The Sandwell Arts festival has got underway with vibrant performances on the streets of West Bromwich by the Bombay Baja Band and with Al Bowlly’s Croon Manifesto’s first performance at West Bromwich Town Hall.

On Wednesday, the Brass Band attracted a large and appreciative crowd, inspiring people to join in the dancing whilst the drums and brass of the musicians resounded of the walls.

Meanwhile down the road in the Town Hall, Untied Artists were setting up for their performance on Thursday. As usual it was everyone mucking in, getting the set up and preparing the hall. As well as the company and BCT, Trudy from Sandwell Social Services’ creative arts team and Sharon from Sandwell Third Age Arts were down there, adding to the atmosphere with bunting and table cloths.

The first performance on Thursday was a joyous event. Dawn Parker and the company had been working with dancers from the Performance Arts group so they could perform in the show – and some of their group also provided additional stewards.

The show eventually got underway as the mellifluous tones of Jake and the band ran through the show and the major hits of Al Bowlly himself, including a lovely version of Buddy Can You Spare a Dime – a tune that may come back into fashion with all the cuts that are happening today.

In the audience were people who had been brought up with Al’s tunes and even a woman whose mother and aunty had known Al.

It finished off with a tea dance where the band played on and the audience took to the floor – even Natalie from BCT got involved.

It was a lovely afternoon, whose setting really matched the period feel. It felt like the Town Hall knew what was going on and what it’s role in the whole thing was – and it did it beautifully, the show perfectly suiting its location. We were all like ghosts from another era floating through the space.

Steve Johnstone