You can now enjoy a bit of brass band box-set binge watching thanks to a partnership between BrassPass, British Bandsman and Brass Bands England — with 8 hours of footage from the 2019 Denshaw Whit Friday contest.

The 2020 event was due to have taken place on June 5th, but understandably due to the Coronavirus pandemic the iconic contests were cancelled.

All 60 performances

However, BrassPass was on hand in 2019 to record all 60 performances from the Denshaw venue, so you can now settle back and enjoy them all on Friday June 5th, starting at 3.00pm. It will be available to watch for free on the BrassPass, British Bandsman and Brass Bands England Facebook pages and the BrassPass YouTube channel.

There are performances from the likes of Brighouse & Rastrick, Fairey and Hepworth as well as scratch bands such as Chav Brass and Bad Ass Brass, and a number of visiting ensembles. The coverage is hosted by Frank Renton.

For those unable to watch on the day, the stream will remain online for the rest of the weekend.

For those unable to watch on the day, the stream will remain online for the rest of the weekend4BR

Delighted

Martin Gernon, MD BrassPass, said: "We are delighted to share last year's Whit Friday coverage for free around the world. It's such an iconic event, we think it will give the whole brass band community a much needed lift in spirits. Running this in real time gives a brilliant atmosphere."

Adding to that, Kenneth Crookston, CEO of Brass Bands England, said: "The Whit Friday March Contest is one of the highlights of the banding calendar and we are delighted to support this project to ensure that people can savour its unique atmosphere from the comfort and safety of home."