Despite the lingering effects on bands abilities to hold rehearsals due to Covid-19 restrictions and guidelines, a hugely encouraging 74 contenders have entered the North West Regional Championships this year.
It is just four less than took to the stage in 2020 and offers a great boost to collective banding confidence in the region following the challenges of the past two years.
The event will take place at Blackpool's Winter Gardens on Sunday 27th February.
Qualification places
12 bands will compete for the two places in addition to Foden's automatic qualification for the National Finals at London by impressing the adjudication dup of Dr Robert Childs and Anne Crookston, who is the first woman to adjudicate the top section at the event.
The regional committee will be particularly heartened by the numbers in Sections 1-4, with 16 competitors in the Fourth Section, 15 in the Third, 17 in the Second and 15 in the First.
Championship Section:
Test piece: Contest Music (Wilfred Heaton)
Adjudicators: Robert Childs and Anne Crookston
The Opera House
Start: At conclusion of the Fourth Section
Blackburn & Darwen (Daniel Thomas)
Boarshurst Silver (Jamie Prophet)
Foden's (Russell Gray)
Leyland (Thomas Wyss)
Milnrow (John Doyle)
Oldham (John Collins)
Pemberton Old Wigan DW (Ben Dixon)
Rainford (Sarah Groarke-Booth)
Roberts Bakery (Paul Lovatt-Cooper)
Wardle Anderson (Brad McCulloch)
WEFL Fairey (Adam Cooke)
Wingates (Paul Andrews)
First Section:
Test Piece: Spectrum (Gilbert Vinter)
Adjudicators: Alan Morrison and Glyn Williams
The Empress Ballroom
Start: 11.00am
Accler8 (Jef Sparkes)
Ashton-Under-Lyne (Martyn Evans)
Bollington Brass (Peter Christian)
Eagley (Chris Wormald)
Eccles Borough (Marieka Gray)
Flixton (Matthew Ryan)
Freckleton (Matt Shaw)
Haydock (Mark Quinn)
Longridge (Mark Peacock)
Manx Concert Brass (Ian Clague MBE)
Marple (Stephen Curtis)
Middleton (Kevin Gibbs)
Mossley (Duncan Byres)
Old Hall Brass (John North)
Silk Brass (Tony Wyatt)
Second Section:
Test piece: The Aeronauts (Goff Richards)
Adjudicators: Mike Kilroy and Andrea Price
The Pavilion Theatre
Start: At conclusion of the Third Section
Allerton Brass (Adam Taylor)
Besses Boys (James Holt)
Besses o'th' Barn (Trevor Halliwell)
Blackpool Brass (Alan Seymour)
Cheshire Constabulary (TBC)
Delph (Phil Goodwin)
Diggle (James Garlick)
Eccleston Brass (John Wood)
Farnworth & Walkden (Paul Dalton)
Haslingden & Helmshore (Joshua Hughes)
Hazel Grove (Nigel Beasley)
Pemberton Old Wigan DW B (Jay Hall)
Pilling Jubilee Silver (Steve Hartley)
Poulton-Le-Fylde (Alexander Webb)
Tyldesley (Robert Taylor)
Uppermill (Jamie Cooper)
Valley Brass (Haydock) (David Chadwick)
Third Section:
Test Piece: Facets of Glass (Gordon Langford)
Adjudicators: David Roberts and Sheona Wade
The Pavilion Theatre
Start: 9.30 am
City of Chester (Ewan Easton)
Darwen Brass (Len Charnock)
Douglas Town (Ken Mitchell)
Formby (Louise Hough MBE)
Greenall's (Russell Prescot)
Greenfield (Denis Hadfield)
Hawk Green (Neil Hewson)
Hoover Bolton (Craig Mann)
Lostock Hall Memorial (Ryan Broad)
Rivington & Adlington (Malcolm Wilson)
Rode Hall Silver (Nigel Butler)
Sale Brass (Neil Venables-Greaves)
Skelmersdale (Benjamin Coulson)
Trinity Girls (Richard Evans)
Whitworth Vale & Healey (Alan Widdop)
Fourth Section:
Test Piece: Argos (Stephen Hodel)
Adjudicators: Nicholas Garman and Brian Rostron
The Opera House
Start: 10.00am
Blackley (Adrian Smith)
Brindle — Matthew Balson
Cadishead Public (David Holland)
Dobcross Silver (Jason M Smith)
Dobcross Youth (Seth Livingstone)
Golborne Brass (Joshua Hughes)
Littleborough (Joe Marsden)
Morecambe (Andrew Porter)
Onchan Silver (David Karran)
Port Sunlight Lyceum (Simon Hartharn-Evans)
Ramsey Town (Robert Quane)
Red Admiral Brass (Stuart Barton)
St. John's Mossley (Paul Towle)
Stacksteads (Frederick Bowker)
Stalybridge Old (Dave Chapman)
Thornton Cleveleys (Steve Tarry)
