‘Bold as Brass’ Salvation Army band to light up LightNight Liverpool at Metropolitan Cathedral

Members of The Salvation Army’s Liverpool Walton Band are poised to illuminate this year’s LightNight Liverpool festival on Friday, 18 May with a four-band, collective performance called Bold as Brass at the city’s Metropolitan Cathedral.

Taking this year’s festival theme of ‘transformation’ as its cue, the quartet of bands will be turning traditional brass music on its head with an eclectic mix of tunes; encompassing Lennon & McCartney classics, New Orleans jazz, baroque music and everything in between; as part of the free, one-night, city-wide arts extravaganza.

Described as a “collaborative soundscape” by its producer — and Liverpool Walton Salvation Army’s bandmaster — Peter Elliott; Bold as Brass opens with a performance by new group Incognito Brass Ensemble and features appearances from Allerton Brass and the Formby Band.

Liverpool Walton Salvation Army bandmaster, Peter Elliott said:

“We’ve been performing at LightNight since 2015 and every year is just as exciting as the last. It’s such a great opportunity to play music we wouldn’t normally play in some of Liverpool’s most iconic venues; to audiences who may have never heard a brass band sound.

“This year’s theme of transformation has given us the chance to show the wide range of styles that can be achieved with brass instruments, from early classics, to show tunes and pop standards.

Then we’ve included transformative tunes as well, like Amazing Grace which describes the transformation of a Christian conversion and also has the added element of its author, John Newton, who was transformed from being involved in the slave trade to a leading abolitionist.”

Bold as Brass by the Liverpool Walton Salvation Army Band takes place from 7pm until 9.30pm at Metropolitan Cathedral, Mount Pleasant, Liverpool L5 5TQ. The family-friendly performance is completely free to attend and full venue details are at Metropolitan Cathedral.

Visit the official LightNight Liverpool for the full festival itinerary.