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Community concert band plans grand return performance

Murray Bridge's town band has not had many opportunities to perform during the COVID-19 pandemic, but that's about to change.

Peri Strathearn

Peri Strathearn

— 2 min read
Community concert band plans grand return performance

Performance opportunities have been limited for Murray Bridge’s town band lately, but its members hope that is about to change.

Murray Bridge Community Concert Band will present its first performance in six months at the John Dohler Hall at 2pm next Sunday, June 27.

Band president Les Smith said everyone was looking forward to it.

“COVID really mucked us about,” he said.

“We haven’t played (in public) since Australia Day.”

On the program for the Sunday afternoon show are hits from the jazz age to the 1990s, plus cameos from a quartet, a ukulele ensemble, a dance group and a magician.

Afternoon tea will be included in the cost of a ticket: $15 on the door, with children 16 and under free.

Band members Lyn Hawkes, Jack Love, Ben Daly and Les Smith are keen to get back on stage. Photo: Peri Strathearn.

Despite not having got on stage since January, some things have gone tremendously for the band this year.

The Murray Bridge council recently invested in a revamp of its rehearsal space at the Baden Powell Hall on Sixth Street, with new floors, lights, blinds and a new kitchen.

Until then it had looked much the same since the 1980s, according to a band member’s wife.

The council also granted the band $15,000 for new instruments in March.

That bought it a new baritone saxophone, French horn, drum kit and xylophone.

Mr Smith thanked the council for all its help.

However, he said the band was still on the lookout for more members.

Rehearsals are weekly on a Thursday night.

Some other community grant recipients

  • Callington Recreation Park: $1900 for cleaning products and a website
  • Christ Church Lutheran: $1900 for a Christmas tree festival
  • Employment Options: $2500 for the Pathfinder program, motivating young people to train and work
  • Energy Education Australia: $2500 for the L2P program
  • Foodbank SA: $4400 for air conditioning at its food hub
  • Habitat for Humanity: $7000 for its Studio Purpose youth housing project
  • Jervois Combined Sports Club: $2800 for a point-of-sale system
  • Longriders Christian Motorcycle Club: $3400 for heating and cooling at its clubrooms
  • Murray Bridge Community Centre: $5000 for a lockable storage area
  • Murray Bridge Weight Watchers: $900 for a weigh-in recording system
  • Murraylands Gymnastics Academy: $2600 for a defibrillator
  • Murraylands Homes for the Aged: $5000 for security cameras
  • Murraylands Community Men’s Shed: $2200 for water-wise garden beds
  • Mypolonga Combined Sports Club: $1900 for a rainwater tank
  • Operation Flinders: $2500 for an outback intervention program for young people
  • Soroptimist International Murray Bridge: $1500 for an International Women’s Day event
  • SA CWA: $900 for banners to be used in Murray Bridge Christmas Pageant
  • Teen Challenge SA: $5000 for emergency relief
  • Unity College: $5000 for motorised blinds at the Community Stadium
  • Wellington Progress Association: $5000 for signage, tree removal and path maintenance work at the Murrundi wetland

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