Silver Sparrows, well, two of them, play Harrogate International Festival

2013

It's about eight years since we first took to the streets of |Harrogate, marching pan de neck along the Stray, playing outside the War Memorial and finally treading the boards at the Royal Hall or the Conference Centre [we did the latter while they were re-guilding the former].

2009

 

The marching bit was never very good, and did indeed get worse with every year that passed. If you don't practise pan-de-neck, it's impossible to do it well on the day, and realistically, the standard of songs that Sparrows play at can't be done justice to if you have tripped over the kerb, walked into a concrete bollard or lost the rest of the band in the next street.

2013

But this is an international festival and an honour to be asked, though I do wonder why Hedda continues to put up with us, given that our tunes get so scrambled up. However they do make good pictures.

2014

Anyway we are here April 4th 2015. We have as many leaders as we have Sparrows I.e. two of each so have invited a few Foxwood and Steel Rising to help us out and ex-Sparow Yi Bai who seems to be an infinite guest.
 

We were a trio

 

then a quintet

 

then a sextet

We are me (Victoria), Bex, Ash, Millie C, Sophie, Vicky, Wanda, Kirsty and Yi Bai. We are in the cold sunshine of Victoria Gardens opposite the railway station, and we park the van where we played. Wish that could be true in Leeds (you ever played Briggate?).

 

 

then we are a steel band 2015

 We play mostly Leeds Pan Central songs and then throw in some Sparrows-only ones. Ooo! Tricky. Everyone's asking what's in Bflat minor even though we've been playing it in Clocks for years.

 

 

(Another tutor once told some of my players when confronted by an out of tune Bflat [note], that it was okay cos "Victoria doesn't use B flat." just thought I'd throw that in. It didn't do lasting damage, and is a regular comedy moment).

 

Leeds Silver Steel Sparrows are a City of Leeds Youth Music ArtForms steelband.

Leeds Silver Steel Sparrows and Foxwood Steel play Harrogate International Festival of Music and Performing Arts

waiting to play

So Debs, this is a gig I thought the Sparrows would jump at, but no. It's Easter and Sparrows are jumping elsewhere. Duke of Edinburgh awards, holidays proper, and mostly trying to avoid marching! What, I hear you say!

Yorkshire Sculpture Park 2013

Harrogate 2013

London Notting Hill 2006

 

 

In vain do I discuss the thrills of Notting Hill carnival, walking down Ladbroke Grove as part of a 40 strong Nostalgia marching band.

 

 

 

 

London  Notting Hill 2012

 

 

London Notting Hill 2012
 

All they remember is the discomfort, the bad backs, tripping off the kerb and into concrete bollards, trying to catch up with each other and the band before and only playing 3 or 4 chord songs for hours on end, and at no point ever being in time with each other.



Here's some pics of previously marching [Harrogate, Yorkshire Sculpture Park and Notting Hill]: 

Well, Debs, isn't that the best bit?

Anyway, I change it to static only, and ask Foxwood for support, and bless them, they turn out in their 6 and 1/2. Obviously Varshika has her arm in a sling - again! This just means she plays bass and Ashley is our drummer.

 

A man buys our CD, says it'll be something for him to listen to while he does the ironing. That's random, and very precise.

In the end we were Millie C, Millie S, Ashley, Claudia, Charlotte, Amy, Varshika, Vicky, Sophie, Georgia and me. And I don't know where Trish had disappeared to [hope it wasn't dangerous or illegal!] to get these fabulous aerial shots, but they are so Lowry. Just look at those shadows. Love 'em.

 

Walking back from Burley Park Station, I found the back alleys of Hyde Park [Leeds] quite full of families playing cricket. I sneak a photo. See below.

 

 

Leeds Silver Steel Sparrows play Harrogate International

Well, Debs, spring has not yet sprung.

It is bitterly cold, but the sun is shining when we take to the trains and cars to reach the Harrogate International Festival of Performing Arts.

Taking on gigs over the Easter weekend is always tricky. Our numbers are depleted so Bex, James, Sophie and Vicky have agreed to join Nat, me and the gang.

The parents who thought they were just coming to applaud and take photos found themeselves waving flags. Waving Flag was our best song and the Kenyan girls sang along with us when we played that.

Sparrows were Georgia E, Danii, Millie S, Claudia, Peter, Antonio.









Parents and siblings were Sarah, Jonathan, Wendy, Jeanette, Bernard, Sarah, Jonathan, Rosie, Trish.

We only marched for 25 minutes, so after we finished we sat on the corner of the street and played some more.

Leeds Silver Steel Sparrows play Harrogate International Festival of Performing Arts, and Victoria and Daisy get a bit older

Now then Debs, it should be the Easter "break", but now we have the small matter of the Harrogate International Festival, and all my family's Easter birthdays. Did I say "small"!

Monday: Down the Brudenell Social first to raise a glass to me and Daisy. We were Cherie, Liz, Bex, Natalie, Gig, Danny, Katie and Vicky. And Rick!

: Lionel comes up from London toattend a conference which is actually on Wednesday next week. As you do.

A few Sparrows were able to gather at West Park to show Lionel how it's done in Leeds . [Lionel is band leader for Nostalgia, London marching band that finished my knees off a few years ago at Notting Hill Carnival]. Available Sparrows were Millie S, Ashley H, Evie, and leaders: me and Bex.

After that we took the cello pans and two sopranos down the steps to collect the day after; and I went to Daisy's to eat cake, Rick took Lionel to Beckett Park so he could cycle round where he studied his B Ed; I went to pick up my mother from the dentist, only by the time I found out where the dentist was, she'd taken a taxi home; I called on her . . . . .

I made Daisy a cake; took Lionel back to the station, and then back to Daisy's . . . well, it was a long day.

On Saturday Amy, Ashley and Evie got the one minute to at Leeds City; me, Bex, Varshika, Millie C, Millie S, Nyla, Nina, Maisie and Joe got the same train at Burley Park at two past the hour and then Sophie jumped on at Horsforth a few minutes after that. [I left my bag on the platform; Nyla picked it up and put it on the train - even before I had time to feel sick about leaving all the music, spare sticks and diary of everything. . and whatever.

We watched a German brass band in the square opposite the station in Harrogate: same square that we had played in two years ago, walked down to the Royal Hall, met Rick and the van, Fehmina appeared, loaded in, set up, had a cup of tea, [looked up to see the band looking in the cafe window] did a sound check, went for chips, did the show. Got moved from ending first half to starting second half. And thus got to see the band from China. Thus went from 8.40 train home to getting the 10.40. We said, if the other bands can come all the way from Canada and China, then we're sure we can manage a late train back to Leeds.

We were on form, on fire even; and the Chinese band was mesmerising.

Would have slept most of Sunday, but we were to play at Notre Dame for Gateway Church.