Enfield Brass performed at the Barossa Band Festival on Saturday, 26 October – the band’s first appearance at the event since its centenary in 2010.
The format of the festival changed this year from the traditional contest programme to an entirely entertainment-driven cabaret. For the duration of the festival we adopted the persona of the Blues Brothers, sporting suits complete with hats and shades.
MD Shayne Tarling and Drum Major Phil Benger before the street march
All of our musical selections came directly from the 1980 movie, kicking off with Theme from Peter Gunn on the street march.
The cabaret performance opened with Solomon Burke’s Everybody Needs Somebody, swiftly followed by Gimme Some Lovin’ by Spencer Davis Group. Bass trombonist John Rofe featured on Cab Calloway’s Minnie the Moocher then each section of the band had its chance to shine on Musical Director Shayne Tarling’s arrangement of the Elvis Presley hit Jailhouse Rock. Then Sweet Home Chicago by blues legend Robert Johnson featured solos by Ashleigh Ellis on horn, Jason Chatterton on euphonium and Michael Smith on cornet before resident songstress Ashleigh Ellis took us out with Shake A Tail Feather.
Enfield Brass as the Blues Brothers onstage at the Barossa Band Festival
Our performance was very well received by the audience, who were clapping and singing along the whole way… and even called for an encore! In the end we came runner-up (by a single point) to Trinity College Senior Concert Band.