Today, ***17th October is the Spanner Big Band’s Birthday!!*** Today in 2021 the band has reached the ripe age of 15!!! It all started at Tufnell’s in Tufnell Park. There were 22 charts in the pad and the room upstairs at Tufnell’s. Trombones were in short supply so the first get together included 1 trombone, a moog synthesiser and a second electric bass playing the trombone parts. I wish I’d recorded the session! When we were packing up the owner had me by the scruff of the neck up against a wall asking me what the f*** we were doing in his pub. I had been negotiating with his son and as far as I could tell, everything was fine… He calmed down eventually and we continued in that pub for a few months before moving to The Boston Arms, The Kings Cross Social Club, the pub down North Road, a long stay at the fabulous Cross Kings, a couple of weeks at The Oxford in Kentish Town (another one that was negotiated while the manager was away and didn’t go too well when we all turned up after his return), the ‘Round Midnight years and then finally our longest residency at The Gunners. Covid lockdown stopped the band in its tracks and there has been little going on since March 2020. The band has appeared in a number of videos and recently did a ‘live stream’ gig. This coming Wednesday 20th October the band will play live at The Gunners. Music starts at 8pm.
