THE weather smiled as music filled a quarry at a unique Proms concert on Sunday evening (July 28).

Lydbrook Band’s performance at Barnhill Quarry near Broadwell came two years after they were first invited to sample the stoneworks’ acoustics by their sponsors Forest of Dean Stone Firms Ltd, who own the site.

Appropriately, they played The Flintstones theme tune in 2017, and that sparked the idea of a ‘Last Night at the Proms’ concert there.

And two years on the dream became reality, as music lovers were thrilled to hear the naturally amplified sound of brass fill the superb amphitheatre of the working quarry.

The open air event was originally scheduled for the previous weekend, but due to bad weather it was rearranged to Sunday, which proved to be a fantastic summer evening.

A large crowd carrying their seats wound their way into the depths of the operational sandstone quarry for the concert, which ran from 6.30pm to 9pm when a fly by and fireworks created a fitting climax to the event.

The concert was sponsored by Forest of Dean Stone and the idea came from its managing director Nick Horton.

Lydbrook Band, conducted by Ian Holmes, were on tip-top form, entertaining the audience before being joined in the second half by soprano Josie O’Driscoll, who led the singing in all the Proms favourites.

These included I Vow to Thee My Country, Jerusalem, Fantasia on British Sea Songs, Rule Britannia and of course, Elgar’s Pomp & Circumstance – Land of Hope & Glory.

Other music included The Greatest Show, Post Horn Galop, Tritsch Tratsch Polka, The World’s Greatest Storyteller and Armenian Fire Dance, while the evening was linked together by compère Brian Jackson.

Lydbrook Band secretary Robert Morgan said the “Proms” had reached and gone beyond all of their expectations.

“I wonder if anything like this has ever been organised or achieved anywhere else in the country before,” he said.

“The venue was certainly unique and the buzz of excitement as the audience walked into the quarry was palpable.”

Forest Stone managing director Nick Horton said: “Since the sponsorship pro- mo performance in the quarry two years ago, I have wanted to host a proper concert in aid of Lydbrook Band.

“Yet the Proms concert exceeded even my expectations; the entire team delivered a unique event in a very unique setting.

“The music, atmosphere, audience, the fly by and fireworks just made it a very, very special evening, and one which I will never forget.

“I just loved it and rest assured, we will do it again sometime!”

To celebrate Forest Stone’s corporate sponsorship of Lydbrook Band in 2017, the players performed at the quarry complete with hard hats, hi-vis vests and wellies, and as well as The Flintstones, also played Land of Hope & Glory.

The stoneworks date back 117 years to the start of the last century, 21 years before the formation of the band.

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