IT might not quite be a remake of Ewan McGregor’s ‘Brassed Off’ but Tameside Council’s cultural services have produced their own movie tribute to brass music.
The council team has brought together members from eight of the borough’s bands for a video that not only celebrates brass music and tradition, but also that bands have managed to survive after so many months without concerts.
The stirring film, which has been produced with the help of Tameside Music Service and Tameside Brass Band Association, shows the 30 musicians playing in the borough’s green spaces and parks.
They appear against a soundtrack of JA Greenwood’s rousing march ‘True and Trusty’.
It will be made available on the council’s social media channels on Whit Friday (May 28) when the highly popular band contests would normally be taking place. To see it, on YouTube, key Tameside Culture into the search function.
Cllr Leanne Feeley, Tameside Council’s executive member with responsibility for culture, explained: “I have often said brass bands and their music form part of Tameside’s soul. By producing this video, we are showing our support for that long tradition.
“For many of the participants – all of whom told us how much they enjoyed the experience – it was the first time they had worn their uniform for more than a year.
“Hopefully, our video will spread the word that even after 14 months of lockdowns and restrictions brass music is alive and well and encourage more people to take an interest ahead of 2022 when the Tameside Whit Friday contests, the greatest free show on earth, will be back.”
The participating bands were Ashton Brass Band, Hattersley Brass, the Incredible Plastic Street Band, Mossley Band, Mossley Hollins Brass Band, St John’s Band (Mossley), Stalybridge Community Brass and Stalybridge Old Band.
Covid restrictions were observed at all times during the production of the video. The only people not socially distancing came from family groups.