At EUWB, we always finish our year of band with a European Tour. In the past we have visited Lille, Amsterdam, Bruges and Brussels to name only a few. Our most recent tour was to Luxembourg City! Tour begins with what we call pre-Tour, which involves nearly a week of socials, rehearsals, and finishes off with a concert.
During the last few years, the concert has been at the Ross Band Stand in Princes Street Gardens. Pre-Tour may be in Edinburgh, but it’s just as much fun as the rest of Tour. It starts off with ‘Beerienteering’, a day on which everyone splits into teams and completes challenges all across Edinburgh. This is probably one of the best socials of the year, and it is an incredible start to the trip!
The next couple of days involve some intense practice, where we play through all the pieces we are going to perform. Tour pieces tend to be a collection of EUWB favourites, including The Hebrides Suite, Stevie Wonder, and Instant Concert. The evenings during pre-Tour usually involve a quiz and a movie night, which are wonderful ways to catch up with everyone you’re going away with.
As mentioned above, pre-Tour ends with a concert, and then it’s time to pack bags, instruments, and an awful lot of food. Travelling might sound dull, but you obviously haven’t travelled with EUWB! As of the last few years, we have travelled from Newcastle to Amsterdam by overnight ferry, which is surprisingly comfy, and, even more surprisingly, a lot of fun. This is followed by more travelling to the city we will be based at.
We hope to see you join us on our tours to various European cities! Here are a few photos of our previous outgoings:
As you can see, our tours take us to some amazing places! Keep your eyes on the website and Facebook page for more details of how you can get involved next time!