2013 at MSB

As part of a mini-refresh of the MSB website, we've decided to make the conductor's blog into our official newsfeed for the website, so this should be the place to find out the latest news from the band, although do check out our Facebook group and page for all the latest gossip as well.

Shaun indulges his James Bond fantasies at St Ives Waits in August

Band on a bus, Manea Gala in July

Since February we've had our first movie-concert-quiz night "A Night at the Movies" in Manea, park concerts in St Ives, Ely, Manea and Ramsey, three church services, two German nights, one bingo night and a musical tour of Manea on an open-top bus. That almost fits the words to "The 12 Days of Christmas". 

Speaking of Christmas, we're currently in the middle of our Christmas carolling schedule - see our calendar to find out where you can hear us this festive season!

Ely Jubilee gardens August

We've also performed as part of a massed Fenland area band at Ely Cathedral organised by our friends at Chatteris Town Band in aid of the East Anglian Air Ambulance.

It's been a year of changes. We welcomed our new conductor Shaun Pope in February and some new faces have joined us, as well as some more familiar ones who have returned to the band. Our Chairman Nic Paine has decided to step down from this position at the next AGM, but we would like to thank him for his sterling contribution in shaping the direction of the band over the last few years and hope he will remain a keen friend and supporter. 

Cambridge Daily News July 1951

We were saddened to hear of the passing of Stan Shadbolt in October. Stan, who was the principal cornet for Somersham Town Band deputised for almost every band in Cambridgeshire and was a familiar front row cornet at MSB concerts for as long as anybody can remember. 

Benwick Dickensian Market 2012

This cutting from a local newspaper shows Stan (second player from the left) playing with the junior players of Manea Band in 1951. Fast forward sixty years and this was Stan (far left) still playing with us at the Dickensian Market at Benwick in 2012.

The memorable German evening at Ramsey Mereside in October was the last brass band concert Stan played at. He will be greatly missed. 

We've still got our big end of year carol service at Manea to come and will be out and about in the area carolling right up to the big day; watch out for us at Chatteris Co-op, Ramsey Tesco and March Tesco in the next week.

Manea light switch-on 2013

Looking to the future, we have some exciting plans for concerts and events both in Manea and beyond for 2014, but as one of the Christmas pieces we've been performing says, "look to the future now, it's only just begun". Watch this space!