Gillingham Imperial Silver Band recently hosted friends old and new from their twin band Musikzug Viktoria Hille in Germany.

It was the latest in a series of biennial exchanges running since 1983, and this year Gillingham hosted the Hille Band for a long weekend of music making, drinking and good company.

Welcome party

It all kicked off with a welcome party — accompanied by a steady flow of 'Moorbrand' — the fiery German liquor local to the Hille area, before the players assembled the next day (with a few sore heads) for a rehearsal ahead of the evening's concert which was played out to a packed audience at Gillingham High School.

Entertainment was the name of the game, with Gillingham performing solo items such as 'Live and Let Die' and 'Children of Sanchez' and Hille delivering a great rendition of 'Yackety Sax'. The finale was a rousing rendition of 'Hootenanny'.

Pizza time

The next day saw an to Cheddar Gorge and Wells in Somerset, before a great 'build your own pizza' night, whilst the music making continued on the Bank Holiday Monday with both bands performing to record crowds at Sherborne Castle Country Fair.

National pride was at stake with a dragon boat race on the castle lake, with Hille Band winning hands down ahead of local friendly rivals Sherborne Town and Gillingham a close third!

National pride was at stake with a dragon boat race on the castle lake, with Hille Band winning hands down ahead of local friendly rivals Sherborne Town and Gillingham a close third!4BR

Ska band

With hardly time to draw breath, the leaving party was held at the Coppleridge Inn in Motcombe where 120 band members, family friends and supporters gathered for a meal and a party late into the night to the sounds of a local ska band.

Thanks

A spokesperson told 4BR: "Gillingham Band would like to offer sincere thanks to all the host families, guest players, organisers and sponsors who made the weekend possible, and also to the Hille Band for their great company and for the invitation to visit Hille in 2017."