After last night’s successful gig in the familiar environs of Thorpe Acre church, it was time for something a bit different this morning. I joined a small subset of the Charnwood Concert Bands’ membership and spent a couple of hours busking outside The Range. Money was raised towards band funds and a cancer charity and it went pretty well although I realised there were a number of pieces I should have transposed down for easier reading on the tuba.

Tuba was the instrument I took with me for this one although I still had to nip home after the first set for my battery pack. Instead of needing power for an amp, I spotted that the cold weather was causing my iPad’s battery to drop a lot faster than normal and, since I rely on that for my scores, that was important to rectify! I also hadn’t realised how much water would build up inside the first valve. After about an hour and a half, I began to hear gurgling and I was surprised by how much gushed out when I opened the release key!

That was my first time playing Christmas carols in public on tuba in a small ensemble. This evening, with yet another subset of the bands, will be a bit more familiar. I’ll have my electric bass, we’ll be in a pub (The Needle and Pin on The Rushes) and I’m stepping forward with a solo as part of the second half. Been there and done that kind of thing many times before although not with such a wind and brass heavy group.

Time to have some tea, get dressed up and head out.