Hornblower
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Strangest gig?I've been thinking for a while about starting this thread as I'm sure there are some places or gigs that will have stuck in serving and ex-bandies memories...
The strangest place I've done a beat retreat was in Broadmoor secure hospital. I'm pretty certain there will have been some other forumites there at the time with better memories than me, but I do remember a secure gate electrically opening for us to march into the compound to do the gig.
It felt strange knowing that Reggie or Ronnie (whichever one of them was there at the time) might have been watching.
Anyone know why we were there on that one? 
Let's see your dits then... 
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joe90
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Re: Strangest gig? | Hornblower wrote: |
Anyone know why we were there on that one? |
The ancient adage ' Nutters, Hatters, Kids and Flys' seems to ring a bell!! 
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admin
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Which band was that with HB?
We did a gig at a blind school once and all wore rig... they were a really appreciative audience as well
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Hornblower
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| admin wrote: | | Which band was that with HB? |
Fleet - but I don't remember whether it was my first time round or post-BRNC second stint.
I was hoping that someone else who was there would help out which is why I didn't commit myself. (Commit myself - geddit? Ah, forget it) 
Wish I could black cat you Deli and tell you we did a gig at a deaf school...
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RAB
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Re: Strangest gig? | Hornblower wrote: |
. I'm pretty certain there will have been some other forumites there at the time with better memories than me, |
Yes I remember it well matey.....
But I was released in 1998 with a clean bill of health...
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mrbassbone
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The strangest gig I was involved in was a ship arrival ceremonial for a Diving Barge while stationed with the Pacific Fleet Band in Pearl Harbor. The barge set some world record and we were on hand to play when it was towed in by a tug.
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Jim Mason
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In the 70,s the Royal Yacht was touring the South Pacific Islands, and we called at a small island in the Solomons Group. I was asked by the resident Roman Catholic priest if the band could go ashore and play in the village (the only only). I asked them to provide something to sit on and we duly arrived in a jungle clearing to find a couple of benches and a few tree trunks.
A crowd of about 200 arrived and gathered around the band, and the priest explained who we were and what we were doing. The music was well received but after a while I realised that some of the band were a bit uneasy. One of the musicians said to "Have you had a close look at the audience?"
We were in a leper colony.
I have never seen so many musicians sit so close together, before or since!
Jim
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MrJpig
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WAAAAAAAAAH greta dit Boss...good to see you back
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MrJpig
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I remember a couple of gigs on a big grey ship playing to a lot of men passing boxes and bags in a big line...that was bizarre 
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admin
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| Jim Mason wrote: | | We were in a leper colony. |
You couldn't write comedy like that! I take it you didn't drop your hand to bring the band in 
Great to see you back Col.
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Hornblower
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I too am pleased to see you Col Jim.
I'm sure I'm not the only one to have been worried about you.
I hope you're in good health.
Keep those dits coming!
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2nd Clarinet
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| Hornblower wrote: | | admin wrote: | | Which band was that with HB? |
Fleet - but I don't remember whether it was my first time round or post-BRNC second stint.
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Second time around HB or else I would have remembered that one!
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bootybandy
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| MrJpig wrote: | | I remember a couple of gigs on a big grey ship playing to a lot of men passing boxes and bags in a big line...that was bizarre |
On the Hermes in 1974, the band under the baton of Chris Kelly was nearly decapitated as the RAS wire between the Hermes and it's RFA snapped. There was a lot of brown adrenelin flowing after that.....
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admin
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Adrenelin eggs rolling everywhere... 
There was the county show where they sent the band on because it was too wet for the prize bulls 
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2nd Clarinet
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| admin wrote: | Adrenelin eggs rolling everywhere...
There was the county show where they sent the band on because it was too wet for the prize bulls |
I and many more of us did a couple of those in Fleet Band.
Oooooooo. weren't we lucky! We just happened to have our capes with us......
