World famous Grimethorpe Colliery Band celebrates 30 years of Brassed Off with cast at Royal Albert Hall
“We couldn’t have asked for a more fitting way to celebrate 30 years of Brassed Off”
A world famous brass band keeping historic traditions alive in the 21st century has celebrated the anniversary of a classic Barnsley filled with a “packed” performance at the Royal Albert Hall.
Actors Jim Carter, Tara Fitzgerald, Stephen Tompkinson, Melanie Hill and Philip Jackson joined 4,500 audience members at the renowned London concert hall on Friday, October 2, to watch the Grimethorpe Colliery Band celebrate the 30th anniversary of Brassed Off.
The band, joined by four musicians who appeared in the original film, played music to a live showing of the film.
The 1996 classic, starring Ewan McGregor and Pete Postlethwaite, tells the tale of miners united by music as their pits face closure.
Music was provided by Barnsley’s Grimethorpe Colliery Band, a world-class institution founded in 1917 that continues to attract a new generation of musicians.
“We couldn’t have asked for a more fitting way to celebrate 30 years of Brassed Off,” Sam Johnston, a cornet player with Grimethorpe Colliery Band, said
“To perform in a packed Royal Albert Hall, with so many of the original cast there and four band members who appeared in the film, was incredibly special.
“The response from the audience was overwhelming. It was a night that everyone will remember for a very long time.”
The actors in attendance, alongside writer and director Mark Herman and producer Steve Abbott, hosted a special pre-show Q&A to reminisce about the film’s production.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has listed Brassed Off as one of his favourite films, and the political comedy maintains a legacy as one of the most intimate looks at the effects of the coal mine closures on northern communities.
Since its release and incredible reception - including the Bafta-nominated soundtrack - Grimethorpe Colliery Band has continued to gain international acclaim, winning 12 Brass in Concert Championship titles, being crowned Yorkshire Regional Champions 11 times as well as becoming four time National Champion Brass Band of Great Britain winners.
In 2024, they even graced the stage of Glastonbury, playing alongside Coldplay to 125,000 live fans and 25 million TV viewers.
Locally, they maintain an important place in South Yorkshire’s culture, with an annual Christmas show at Sheffield Cathedral that has already sold out this year.
Throughout 2026, they have been hosting a number of performances to pay tribute to Brassed Off’s 30th anniversary, with the Royal Albert Hall performance marking the end of their celebrations.
The band paid tribute to conductor Ben Palmer during the show, thanking him for keeping them in perfect synchronisation with the film, and members of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, for joining them on stage for the landmark performance.
Following the concert, the band received an outpouring of messages from audience members, with one person saying: “I’ve never been to a better concert, never. Emotion as raw as when the film came out and more bittersweet than ever.
“Absolutely stunning performance. Well done to all, it was beyond belief,” another audience member added.
- RELATED: Throwback to nights out partying in Sheffield in early 2000s
- RELATED: What you can expect as Black Owned Markets returns to Cutlery Works
- RELATED: Sheffield artist launches fundraiser to replace stolen equipment
- RELATED: Popular band Keo announce headline 2027 show in Sheffield – how to get tickets (aff)