Durham ready to get back into swing

A North East music festival is set to return this summer, bringing live performances and street entertainment to a city-wide audience.

Durham Brass Festival will once again take over the city’s streets on 18 and 19 July, with the popular Streets of Brass programme marking the event’s 20th anniversary.

Free daytime performances from leading international street bands will animate Durham’s historic centre, offering residents and visitors a lively weekend of music.

Alongside the street shows, Brass Boat Cruises will return to the River Wear, giving audiences a chance to experience performances from the water. 

Tickets for the cruises set to go on sale today (Friday, April 24). See here for more details.

The celebrations will continue into the evening with Party in the Park at Wharton Park, featuring a line-up of street bands performing in the amphitheatre.

Councillor Karen Allison, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for leisure, tourism, regeneration and high street, said: “Brass music is such an important part of the county’s heritage, providing a soundtrack to some of the most joyful and poignant moments in people’s lives and creating a sense of camaraderie and belonging among generations of musicians.

“Streets of Brass builds on this tradition but brings it right up to date, with a superb line-up of street bands performing the very best of 21st century brass music in a variety of genres.

“It’s all about bringing people together, while also delivering a welcome economic boost to local businesses, which will benefit from the increased footfall.

“Party in the Park is just one of the free open air concerts taking place as part of the festival this year.

“We will soon be announcing the details of our popular Brass Bash events, which will once again be returning to parks across the county.

“Watch this space!”

The street bands attending this year are:

• Diddy Sweg – blending disco, drum and bass, garage and beyond, the band delivers a surreal, high-energy performance filled with infectious beats and party atmosphere.
• Loud Noises – bridging contemporary brass music with high-octane, dancehall-inspired improvisation.
• Mr Wilson’s Second Liners – fusing New Orleans sounds with 90s club classics to get audiences dancing.
• Yorky Pud Street Band – mixing jazz, oom-pah and mash-ups with a New York busking flair.
• Girlesque – Italy’s first all-female street band, combining marching band sounds with a playful burlesque edge.
• Back Chat Brass – delivering pop, funk and hip-hop inspired performances with high-energy brass.
• Artistas del Gremio – a high-energy Spanish band known for interactive performances and crowd engagement.
• Brazen Brass Band – featuring leading female brass and percussion players from across the UK.
• Oompah Brass – specialising in lively brass covers of rock and pop classics.
• She’s Got Brass – a London-based all-female band blending hip-hop, house, UK garage and brass traditions.

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