Band Tour to Belgium May 2023

The band’s latest continental tour took place over the Bank Holiday weekend 26 - 29th May when we were based in Gent. It featured 2 concerts, a performance at the Menin Gate Ceremony, a brewery tour and several bar visits.

The whole event kicked off from Hawkhurst Primary School at 4.30pm on Friday 26th May when, with some trepidation about the potential Dover queue size, the coach left the school car park. Fortunately, and pretty amazingly, given the chaos at Dover the following day, we had a straightforward journey to the port and even managed to catch an earlier ferry for a smooth as milk crossing to Calais.

All Aboard for our Belgian Tour

The earlier ferry was reflected in an earlier arrival at Gent meaning that many (if not most) of the touring party went to find a bar or two…

Plenty of places to go for a tipple !

Saturday morning dawned with a number of hangovers from those who were up far too late for their own good and the band had a couple of hours of down time before boarding the coach for the short journey to our first bandstand venue at Kouter Market. The band played from 2pm to 4pm and performed really well with excellent slots from all of the soloists, there were also a great many really encouraging comments from the audience. Fortunately, we were mainly sheltered from the hot sun on what is an excellent bandstand.

Worse for Wear ?

From Kouter Market Bandstand it was straight back onto the coach for about an hour’s journey to Ypres. After some down time for dinner, the band assembled by the Menin Gate (not under it as is usual – it is undergoing 2 years of maintenance so all of the ceremonies are next to the gate) for the evening Ceremony. We played ‘Hymn to the Fallen’ followed by ‘Amazing Grace’ and ‘Be Still for the Presence of the Lord’ to an audience somewhere in excess of a thousand people. As always, this is an incredible and solemn service that it is a privilege to be a part of.

Menin Gate

Sunday saw the band playing from 11am until 12.30pm on the bandstand at Vrijdagmarkt in Gent. Once again, the audience was delighted with the way the band performed with more than a few people on their feet and dancing to the up tempo numbers. The bandstand provided plenty of shelter from the sun although temperatures did get up to around 27C during the concert.

The end of our Second Concert

With the playing now over, the band’s final organised engagement was a trip to the Brouweij Huyghe just outside Gent. This is an old brewery that has invested heavily in new equipment and produces a wide range of excellent beers – a first class way to round off events!

Brewery Tour

Gent itself is a beautiful city with many fine buildings. Many of the band took the opportunity to go on a wonderfully informative and enjoyable guided boat and canal trip around the city where there were a great deal of photo opportunities

Boat Trip Fun

Thanks to David Newson, the Chairman and to Alan Smithers, the Treasurer for all of their hard work in organising our latest adventure – where to next I wonder?!

Here are a few pieces taken from the concerts.

1. Hymn to the Fallen played at the Menin Gate
2. Amazing Grace, played at the Vrijdagmarkt concert
3. Prismatic Light, played at the Vrijdagmarkt concert
4. Stayin' Alive played at the Bloemenmarkt Gent Kouter concert.

Concert Programme

• Cortege from Mlada
• Live and Let Die (Soprano Soloist : Chris Line)
• Wade in the Water
• Children of Sanchez (Cornet Soloist : Russell Kemp)
• Valero
• From Your Smile (Euphonium Soloist : David Newsom)
• Strike Up the Band
• The Seal Lullaby
• Balkan Dance

****  Interval  ****

• Prismatic Light
• Evergreen (Tenor Horn Soloist : Alan Smithers)
• It Had Better Be Tonight
• Amazing Grace
• Stayin' Alive
• Ravenswood
• Eine Klein Nachtmusik (Bass Soloist : Geoff Collins)
• Let There Be Light

****  Encore  ****

• Be Still for the Presence of the Lord
• Hymn to the Fallen

The band for the 2023 Tour

2023 Band on Tour 1

Front Row (Left to Right)

Olau Dadswell (Baritone) --- David Newsom (Euphonium) --- Charlie Butler (Bbb Bass) --- Paul Hopkins (Bbb Bass) --- Viv Lovewell (Euphonium) --- Imogen Burrows (Baritone) --- Trish Baker (Baritone)

Middle Row

Ian Lanceley (Musical Director) --- Russell Kemp (Solo Cornet) --- Yvette Hutchin (Third Cornet) --- Siân Lanceley (Solo Cornet) --- Pip Maynard (Second Cornet) --- Mette Toft Lundorf (Solo Cornet) --- Emma Pettifer (Flugel Horn) --- Hazel Walsh (Trombone) --- Sue Hopkins (Trombone) --- Colin Batt (Bass Trombone) --- Hilary Greg (Trombone) --- Jonathan Vokes (Trombone)

Back Row

John Vail (First Horn) --- Liz Hatcher (Second Horn) --- Jayme Davison (Third Cornet) --- Ollie Duncombe (Kit Percussion) --- Chris Line (Soprano Cornet) --- Graeme Mcausland (Second Cornet) --- Gem Kite (Repiano Cornet) --- Xan Kite (Third Cornet) --- Gareth Burrows (Solo Cornet) --- Alan Smithers (Solo Horn)