Moonlighters Big Band [Jazz/Funk]

Sunday Evening, 24th May

• Doors at 6pm
• Performance from 7pm
• Two sets of music with an interval, food purchased separately
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Moonlighters Big Band

The Moonlighters Big Band is the auditioned big band of the University of Nottingham, featuring 18 talented young musicians. As part of the award-winning Blowsoc, the university’s wind, brass, and percussion society, the Moonlighters are a fully student-led ensemble. They play everything from jazz standards, swing tunes and classic big band charts to adapted arrangements of favourite pop, rock and electronic tracks, as well as hidden gems from the worlds of jazz and funk.

The band has had a busy and rewarding year, performing on campus in the University of Nottingham’s student union at Mooch Live, an incredible evening of music organised by Bandsoc. They have also performed in Blowsoc’s seasonal concerts, alongside the society’s many other ensembles. Gigs this year have also included various venues in Nottingham city centre, such as the Magic Garden Bar over the Christmas period and a guest performance at the ICCAs at the Squire Performing Arts Centre.

The band also had the exciting opportunity to have a recording session at the Nottingham Trent University’s studio in the Metronome. This was a thoroughly rewarding experience, as it has provided the band with high quality recordings and an opportunity to listen back to the results of their hard work.

A particularly entertaining gig was the Moonlighters’ collaboration with Nottingham Trent University during an event titled Battle of the Big Bands, where members of both ensembles gave their best performances of varied repertoire, engaging in lively call-and-response solos and raucous joint pieces, ultimately battling it out for the audience’s votes.

This year, the Moonlighters are led by their musical director and trombonist Sam Toth (a third-year computer science student), alongside their gigs manager and trumpeter Daniel Deane (a third-year engineering student) and band secretary Amelie Shaw (a third-year criminology student). The group is always a joy to watch, with their powerful energy, passionate soloists and high musical standard. The evident friendships and camaraderie among the members add a layer of laughter and charm to every performance.

The band performs at a variety of gigs, balls, and socials throughout the year. The highlight, however, is their annual showstopper at Peggy’s Skylight, where the venue is always packed to the brim with family and friends. It is a night that showcases their talent, stage presence and more challenging repertoire, ending the academic year with a bang!

Line-up:

Saxophones
Baritone saxophone – Ilyas Guermellou
Tenor 2 – Samuel Rowson
Tenor 1 – Frederick Jackson
Alto 2 – Tobias Scribot-Carter
Alto 1 – Arjun Chandrasekar

Trombones
Bass Trombone – Thomas Parker
Trombone 3 – Oliver Shouksmith
Trombone 2 – Sam Toth [Musical Director]
Trombone 1 – Matt Sandhu

Trumpets
Trumpet 5 – Anna Richardson
Trumpet 4 – Amelie Shaw
Trumpet 3 – Daniel Deane [Gigs Manager]
Trumpet 2 – Ed Gray
Trumpet 1 – Pawel Nieweglowski

Rhythm
Drums – Isaac Whitcombe
Keys – Harry Gokhale
Bass Guitar – Rebecca Dodworth

Vocals
Vocalist – Michelle Blit

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