Ross Town Band took to the stage on Saturday, September 23rd, when it held a concert to raise funds for the Friends of Ross Hospital.  It’s not every day that you find a Brass Band sharing the stage with a guitarist but that is exactly what happened, at the Larruperz Centre, to great effect.

Steve Franks is a guitarist, who specialises in playing most musical styles associated with the Spanish guitar. His early career saw him performing on the electric guitar in show bands but he now plays the Spanish guitar exclusively.

The Band opened proceedings with a rousing Fanfare, followed by the concert march Bandology, which moved along at a great pace, before visiting the world of Gilbert and Sullivan, with a medley of tunes arranged by Edrich Siebert.

Steve then took to the stage, evoking the vibrant colours and rhythms of Brazil with the One Note Samba, and Manha De Carnival from the film Black Orpheus, both by Jobim. He changed the style and continent with ‘America,’ from West Side Story by Bernstein, and then paid tribute to the late Glen Campbell. The Beatles Sgt. Pepper album is 50 years old this year and Steve celebrated this anniversary with Lennon & McCartney’s ‘She’s Leaving Home’ and ‘When I’m 64.’

The Band brought the evening to a spirited finale with ‘The Kingdom of Asturias’ by Matt Kingston.

Ross Band is not a contesting band but they work hard to improve, under the baton of Hugh Bamford, whilst having fun at the same time.

If you are interested in learning, or renewing your acquaintance with a brass instrument, please get in touch using the contacts below. They have rehearsed in the Ryefield Centre for approximately 20 years, but because of Hereford Council cuts, they are due to become homeless. The Band can not afford a dedicated rehearsal room, so they are on the lookout for a  reasonable sized room, with some storage facility, in order to continue.

Please contact them if you know of anywhere that might be suitable, either on 07779 449 537 OR [email protected] OR www.rosstownband.com