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admin
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The Milton Keynes bowl gig where the audience outnumbered the conductor by 2 and one of them was in a pushchair... asleep! Needless to say, we did the march on followed by the march off!
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2nd Clarinet
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| admin wrote: | | The Milton Keynes bowl gig where the audience outnumbered the conductor by 2 and one of them was in a pushchair... asleep! Needless to say, we did the march on followed by the march off! |
Cat IV?
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General Melchett
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We once (Scotland Band) did a gig in the middle of the rain forest to some natives in Guyana - My, how they loved the Pure Gold books and Tunes and Toasts! The booty driver was so worried that he kept the engine on the 4 tonner running......
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joe90
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| bootybandy wrote: | | MrJpig wrote: | | I remember a couple of gigs on a big grey ship playing to a lot of men passing boxes and bags in a big line...that was bizarre |
On the Hermes in 1974, the band under the baton of Chris Kelly was nearly decapitated as the RAS wire between the Hermes and it's RFA snapped. There was a lot of brown adrenelin flowing after that..... |
Same thing happened on the Ark in 1970/71 except it took some unfortunate matelot's eye out. Not pretty.
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Hornblower
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Would someone who went 'Down South' in 1982 like to recount the story of marching off a landing craft in full No 1's?
I'd love to hear it again and let others share it too. I wasn't there, so I'll leave it to someone who was - any takers?
In the event of nobody being able to spin the dit - use your imaginations folks, it was as funny as you can imagine... (Well it was when it was told to me at any rate)
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General Melchett
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That has also been done by Scotland Band off an LCVP from Fearless in '94. Not in No1's, just Banyan Rig for a Ship's Company BBQ on Tobago. The Beach recce wasn't too good as the march off the ramp ended up a good swim to the shore. I'll see if I can dig out some phots.
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Hornblower
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Cool!
I'd have loved to have seen it, but unfortunately my 3 week holiday in Tobago wasn't until 1996 
Great place and I'd go again. 
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MrJpig
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There was the time in Gib when we got a 'lift' from Booty in his RIB due to the bus strike at the docks. Full Cerries holding onto whatever we could as we bounced across the harbour to HMS Invincible (I think) then we nearly lost Bandy when he slipped on the pontoon and nearly went between it and the harbour wall......who was that Bandy??
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bootybandy
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| MrJpig wrote: | | There was the time in Gib when we got a 'lift' from Booty in his RIB due to the bus strike at the docks. Full Cerries holding onto whatever we could as we bounced across the harbour to HMS Invincible (I think) then we nearly lost Bandy when he slipped on the pontoon and nearly went between it and the harbour wall......who was that Bandy?? |
I don't know who that Bandy was.....buuuuuttttttt. Geoff Hill did the same trick in Istanbul between the jetty and a pontoon. Nearly lost him in the Bosphorus. (Very strong current). He was the VBI on Bulwark at the time when the Ark band was deployed as well.
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Jimbo
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I did a gig with BRNC band a few years ago in a pukka ancient Roman Colliseum, in Pozzuoli just outside Naples. Changing grots were just 'rooms' under the seating area, dusty as hell, redders and looking like it would fall down at any moment.
Still, we followed the gig with an all nighter/dayer and ended up adopting a stray dog, which we called 'Fish' - he followed us around all night and day, we even smuggled him on the tube train and took him for a ride! hehe
Couldnt get him into the NATO barracks though, you should have seen his sad little face as we left him at the main gate to go and get some quality head own ... aaaaaaahhhhhhh  
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Mac Magill
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I was on that gig as well Stu. We done the Crowthorne carnival and then went on to Broadmore. I would like to know who accepted that gig (probably Riv's Howgill)
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mrbassbone
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The Mantovani Orchestra several years ago and before my stint did a performance in St Augustine, FL at the School for the Deaf and Blind. The average age in the audience was dead as one could tell by all the blue hair and clacking teeth. The orchestra sat down and the conductor walked in...I believe it was Barry Knight at the time. He bowed to the audience and turned back to deliver his downbeat. As his baton came down...someone in the back of the crowd said "I bet they all have AIDS".
