IF YOU LIKE: Durham Brass Festival

Image: Rajasthan Heritage Brass Band

Durham is known for its cathedral, university and religious figures like St Cuthbert and the Venerable Bede, but thanks to its industrial heritage it’s also synonymous with brass bands. Celebrating that deep-rooted tradition while embracing new sounds, Durham Brass Festival returns from Sunday 13th-Sunday 20th July with a week of headline performances at iconic venues, workshops, school concerts and free street band shows.

Organised by Durham County Council with support from Arts Council England, the festival has grown into one of the region’s most popular cultural events and this year’s edition is set to elevate its status even further.

IF YOU LIKE…

Brass

It’s in the name, after all. Durham Brass Festival spotlights the very best in traditional and contemporary brass, pulling in artists from across the UK and beyond. This year, festival-goers can experience the Fairey Band, hailed as ‘the world’s finest brass band’, delivering a breathtaking musical and visual interpretation of Pictures At An Exhibition on Sunday 20^th, where bold brass meets stunning animations of Mussorgsky’s masterpiece. Later, they’ll switch gears for Acid Brass, blending acid house anthems with classic brass band energy.

On Saturday 19^th, NETOA Wurlitzer and Stanhope Silver Band take the stage with a mix of popular and classical pieces, while throughout the weekend, expect Das Brass and New York Brass Band bringing a New Orleans-style remix of the hits, Rajasthan Heritage Brass Band dropping Bollywood and Bhangra vibes, and Always Drinking Marching Band and Young Pilgrims turning up the energy. Meanwhile, Diddy Sweg promises something truly interstellar.

Indie

Durham Brass Festival has never been afraid to mix things up, and this year’s collaborations are proof of that. Indie icons Bill Ryder-Jones (formerly of The Coral) and Barry Hyde (The Futureheads) both step into the brass world for special performances.

On Tuesday 15^th, Bill Ryder-Jones headlines the Gala Theatre, where his 2024 album Lechyd Da will be reimagined for brass in a special commission with the NASUWT Riverside Band. The night before on Monday 14^th, Barry Hyde brings his concept solo album Miners’ Ballads, inspired by the coal mining heritage of the North East, to life with the Durham Miners Association Brass Band at Redhills Durham Miners Hall.

Image: Diddy Sweg

Spoken Word

On Friday 18^th, Redhills Durham Miners Hall hosts BBC Radio 4’s The Verb, led by Ian McMillan (who’ll share a poem or two), featuring UK Poet Laureate Simon Armitage and LYR performing Firm As A Rock alongside Easington Colliery Band. With brass arrangements by Simon Dobson, this event blends soaring vocals, harmonics and spoken word, reflecting on Durham’s ‘Category D’ villages, where 121 communities were stripped of funding, leaving lasting hardship.

Local Brass Collabs

The festival will be demonstrating the incredible versatility of brass at its Brassed On event at the Gala Theatre on Saturday 19^th. The show pairs North East artists with brass ensembles to create something unique and exciting and is brought to you in partnership with BBC Music Introducing and NARC.

Performing are singer-songwriter and Cornshed Sister Liz Corney, electronic alt. rap duo Faithful Johannes and Neocia, and fusers of pop, orchestral, jazz and rock, Amateur Ornithologist.

Image: Bill Ryder-Jones by Marieke Macklon