Durham Brass Festival’s Bond themed opening act revealed

The band, that was founded in 1910, will kick off the week-long festival on Sunday, July 9 with a special themed James Bond set named ‘For Your Eyes Only: 70 Years of Bond with the Reg Vardy Band’.

Playing Sunderland’s Fire Station, the North of England Brass Champions will bring iconic 007 scores to life including music from Paul McCartney to Hans Zimmer.

Read more: Fat Freddy’s Drop to play Durham Brass Festival this summer

Durham County Council’s Cabinet Member for economy and partnerships, Cllr Elizabeth Scott has welcomed the act that will bring cinema classics to life.

She said: “With the warmer weather approaching and lighter evenings, now is the perfect time to look ahead to summer and the fantastic festivals and events we have to offer in the county, where Durham Brass is one of our calendar highlights.

“We are committed to delivering exciting events and cultural opportunities for everyone as part our ambition to make County Durham the culture county.

“From nights at the movies, Broadway performances, lively street musicians, and evenings with traditional brass bands, there really is something for all to enjoy in the line-up for Durham Brass.”

The festival will take place from Sunday, July 9 to Sunday, July 16 and is set to host a “full programme of lively street bands” with a jam-packed line-up.

This latest announcement comes as hit New Zealand band Fat Freddy’s job was announced as the first act of the festival in March.

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The band, which has delivered more than 1,000 performances in their career will play Gala Durham on July 10 after headlining shows across Europe last year.

The band have claimed fame across the world, with some of their credits including a performance at London's Alexandra Palace and the International Jazz Festival in Melbourne.

Tickets to see the Reg Vardy Band can be found here.