Needless to say...the orchestra did not make the downbeat as they were all rolling with laughter....
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jackbarker
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Anyone remember the Malvern three counties show? The beer tent was selling EKU billed as the strongest beer in the world. It was in the Guinness book of records. Certain members of BRNC sampled this brew to excess.
Im not 100% sure but I think it was Aggy Willis who was found getting into rig for a third time. He didnt remember going on for the second show at all.
Oh Happy days.
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admin
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I did hear dits about that gig Jack... I think it was from you in the Deal coffee boat!
Legendary gigs... spin the dits chaps
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Eric Hayward
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Way back in about'63 we in 3rd Cdo Bde Band were for a period of about three months in Aden and Staff Bandmaster Joseph Dickson Place decided that we should play for the locals. The venue was way out in the desert at a place called I think 'Sheik Othman' and we set up in what could only be desribed as a cemetary in the corner of which were two palm trees. With an audience of about a dozen very shifty looking bods. Apart from the usual MILBand selection one number always stood out. That was 'In A Monastery Garden' with of course bird calls from behind the palm trees played expertly by Pete House. Stones were thrown in our direction when we departed.
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David Duxbury-Williams
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I remember back in the early 70's Ganges band used to do a Christmas Concert in a 'Special School' only they weren't called that then.
One time during, I think it was during the Post Horn Gallop, two of the inmates decided to get amorous on the balcony and were soon joined by several others. The Christmas singalongs proved to be interesting when the 'Choir' joined in.
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Wee Mac
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| Hornblower wrote: | Would someone who went 'Down South' in 1982 like to recount the story of marching off a landing craft in full No 1's?
I'd love to hear it again and let others share it too. I wasn't there, so I'll leave it to someone who was - any takers?
In the event of nobody being able to spin the dit - use your imaginations folks, it was as funny as you can imagine... (Well it was when it was told to me at any rate) |
Just spotted this thread but better late than never.
It wasn't Commando Forces Band, we did not take Cere's, unless it was during the families trip in 1983?
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Wee Mac
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During a trip to Hamburg on the Illustrious with Pompey band in 1987, The Bandmaster, Roger Jones, informed us that he had organised a gig at a local hospital. When we arrived at said hospital, there was a big sign glaring at us,
KRANKENHOUSEN. It was like performing in a scene from "One flew over the Cuckoos Nest".
The band was quite safe, as they were on a high stage. The buglers had to march on from the rear of the hall and take up the usual position at the front. It was a bit unnerving during the drum static, as the inmates started to get closer and closer. As rank had its privileges, I had positioned my self at the rear of our little formation, all four of us. Steve Quirk was in front and I could only imagine his fear, as the drooling inmates etc, started to paw at his drum. He must have been so relieved, when the men in white coats took them away. Maybe it was Karma, for asking Roger to play "God rest you gerry mental men"
we got paid though. Loads of beer and Wursts galore.
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Hornblower
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| jackbarker wrote: | Anyone remember the Malvern three counties show? The beer tent was selling EKU billed as the strongest beer in the world. It was in the Guinness book of records. Certain members of BRNC sampled this brew to excess.
Im not 100% sure but I think it was Aggy Willis who was found getting into rig for a third time. He didnt remember going on for the second show at all.
Oh Happy days. |
Hmmmm - that must have been a different one to the one where you, me, Steve Shutt, Taff Hedditch and Steve Dennis were banned from the Guinness tent - by the Guinness staff! (That made a change from the boss banning us...)
Happy days indeed
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Hornblower
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| Wee Mac wrote: | | Hornblower wrote: | Would someone who went 'Down South' in 1982 like to recount the story of marching off a landing craft in full No 1's?
