Booking the Band

Introduction

The Kingsway Printers Cleethorpes Band is available for hire and could make music at your next event. The Band can offer a wide variety of music to match most occasions.

This guide has been produced to help you make a booking, tell you what you need to provide and some tips for events. Finally, a description of the type of engagements/music the Band has provided in the past may give you some ideas how we could make your event very special.

Contacting the Band

If you are interested in booking the Band in the first instance contact chairman@cleethorpesband.com or give me a ring on 01507 363240 with your name, contact landline telephone number, proposed date and time of the concert.

2011 Fees

The approxiamate cost of hiring the band is between £300 - £400. The costs vary depending on the type of event, location, music required and time. We try hard to keep fees to a minimum, particularly for community and charity events where we have helped organisations raise many thousands of pounds. All fees charged go towards the running costs of the band, players give their time freely. It costs a lot of money to run a band, a cornet costs over £1500 and a bass £10,000, music, uniforms and rehearsal facilities all have to be paid for. The funding for this comes from the fees we charge and from the members' monthly subscriptions.

What to Provide

The full band is made up of around 25 performers, including one or two percussionists.

A suitable playing area is required to accommodate the band. An area about 5m x 4m is fine, though we are prepared to be flexible and rearrange to fit in with differing configurations where size is limited. Requirements can be discussed at the time of booking.

Please provide seating, chairs without arms are best. The Band usually sit in a 'horseshoe formation' (i.e. 3 sides of a square) two rows deep.

Car parking should be provided and we will need vehicle access to nearby the stage area to unload the larger instruments and percussion.

It's nice to have a room where we can change into our uniforms and store instrument cases and coats.

To allow for the setting up of the playing area, at least 30 minutes in advance of the concert is normally required, preferably without the audience in place.

Light refreshments half way through a performance are always very gratefully received.

Timing

The band's busiest times are during the summer season and in the run-up to Christmas, you can check our schedule on the engagements page. Please book early and try to give us a few week's notice. Most of our players hold full time jobs so it is often difficult to get a band together during the working day.

To get the most from the band, a performance of one to two hours is normal. Less time than this often makes it less desirable for the band because of all the time and work required to put on a concert. When performing for longer than an hour, it is normal to give the band a break or interval. Two sessions of 40 minutes with a 20 minute interval is typical.

Outdoor Engagements

The open-air is a good place for a brass band in the summer, but it needs special attention.

From a practical point of view the ground needs to be level and firm. We often play on grass but it helps if chair legs don't sink into soft ground!

Even on a lovely day some form of protection from the wind and sun is appreciated to prevent music stands blowing over and shade the band. In case of rain there should ideally be an alternative indoor venue or some form of shelter, the band is unable to play outside in the rain due to the vulnerability of drums, uniforms and sheet music.

Please locate the band for the enjoyment of the audience and try to avoid areas of heavy activity, people love to sit and listen so please try and provide a few extra seats for the audience.

Past Engagements - Locations

The band is open to new ideas but here are some locations where the Band have already successfully performed both formal concerts and informal entertainment: -

Agricultural Shows
Beachcomber, Clubs and Pubs
Central Hall, Memorial Hall and various concert halls in the area
Churches and Church Halls
Cleethorpes Carnival
Community Centres
Festivals, Shows and Historic Events
Golf Clubs
Hotels
Local Parks and Bandstands
Medical Centres
Nursing Homes
Private Events (such as garden parties, birthday and anniversary celebrations)
Proms in the Park
Schools
Shopping Centres and Markets
Supermarkets
Theatres and Playhouses
Town Halls, Town Centres, Village Greens
Remembrance Parade
Village Fetes

Past Engagements - Music

The band music library is extensive and constantly being updated and added to. Music is selected by the Musical Director to match the occasion and audience; however we can tailor programmes to suit your 'theme'. The band has performed joint concerts with the Orpheus and other choirs and also with Leo Solomon and other guest soloists. Here are some ideas of the styles of music the Band have successfully performed: -

Big Band and Sinatra
Celebrations (birthdays, anniversaries, Grimsby Town cup winners)
Christmas Music and Carols
Classical and opera
Film music
Hymns
Last Night of the Proms (very popular)
Marches
Music from around the world
Nautical theme (Cleethorpes lifeboat launch)
Popular Music from Abba to Z..? Yes we can even play Bohemian Rhapsody!
Selections from Musicals
Sing-a-longs
St Georges Day
The 1940's
Traditional brass band music