The EverReady Band is a brass band based in North East England. Since 1958 the band has been nationally graded as a Championship Section band and has since won the North of England Brass Band Championships a record 36 times.
Originally formed in 1910 to provide recreational activity for the miners in the village of Craghead, County Durham, Craghead Colliery Band became known locally and nationally, ranking for many years in the top ten brass bands in the world.
In 1968, the Ever Ready company took over sponsorship of the band and gave the band a new home. Known as The Ever Ready Band, between 1972 and 1982 the band won eleven consecutive regional championship titles. “Ever Ready” totally dominated North East brass band competitions and became well known for high standards of musicianship and the now famous scarlet tunics were seen at major concert venues throughout the UK. The Ever Ready factory closed in 1992 and the Band became entirely self-supporting, whilst retaining the famous Ever Ready name in token only.
During March 2004, the band signed a sponsorship deal with the motor retailer, The Reg Vardy Group. Named The Reg Vardy Band, the band experienced a further period of success, achieving many more Northern Area titles. The band’s greatest achievement so far was gaining third prize at the National Finals at the Royal Albert Hall in October 2004, an achievement no other North East band has neared since. This led to the band being invited to represent England in the 2005 World Championships held in Kerkrade, the Netherlands, claiming fifth prize. Further success included winning the French Open Brass Band Championships in 2017.
Since the Reg Vardy sponsorship come to an end in 2023 the band is now entirely self supporting again and moved forward under a new name, The EverReady Band, with a nod to the past and a return to the name by which it is most widely recognised in brass banding circles.
The band has developed a reputation for its own unique style of concert in venues all around the North East, with eclectic programmes featuring music presented in a way not usually seen by brass bands.
Running time approx 2 hours including interval
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