The Kippax Band won the Wetherby 'Brass Factor' contest on the weekend with a powerful performance set mixing contemporary show hits with traditional and popular music fayre.

Debut victory

It was also a debut victory in the UK's only 'audience vote' contest, as they thoroughly entertained the audience at the Engine Shed venue with their musicianship and presentation to beat off the strong challenge of Wakefield Metropolitan with Marske Brass in third.

MD Jack Smith's programme choice certainly found favour with music judges Sandy Smith and Kevin Wadsworth, as well as celebrity adjudicator, chef and brass band lover, Brian Turner.

The music judges called Kippax's winning performance set 'a well balanced programme which was clearly well rehearsed and full of technical accuracy'.

West End theme

The band opened with the Louis Prima classic 'Sing, Sing, Sing', before soprano player Faye Thompson gave a fine rendition of 'Memory' from 'Cats'. 'Godspell' and 'Jesus Christ Superstar' carried on the Andrew Lloyd Webber West-End show theme, before they closed with 'You Can't Stop the Beat' arranged by Andrea Nash.

In addition to the three main prize winners there were excellent performances from the other competing bands — notably the youngsters of Hope Bank Youth who kicked off the evening with a lively set that enthusiastically married music and song.

It saw the talented Jake Milburn, take the 'Best Soloist' award while fellow bandsman, Thomas Sykes scooped the 'Youngest Player' honour.

Fine accounts

With Lofthouse 2000 and Wetherby & District Silver also giving fine accounts of themselves it proved to be a great evening's entertainment.

Organiser Alex Bray told 4BR: "Saturday night really was a fantastic display of brass bands coming together and making memorable music.

Congratulations to Kippax and credit to everyone who made the event one of the best Brass Factor contests yet! We look forward to the next event at the Picturedrome, Holmfirth on November 14th."

The music judges called Kippax's winning performance set 'a well balanced programme which was clearly well rehearsed and full of technical accuracy'4BR

Result:
Adjudicators: Sandy Smith & Kevin Wadsworth
Celebrity Judge: Brian Turner

1. Kippax Band (Jack Smith)
2. Wakefield Metropolitan (Sam Smith)
3. Marske Band (Alun Prest)

Other competitors:
Hope Band Youth
Lofthouse 2000
Wetherby & District Silver