Durham BRASS will be livening up living rooms across County Durham and beyond when the festival moves online next month.
The festival, which was scheduled to take place between Friday 10 and Sunday 19 July, had to be cancelled earlier this year as part of the ongoing national effort to reduce the spread of coronavirus.
But fans of the Durham County Council festival can now enjoy BRASS Online 2020, taking place from Monday 13 to Saturday 18 July, via the BRASS website, www.brassfestival.co.uk.
The online festival will feature many of the BRASS favourites from around the world, including interactive and entertaining workshops hosted by the likes of Spanish amigos Artistas Del Gremio, Mouv ‘n’ Brass from France and the UK’s own Backchat Brass.
There will also be special lockdown performances from more favourites, including Mr Wilson’s Second Liners, with their unique colour and sound bursting from the screen with some exclusive content for BRASS 2020.
The festival team has also teamed up with the volunteer-run cinema co-operative Star and Shadow in Newcastle, which set up its own radio station during lockdown. On Monday 13 and Friday 17 July, from 7pm to 9pm, two special shows will be broadcast via the Star and Shadow and BRASS websites, celebrating the tradition and diversity of brass music and featuring musical clips, interviews and more.
Alongside the workshops and new performances, fans will be able to take a look back at some of the best BRASS moments from over the years, including Durham Hymns, and Durham Music Service will be delivering a number of tutorials over the course of the festival too.
To bring the online festival to a close on Saturday 18 July, five of BRASS’s favourite street bands will perform together online, with a backdrop of footage from previous years.
Cllr Joy Allen, Cabinet member for transformation, culture and tourism at the council, said: “For years now, Durham BRASS has spread the joy of music to communities across County Durham and while we can’t welcome bands to the county this year, we’re delighted that they’ll still be spreading their music online.
“I’m sure for many people, Durham BRASS is part of the soundtrack to their summer and thanks to the festival moving online, that doesn’t have to change this year. We will still be able to enjoy our favourite bands from all over the world, this time from the comfort of our own home. I’m also sure that BRASS Online 2020 will make us all look forward to welcoming these bold and brilliant musicians back to the county in the future.”
To view the full line up visit www.brassfestival.co.uk
To find out more about Star and Shadow, visit www.starandshadow.org.uk
