Black Dyke Band returned to live concert action on the weekend with an open air event held at Almondbury Wesleyan Cricket Club in Huddersfield.

Thankfully it was good English cricketing weather — with just enough cloud cover for a touch of musical swing as Director of Music Prof Nicholas Childs led the Queensbury Band through an easy listening programme.

Field placings

The enthusiastic audience was sat on the pitch in accordance with Covid-19 guidance — positioned every bit as expertly as Joe Root's field placings against the New Zealanders at Lords on the same day.

Meanwhile, the band was perched just outside the square leg boundary as they produced playing that culminated in an early 'Last Night of the Proms' climax of 'Jerusalem' and 'Land of Hope and Glory'.

Huge boost

Speaking about the concert — their first in over 15 months, Prof Childs told 4BR: "It was so good to be back and I have to thank the organisers for putting on such a great event — one that was meticulously organised within Covid-19 guidelines.

It also gave the band a huge thrill to perform in front of a great audience and to hear their appreciation for our efforts — it's given us a huge boost as we hopefully look forward to further events as rules allow."