St. John’s Mossley Band: Sunday Brass at the Boarshurst Band Club (October 2018)

A memorable night for St. John’s – and a glorious début as MD for Paul Towle

If Carlsberg did emergency planning for brass band concerts, they would have hired the services of Boarshurst Silver Band’s concert secretary. For the second time this year, Boarshurst Band Club have drafted in a fantastic replacement band at short notice. This time, in place of Stalybridge Old Band, St. John’s Mossley Band.

Ashton-under-Lyne Band: Sunday Brass at the Boarshurst Band Club, 07 October 2018

Chalk and Co’s deliver a concert to remember

There are two reasons why your favourite divine being gave us brass bands. One was to entertain the masses. Another one was to bring cultural enrichment to the masses. In other words, the joys of introducing classical music to the provinces. Whilst finding room for entertainment value.

Milnrow Band: Sunday Brass at the Boarshurst Band Club, 16 September 2018

Mark Bentham and Co deliver another great night of brass band music

In life, only death and taxation are certainties. If you live in Greater Manchester, particularly in the Rochdale, Oldham or Tameside boroughs, there is another one to the list. That Milnrow Band would always deliver a concert which is high on entertainment value and remarkably different to any of their previous ones.

Oldham and Saddleworth Bus Service Changes, Autumn 2018

School day times are back up town

Back to school: school days times will be reinstated on the 409 and other key routes in Oldham and Saddleworth.

For many Oldham and Saddleworth passengers, this autumn’s timetable changes affect seasonal timetables. Yes, as the nights get longer, the school day times are back on the agenda.

Huddersfield and Ripponden Brass Band: Sunday Brass at the Boarshurst Band Club

A jolly good summer show for Huddersfield and Ripponden Brass Band 

No traditional seaside holiday is complete without two things: a good fish and chip supper, or a decent summer show. A summer show with comedians, speciality acts, magicians, and singers. With a similar amount of variety to the listener was Huddersfield and Ripponden Brass Band’s programme. There was a neat variety of brass band marches, hymns, popular music, and film music. If you counted the raffle, last night’s speciality act and comedian.

Oldham and Saddleworth Bus Service Changes, Summer 2018

More summertime tweaks

• Exactly what it says on the tin;
• MCT Travel gains 418 from M Travel;
• CityZap zapped.

The 409: one of a few First Greater Manchester services falling under the summertime timetables. This oldie, seen at Royton, was previously owned by First Bradford.

Once again the summertime changes are a quiet one for Oldham and Saddleworth bus passengers. Apart from the usual adjusted summer times, there has only been four notable service changes.

Pemberton Old ‘B’ Band: Sunday Brass at the Boarshurst Band Club

Pemberton Old ‘B’ Band’s memorable Boarshurst debut 

In recorded music, particularly 45 RPM singles, the ‘B’ side is a source of curiosity to the listener. Some people (thanks to cinema and educational streaming) think of ‘B’ as inferior. Or the middle carriage of a Greenfield train. In music there are some exceptions. The Model, a double ‘A’ side is better known than Computer Love, the ‘A’ side of Kraftwerk’s UK Number One single from 1982. In brass banding, the ‘B’ bands can surpass the senior bands in their virtuosity and technique.

Music from the Big Screen: Boarshurst Silver Band’s Blockbusting Summer Concert

An Oscar-winning performance with an excellent mix of visuals, sumptuous whole band performances and great singing

The first Sunday in July has established itself in the brass banding calendar for two important dates. One of them is the Brighouse Hymn and March Contest won by Milnrow Band this year. Elland Silver Youth Band made a clean sweep in the youth prizes, and Wardle Academy Band picked up this year’s deportment prize.

Blackley Band: Sunday Brass at the Boarshurst Band Club

Blackley Band’s scorcher of a concert at The Mecca of Brass Banding

In conditions more akin to barbecues than indoor brass band concerts, Blackley Band gave us all a wonderful concert last night. There was a vibrant mix of favourites, a bit of cheese, and a few unique compositions. In last night’s programme was the rarest of beasts: a quiet Paul Lovatt-Cooper composition.