Feb 4
2009

This site is dedicated to the promotion of live music events throughout Northamptonshire and Milton Keynes. We are also a full information resource for music events, especially Bands In The Park seasons, which can be easily reached from these areas.

PROMOTION OF LIVE MUSIC

In 2008 Northamptonshire’s music scene was dealt a huge blow when the County Council Libraries, including the Central Library in Abington Street, removed the notice boards on which music events were advertised.

This means that it is now far more difficult for music fans to find out when and where events are taking place, as well as far more difficult for music groups to get the word out to potential customers.

This site, and the accompanying newsletter, attempts to solve this problem.


THE BULLETIN BOARD

This is a free service for anyone with a music event to advertise. Please use the contact form below to contact me, and I will publicise your event on this board.

STRONGLY RECOMMENDED - ANDY COLLIER IN CONCERT AT THE LIGHTHOUSE THEATRE, KETTERING

I have heard Andy Collier perform his programme of WWII songs in the village halls at Stoke Bruerne and Aspley Guise, and also at the White Horse in Bedford. I have heard his new WWI programme as well, at the Leighton Buzzard Narrow Gauge Railway during their recent WWI special weekend.

The man and his music come strongly recommended, and are now being taken into the world of the ‘posh’ theatre. You are unlikely to find a more enjoyable way to spend an evening than this, and the greater the size of the crowd, the stronger the atmosphere will be.

I had been searching for a long time for someone who could perform this material, before I found Andy Collier. I give this event a very strong recommendation. Here is the press release -

Tickets went on sale on June 4th for the show ‘Roll Out The Barrel’ staged on Friday September 11th 7.30pm ..

Designed to be a concert where people are encouraged to join in with many of the thirty plus songs it will be an entertaining evening for people whether they remember the WW2 songs or even if they don’t know them.

For over two years now Andy Collier has been developing his WW2 singing and he is looking forward to making this evening something to remember .

Box office is 01536-414141 and tickets are reasonably priced at £12 for a box seat, £10 for a full priced seat and £8 for a concession priced seat. The theatre is amongst the most modern of theatres in the UK so do come and enjoy the evening of nostalgic songs which offer a real blend of memory, humour, pace and variety

Andy Collier

Andy Collier at Aspley Guise recently before a village hall gig (I was there)

BANDS IN THE PARK 2009 NOW LIVE - Links to the seasons who have published this year’s programme :

EASTBOURNE
LEIGHTON BUZZARD
BIRMINGHAM
STRATFORD UPON AVON
KETTERING
NORTHAMPTON
HUNTINGDONSHIRE
ST JAMES’S PARK

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

JULY

Bradwell Silver Band and invited guests The Northampton Male Voice Choir are in
concert on Saturday July 4th 2009 at Stantonbury Theatre Milton Keynes 7.30pm

Review of Bradwell Silver Band - http://www.bandclubnmk.org/2009/04/25/bradwell-silver-band/

Toddington Town Band present a summer’s afternoon special of cream teas served
with a free concert of light entertainment on the village green at Toddington,
Bedfordshire on Sunday 12 July at 2.30pm. Bring chairs, rugs, families, friends,
yourself and join us. If it should be wet (British weather does sometimes bring
rain!) we will play (and cream teas will be served) in the village hall in
Leighton Road, Toddington.

Website: www.toddingtontownband.org.uk

Reviews of Toddington Town Band - http://www.bandclubnmk.org/2009/06/14/toddington-town-band/
http://www.bandclubnmk.org/2009/06/27/toddington-town-band-2/

Saturday July 25th
Andy Collier - ‘Canals Afternoon’ - Tiddenfoot Leisure Centre, Linslade 11:30am

1 Intro by Mr. Collier on canal history

2 ‘war on the cut’ sung and narrated by Mr. Collier (about 40 minutes) followed by ‘once the cut’ - double sing and narrate!

Keep these submissions coming!

NOW Needing New Players!

NOW is desperate for some grade 8 or better brass players. We have a core group of
woodwind players that show up every week (flutes, oboes, basssoons, and clarinets..
with occaissional saxes) but few regular brass players - as a result, Andrew Bassey
is concentrating on smaller concerts with large chamber forces for the moment, in
the hope of attracting players!

http://www.now4band.co.uk/index.html

DO YOU BELONG TO A MUSIC GROUP WHO WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THEIR EVENTS PROMOTED FOR FREE ON THIS SITE?

Use the contact form below to contact me, and I will publicise your event.

Also, contact me for ANY other reason that will benefit live music in this area - if you want to organize a travel group for an event which is hard to get to, or if you want to solicit for new players or a new musical director, for example, contact me!

Music groups, whether playing or promotional, can have their own dedicated page. Just contact me and let me know.

To Contact Me, Please Use The Form Below. All Submissions Will Be Replied To, Provided They Are Related To Music And Not SPAM.

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Jun 28
2009

Few bands in recent years have given better service to Abington Park than the Kibworth Band. Ever since their first appearance on a bitterly cold September 3rd (the day war broke out, Mr. Wilton) in the year 2000, Kibworth have been rock solid. They haven’t been here every year, but they have been here most of them, and they have never let anyone down.

Now, when the Northampton season is recovering in a most spectacular way from the abyss of the past two years, it is good to see that a band which helped keep the standard high in the years before these is returning again.

Today, the Kibworth Band did something unusual. They played the three hour set with only one long break, instead of two shorter ones. Never mind, but it would have been nice to know. This is the problem with having no communication between MD and audience, along with the ever present problem of unfamiliar material not being explained to us. This is where Ilkeston Brass score such a massive hit over the competition, with Dave Jones fully wired up to the PA system.

Unfamiliar some of the material may have been, but there were plenty of recognizable pieces as well, and all were played to the standard we have come to expect. The cornet feature (“Cornet Carrilon”) and the solos were an important part of the programme, and showed off the skills of some of Kibworth’s finest players. “Grandfather’s Clock” may be one of those pieces were hear at least once every year, but it gives the euphonium soloist ample opportunity to demonstrate dexterity at high speed.

It is, in all honesty, easier to write articles about things which go wrong than it is to write an article when everything goes to plan. With Kibworth, there is no such opportunity. This was one of those days where those who crave the predictable would have purred with delight. The weather was perfect for summer, the band was a known quantity and played to the standard we expected, and there was nothing whatsoever to disrupt our satisfaction. Northampton is, indeed, rising from the ashes.

So far, we have had three bands in Abington Park. I had high hopes for all of them, and all three have delivered in style. Credit to the organizers for their astute choices. The only blot on the landscape was the cancelled event on June 14th, which the Bummer Council are still including on the posters they have now erected on the park gates! Oh, look, everyone will cry, Northampton Bummer Council booked the Enderby Band! Isn’t that great?

No, it isn’t bloody great because the event was cancelled and replaced with a pop group. But for that, we could have had four top quality bands in Abington Park, and a June to rank with the greatest ever.

Let us still be enormously grateful for the three we have enjoyed. Northampton’s dramatic comeback is continuing, and we now look forward to the Watford Band, Rushden Windmill, and Northamptonshire Orchestral Winds. This is a really good, intelligently selected season. Long may the weather and the quality continue. For now, a big thank you once again to the Kibworth Band.



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