Audience members at a recent performance of Ottery Silver Band in The Land of Canaan were blown away!

Even the rain couldn’t dampen the spirits of the performers who were playing in public for the first time in two years because of the pandemic.

Afterwards, the band’s chairperson Malcolm Lee said he was “chuffed to pieces”.

He added: “It has been such a long time not being able to play music together and to perform to the public and so we were very grateful to one of our members who supplied the marquee which enabled the band to play an hour's selection of music.”

And their performance was clearly appreciated by an audience who listened and called for more as they stood under trees and umbrellas throughout the showers.

“It was quite an emotional moment when the band started to play their first number,” added Malcolm.

The performance was even more poignant due to the fact that 2020 was the band’s centenary year and a special concert to celebrate the occasion had been cancelled three times because members were unable to rehearse due to the coronavirus outbreak.

“We had to do something that enabled the band to perform outside and being allowed to play in The Land of Canaan to an audience certainly gave members of the band a much needed lift,” said Malcolm.

The band have now got a new date of April 2 2022 for their centenary concert and are looking forward to putting on a programme befitting the delayed event.

Led by musical director Sally Bull, band members vary in age from 11 to “much older” and come from many different backgrounds.

The band is available for a variety of events such as fetes, arranged concerts, charity events, carnivals, church events, and Christmas concerts.

Rehearsals currently take place at The Station in Mill Street, Ottery, on a Thursday evening between 7.30pm and 9.30pm.

New players are needed for a number of vacancies. If you are interested in going along to a practice night contact Sally or Malcolm via the website at https://www.otterystmarysilverband.co.uk/contact/