sheets in hand. Devil’s Galop is another stirring piece with a breathless run to a cliff hanger ending and Music for a Darkened Theatre (a recent favourite) set a really good contrast with the joyous Last Night of the Proms pieces

And come it did! From the first bars of No Place like Home in Sea Songs, the audience was sitting up and alert. When it came to Pomp and Circumstance they were their feet, stamping, singing and waving flags whenever the time was right.

It was a marvellous concert, rounded off by a standing ovation.  Sadly for me, I had to miss playing and this report is only available due to the help of a team of people: Maggie Styles who agreed to me using her Facebook post and helped me get the atmosphere of the evening, Zoe Felton and Mark Sadler, who made notes for me. Thank you all!