Cory’s trip to Lille certainly fulfilled a dual purpose.
First and foremost it gave the National Champion a chance to showcase their talents to an enthusiastic French audience who came in considerable, but somewhat impatient numbers to be entertained. It was also a chance for a little bit of musical reconnaissance work ahead of their appearance at the European Championship at the Nouvelle de Siecle Hall in May.
Both counts
It was a splendid success on both counts - especially after a little mix up over the official start time saw a few well meaning slow handclaps permeate the expectant atmosphere.
Any grumbles were soon quelled. Philip Harper dusted off his rather rusty GCSE French as best he could, but he needn’t have worried too much about his linguistic skills as his band amply displayed their mastery of the universal language of brass band music making.
Impressive comfort zone
Steve Stewart, Tom Hutchinson, Helen Williams, Stephen Kane and Chris Thomas each gave fine accounts in their solo spots, whilst the ensemble performed in an impressive comfort zone that allowed the MD free rein to press the turbo-charge button as and when he pleased.
Mobile phone
Philip Harper was in engagingly relaxed mood all evening - even displaying a little sardonic wit as he took a leaf out of Jack Dee’s stage act with his mobile phone text requests, although he still kept a tight rein on the dynamics in a hall that was a bit ‘lively’ acoustically; percussion sounds swirling around at full throttle mode.
Warming hands
‘Malaquena’, the soprano solo ‘One Day I’ll Fly Away’ and a reprise of their 2015 Brass in Concert winning set, ‘Elemental: The Four Element of the Universe’ provided a slick first half of entertainment, before a second of ‘Men of Harlech’, ‘Carrickfergus’, ‘Cute’, ‘Bluebells of Scotland’ and a storming ‘Poet & Peasant’ left the locals now warming their hands in their demands for encores.
A breathless rip through the ‘Finale’ from ‘William Tell’ was just the ticket - as a well satisfied audience were left in no doubt that the Welsh and National Champion had made sure the French banding public had been given fair warning of their future contest intentions here in a few months time.
Iwan Fox
