After last year’s success at the LBBA 2022 contest, the band had decided to revisit Loughborough in 2023. perhaps a few hadn’t quite realised what a commitment that was, as the coach pulled up towards the band room at 5:45am on Sunday morning!

Despite the early start the band were raring to go, eagerly snooping round the warm up area trying to work out who was playing what. We were drawn 4th, and started our performance really well – we’d obviously taken on board the comments from Torquay.  The whole point of doing this competition was to experience different acoustics, and that certainly challenged us in the second half of the piece – Steve was having to work hard to keep things on track.  Once again the soloists excelled though, and by the finish we were back on song.

Unusually, some of the band listened to some of the following performances, with wildly differing views – who’d be an adjudicator?  In the end, 4th place, which the band were pleased with, certainly judging by the singing from the back of the coach on the way home.

1. Hatfield & Askern Colliery (Vicki Kennedy)
2. Soham Comrades (Jayne Murrill)
3. Eccles Borough (Mareika Gray)
4. Chalford (Steve Tubb)
5. Hathern (Gary Wyatt)
6. Kibworth (Brendan Caddy)
7. Milton Keynes Brass (Matthew Brown)
8. Strata Brass (Leigh Baker)
9. Oddfellows Brass (Craig Williams)
10. Wantage Concert Brass (Simon Jones)
11. Rushden Town (Adele Hudson)