Conductor: Ben Dixon
Anvil Concert Hall
Basingstoke
Sunday 29th September 

Basingstoke’s Anvil Concert Hall has a fine acoustic, making it a favourite stop-off for some of the UK’s finest orchestras. Few though will also have added the sound of a full audience for their visits as Grimethorpe did here.

It’s testament to their enduring appeal that there was a palpable buzz of anticipation before a note was blown, added to by a surge of applause as their new Musical Director Ben Dixon took his first bow of what was to be a highly enjoyable concert.

Christopher Bond’s terrific opener, ‘Soaring the Heights’  was packed with adrenaline surge and neat choreography before Karl King’s ‘Barnum & Bailey’s Favourite’  was whipped through with detail and dynamic changes.

Cultured rendition

Jamie Smith’s cultured rendition of ‘My Love is like a Red Red Rose’  touched the heartstrings of everyone in the auditorium, before Shostakovich’s ‘Festive Overture’  drove the pulse rate skywards in an exhilarating account. To hear brass instruments replicating the string and woodwind of the original was impressive indeed with the neatest off beats and side drum pushing the music along. It was a joy to hear.

To hear brass instruments replicating the string and woodwind of the original was impressive indeed with the neatest off beats and side drum pushing the music along. It was a joy to hear.

Chris Gomersall’s ‘Someone Like You’  liquid trombone solo was added to by the warmth of the ensemble tonality in ‘In Love for Me’, although it was a pity Helen Varley’s quicksilver horn playing on Haydn’s first ‘Cello Concerto’  was somewhat hidden in the depth of the accompaniment scoring. 

The half was rounded off with a technical tour-de-force Strauss ‘Czardas’  to lead the enthused audience into an interval spending spree on merchandise.  

Frosty

The second half opened with the frosty, if somewhat quick paced sounds of ‘Winter’  from Vivaldi’s ‘Four Seasons’  before Mark Glover excelled on the classic ‘Varied Mood’  euphonium showcase – the humour just right.

The famous miners’ hymn ‘Gresford'  offered warmth and feeling, before ‘Ol’ Man River’  was upbeat and driven – although the drum-breaks occasionally seemed forced into place due to the tempos.  

No Grimethorpe programme would be complete without the ‘Brassed Off film references, with ‘Londonderry Air’,  Gareth Owen’s lushly played ‘Concerto de Aranjuez’  and Fucík’s ‘Florentiner March’  all familiar and polished without sounding too stereotyped. 

Audience choice

No Grimethorpe programme would be complete without the ‘Brassed Off film references, with ‘Londonderry Air’,  Gareth Owen’s lushly played ‘Concerto de Aranjuez’  and Fucík’s ‘Florentiner March’  all familiar and polished without sounding too stereotyped. 

The audience choice between ‘Procession to the Minster’  and ‘William Tell’  was overcome with the band playing both (much to everyone’s delight) to bring to a close a wonderful afternoon of entertainment on an unashamedly populist programme from an unashamedly popular band.

Fiona Bennett and John Heritage