Virtuosic Black Dyke Band Delights Bradford

For over 165 years the Black Dyke Band has enriched the world with its unrivalled skill and professionalism. With elegance and pomp, it is the pinnacle of brass band playing. It has been 13 years since the Black Dyke Band has graced us with its presence in Bradford, and the wait was definitely worth it!

With the grandiose backdrop of Victorian architecture, St George’s Hall, Bradford, was our scene. At its forefront, thirty immaculately dressed musicians poised with shimmering instruments. Surrounded by the velvet curtains and their iconic insignia, they began to play.

The opening piece dating back to 1846 Poet and Peasant – Overture. The melodic, militaristic might overwhelmed the space as notes hummed and bellowed. Its ebullience rising and pouring over our ears like honey. The sweet tunes of a bygone era mesmerised us all. The sonority of the band as well as its incredible depth is remarkable.

With an incredible maestro at the helm of it all, Professor Nicholas Childs introduces us to each movement and glides us through each performance without fault.

Opening our ears to great pieces of art such as Paul Lovatt – Copper’s Above and Beyond, Pines of Rome and old classics such as Rule Britannia. After each melody, a thunderous applause and an audience left with hungry ears waiting for more.

It wasn’t just classical; the Black Dyke Band also gave us a few renditions of great movie classics. The thrilling theme song to Mission Impossible, with the booming basses and all-encompassing percussionists immersed us into a palpable fantasy.

The toe tapping song from Sister Act, I Will Follow Him had everyone in the audience tapping away to that iconic song. Not to mention Soul Bossa Nova (Theme tune from Austin Powers) and of course a checky tune from Strictly Come Dancing, which segued beautifully into Piazzolla’s Libertango and Ravel’s Bolero. Each melody giving us a flavour of the past.

And no better way to end the night with a Riverdance, performed by one of the longest members of the band, Richard Marshall who showed off his generous dancing skills.

It is without a doubt, the best brass orchestra I had the pleasure of seeing and hearing. I eagerly await their return to Bradford to bask in the revelry of one of the finest brass bands in the world – the Black Dyke Band.