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December 2005

Here we go again, December already and another year gone by, but not before another round of Christmas concerts.

Christmas came early this year when the band performed the first of their scheduled concerts on Ashton market ground on Sunday 27th November.
Yes it is hard to believe that it was only four weeks to Christmas. From then the concerts come thick and fast, Glossop Garden Centre on Saturday morning 3rd December was quickly followed by our annual event at Denton West End Club on that same evening.

For those who can remember those distant days back in March, when the band provided the music for the Altrincham Garrick production of “Brassed Off”. The management were so delighted with the band’s contribution that they invited them to put on a concert of music appropriate to the festive season at the Garrick Theatre on the evening of Sunday 11th December.

The final flourish will be on Saturday 17th December with a concert at Denton Methodist church and a Christmas Party Bonanza at the Wood Street Bandroom on Sunday 18th December.

It is to be hoped that they all have enough energy left to enjoy their Christmas lunch. Merry Christmas to all our members!!!

November 2005

Just 12 months after losing their musical director James Cant, which caused them to undertake a major restructuring programme the Glossop Old Band under their new musical director Jonathan Davies returned to the contest scene on Saturday 29th October at the famous Pontin’s Contest.

And didn’t they do themselves proud? Despite going into the contest with several new, young and inexperienced players, they gave a great boost to their morale by gaining a very creditable third place in the First Section. There was plenty of cause for celebration among the homeward bound party, and Jonathan described their victory as being very well deserved.

The band have now begun their climb to the pinnacle which they achieved only a few short years ago and it is hoped that they can build on this success in the new year with the Midlands Area finals at Burton-on-Trent in March.

Sept 2005

The band have been experiencing a touch of good old English fresh air during the summer months. Following a reasonable success in the Tameside Whit Friday contests in May, they ventured out once again when they performed a concert at Glossop Caravan Company in June. This was a part of the company’s “Open Weekend” a thank you to all their customers, past, present and hopefully the future.

The band must have enjoyed filling their lungs with the champagne air of Glossop because they ventured out once again in July when they were chosen to lead a service of Remembrance for the people involved in the Second World War.
This fresh air must really be addictive because they were lured into it once more in September when they performed on the streets of Glossop during the annual Victorian Weekend.

But enough is enough, you can get too much of a good thing and during September they retreated to the bandroom for a couple of concerts, one of which was in aid of Age Concern Glossop.

However it is not all music, music all the way, and the backroom staff at Wood Street have been busy making sure that the bandroom continues the improvements which were started a couple of years ago.

This summer, the library and back rooms have been the centre of attention and much of the credit for this must go to Beryl Lawson who has really reorganised the library to the extent where we now know where all the music is (or almost). She has been helped in her work by a willing assistant Bill Bray and she has even managed to involve son Keith who has performed miracles with the shelving.
The band is lucky to have such a willing band of workers, and they really appreciate the improvements.

May 2005

Glossop Old Band - Whit Friday Fun??

When Glossop Old Band departed from their Wood Street headquarters at 4.00pm on Whit Friday on the annual pursuit for glory in the Tameside band contests, little did they suspect what effect the traffic was to have on their programme.

It took them almost 1 hour to complete the few miles to their first contest venue at Denton cricket club. No excuses but they really did not do themselves justice.

On therefore to Droylsden and again the traffic congestion was such that it was almost 6.00pm before they had managed just 2 contests.

The third port of call should have been The Broadoak Hotel in Ashton, but here the queue of waiting bands was so long that it was decided to proceed to Ashton United Football ground, where at last we managed to engage in our third contest.

From Ashton the traffic conditions improved and we made our way to Mossley but once again we were frustrated by the long queue of bands waiting to take part, so we moved on to Micklehurst where we had more success and managed to get an early turn. Next stop Carbrook, a lovely setting and once again we were in luck, only three bands ahead of us. From there we went to Bower Fold Stalybridge, the home of Stalybridge Celtic football club, where wonders never cease, we found ourselves third in line. On again, not far away this time, to Stalybridge Labour Club where once again there was not long to wait. But alas our luck was not to hold. We headed for Heyrod, only to find about 8 bands waiting, so we proceeded to Upper Mossley , where after quite a long wait we managed to compete in contest number eight.

By this time it was getting quite late and we made our way to the Broadoak Hotel for another go. We joined the queue and managed to compete as the penultimate band at around 11.10pm. Then thankfully back home.

Glossop Old Band Results: Best Local at: Broadoak, Micklehurst & Stalybridge Labour Club.

March 2005

When Glossop Old Band perform in the bandroom on Sunday 20th March the latest organisation to benefit from their generosity will be the "Children of Chernobyl" who are over in Glossop to fill their lungs with good fresh Derbyshire air.

These children whose lives have been blighted by a tragic event which happened some years ago ar to be sponsored by the people of Glossop who will accommodate them and entertain them.

Part of this entertainment will take place in the bandroom in Glossop on the 2oth March at 8.00pm. It is said that 2 weeks good clean Derbyshire air can extend the life of each one of these children by up to 6 months. Give them your support.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Members of Glossop Old Band can be excused for going around with 'stars in their eyes' after a week of providing the music for a Garrick Players production of "Brassed Off" at the Altrincham Garrick Playhouse. They have made many new friends and done wonders for the image of brass bands during a week in which they have played to capacity audiences during which the band will have been heard by around 3,000 members of the theatre going public. There have been many wonderful comments heard this week, and many new converts to brass band music within the area. It is to be hoped that some of these comments can be turned into more invitations to the Glossop Old Band to play their brand of music in new venues.

January 2005

Happy New Year from all at Glossop Band.

“ALL STAR” BRASS AT WOOD STREET .

Thursday 30th December marked another wonderful milestone in a whole series of star studded concerts performed by brass bands in aid of various charities at the Wood Street home of Glossop Old Band.

On this occasion musicians from Black Dyke, Fairey's, Foden's, Grimethorpe, Leyland, Yorkshire Building Society, Ashton, Glossop and Poynton joined together under the direction of Richard Evans, to perform an unforgettable evening of music which was fully appreciated by the capacity audience who raised over £1,100 to help local people whose families had been affected by cancer.

Continuing the season of charity concerts, the Glossop Old Band gave a concert on Sunday 9 th January and the beneficiaries on this occasion were the local branch of Cancer Research.

Another near capacity audience enjoyed a “Fun Night” when a ‘small' band dug deep into the library to produce an evening of music designed to appeal to the more mature audience. On this occasion the band ‘played by the seat of their pants' as without a conductor and with a great deal of enjoyment which rubbed off on the audience, they provided a first class evening of entertainment which at the same time managed to raise over £350 for this worthy charity.

November 2004

It is with regret that the band reluctantly accepted the resignation of the bands conductor, Jim Cant. Jim has had many successes with the band since he first came to the band in 1993 most notably being unbeaten for over two years. Recent successes have been of the 6th Pontins (2003), 1 st Northern Open Champions (2003), 2nd Buxton (2004), 3rd overall in the Whit Friday Marches (Tameside), Best Hymn and 2nd overall Diggle March Contest (2004).

The band would like to thank Jim for all the hard work he has put into the band over many years and wish him every success in the future.