I'd love to hear it again and let others share it too. I wasn't there, so I'll leave it to someone who was - any takers?
In the event of nobody being able to spin the dit - use your imaginations folks, it was as funny as you can imagine... (Well it was when it was told to me at any rate) |
Just spotted this thread but better late than never.
It wasn't Commando Forces Band, we did not take Cere's, unless it was during the families trip in 1983? |
I think it was Tiny Taylor who spun the dit and he made it sound very funny.
Come on! SOMEONE must have been there...
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Wee Mac
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In the early 90.s, when Jim Rider was DoM, we at FOP band did, a concert IN Dartmoor Prison, for the INMATES. That was bad enough but as it turned out, the captive audience turned out to be the segregated "Cons", Sex offenders etc.
Kev Snoddy, was told to feign illness and faint, during the CoD display, so that one of the pervs could take his place. You should have seen Snods panic, as there was a sudden rush of deviants to assist him and give him mouth to mouth.
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Pompey Rich
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That's very interesting, Mac seeing a Kev Snoddy's father was a prison officer. He used to work here on the IOW but ended up in the West Country somewhere. Probably retired now (lucky sod).
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Ginge Deary
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In the late sixties I was on a gig with the Staff Band at a county show.
The rain was coming down in bucketfuls.
The organisers decided the weather conditions were too bad for the prize bulls to be paraded in the arena.
Unfortunately for us we still had to perform a Beat Retreat – knee deep in mud and soaked to the skin!
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medrummer
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My strangest gig was when playing with Dee Lindars in the German oompah band at Deal. Someone from Dover Council thought it would help cement relations with the French if they booked us to play in Calais!
Not only were we pi$$ed because of the ferry hospitality, Dee also included his version 'da fuhrers face' and Riggo wore his nazi helmet..
Some of the locals took offence and we were whisked back on the coach tut suite ...who in their right mind would book a 'german band' to play in France.. we didn't even consider turning down the gig because the money was too good.. anyways, escaped with the fee, a shed load of duty free and a hangover!
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Eff
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I remember a gig in Malta at some kind of hospital, (maybe a geriatric hospital, I also remember some concern as the residents were making us sarnies!) with BRNC band in 95 I think, but behind the band on the stage they'd put up big neon letters spelling out the capitals of Victory in Europe Day, unfortunately I think they missed something in the translation as we sat down for the concert with the initials VD in big letters behind us!
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Wee Mac
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| Pompey Rich wrote: | | That's very interesting, Mac seeing a Kev Snoddy's father was a prison officer. He used to work here on the IOW but ended up in the West Country somewhere. Probably retired now (lucky sod). |
I think he was at Portland Prison ?
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Mr Bass Trombone
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Dogs Stu andJoe90 and others of course, can you remember???? that gig we did one year at Kiel Wocke which involved marching through woods to where??? and what was the purpose of the gig even DD found it funny never did know, answers on a postcard please.
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ivorsouth
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Hi Mike and others. I remember that but not the year though. Apparently Pete Sumner arranged the gig because he thought that we might be getting bored with nothing to do. I don't recall marching through woods but arriving by coach somewhere in the wilderness and the only reason we ended up not doing the gig was because it actually started to rain. It was much to the annoyance of one of our hornists, "Blue" Taylor, who had dutifully left the coach to set up his stand and banner etc.., I,m guessing at the year being somewhere around 1973/74. Take care all, Ivor South.
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Hornblower
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Blimey!
If I could remember all the gigs I did with Fleet, I'd probably be dribbling in a cell right now...
I do seem to remember what you're on about MBT, must have been when we stayed at Plon where the German Navy CPO's did their training - what a fantastic place eh? I loved it there, especially Lottie's Bar. I even liked the food, until they gave us yoghurt soup - that was a little OTT!!
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2nd Clarinet
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Remember it well..........not that well actually, but I remember bits of it.
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