Welcome to the ‘Official’ Web site of the City of Southampton (Albion) Band.
We are a brass band based in Southampton that rehearse at the Swaythling Neighbourhood Centre, just below Broadlands Road. Parking is available in the centre’s car park, via Hampton Park Way just off Broadlands Road. The postcode is SO17 3AT.
We are available for hire for all sorts of fetes, weddings, reunions and other events. Please contact our secretary for information on how to hire us.
We rehearse every Monday evening, Practice starting at 7.30pm, until 9.30pm.
We always make new players welcome, even if they are just visiting the City. If you are interested in coming along then drop us a line. We are particularly looking for cornet and percussion players at the moment.
The City of Southampton (Albion) Band was founded in 1920, and since then it has been part of the City’s heritage, cultural, and community scene playing at the Dell, (Southampton Football Club’s old ground ) for over forty years and at leading local events such as Remembrance Day, VE and VJ Day parades and at the FA Cup Final celebrations in 1976. 2016 marked the 40th Anniversary of this event and the band helped to recreate the experience on 1st May.
For 2024 we undertook our first “themed” concert in March playing music from the movies. As well as concerts in and around the Southampton area, the band often travels further afield to sunnier climes and in June 2024 the band did a tour of the Algarve, Portugal playing concerts at Portimao, Ferregudo and Carvoeiro.
During 2025 we will be playing a spring concert of TV Themes in March, concerts at Romsey Bandstand, St. Michael’s Church for the Master Mariner’s Thanksgiving Service, various events for VE day, a return to Alresford Show and various Christmas concerts.
Nick Dawson, the Band’s Director of Music, has been its conductor since 1993 and gained his earlier experience in the 1980’s with Roger Swift, Director of Music at Knellar Hall and with Jerry MacCall of the Coldstream Guards.