World Heritage Site Durham Cathedral, care homes, schools, market places, parks and all manner of other venues.
All have resonated with the joyous sounds of live music, singing, chat and laughter; and witnessed dancing aplenty and smiles galore.
Over the course of a week, Durham Brass Festival 2024 navigated some wet weather and brought sunshine to thousands of people across County Durham.
Brass saw a number of sell-out performances, including from Public Service Broadcasting (PSB), and The Cory Band playing with the Durham Miners’ Association Brass Band. The Brassed On event, which allowed the region’s up and coming talent to collaborate with brass acts, was also a sell-out. This saw Sunderland’s Nadedja team up with festival favourites Loud Noises, while North Shields’ Hector Gannet performed alongside NuSound Brass.
The Public Service Broadcasting gig at Durham Cathedral wowed ticketholders from as far afield as France, Germany and Switzerland. It saw PSB collaborate with Pelton Fell’s NASUWT Riverside Band for a special performance of the former’s album Every Valley – music inspired by coal mining in this the 40th anniversary year of the miners’ strike. There were special guest performances from Welsh actress and singer Lisa Jen Brown alongside Maximo Park’s Paul Smith and the Felling Male Voice Choir, with the acts introduced by Ross Forbes from the Durham Miners’ Association.
There was also free entertainment in the form of the Streets of Brass performances across Durham City, Party in the Park at the city’s Wharton Park, and Big and Little Brass Bashes at ten towns and villages across the county.
The festival’s final scenes saw a DJ set from Smoove & Turrell at Durham Town Hall, and Loud Noises performing at Durham Miners’ Gala.
Brass also prides itself on its outreach programme, with 65 performances across the week in schools across County Durham and a number in care homes.