THE idea was for a once only charity event - 12 years and 17 concerts ago. Now a permanent fixture on the town's cultural calender, this latest of the Wessex Heartbeat's Best Of British Brass nights brought a practically full house once again for the band who started it all, Yorkshire's ever bravura brilliant - accompanied by their latest enormous cup trophy to prove it - Black Dyke Band.

As conducted by the affable and persuasive CD salesman, Nicholas Childs, the programme ranged from traditional folk music and symphonic favourites to original brass compositions, and Sinatra swing. There was also a special tribute to one of the concert's founders, Jilly Hills, who sadly died earlier this year, with Handel Parker's moving hymn tune, Deep Harmony.

The numerous solo star turns included Sandy Smith's tenor horn delivering a gently falling Autumn Leaves, Joseph Cook on tuba with the high kicking Hebrew wedding dance number, Klezmorim, and Brett Baker's delightfully free spirited trombone, which would have swept Annie Laurie off her feet and on to the street.

Peter Graham's dynamic Torchbearer, and Paul Lovatt-Cooper's, Aaron Copland style Horizons, were among the impressive contemporary works, but for a showcase of the band's full force of the north hall-shaking power, Saint Saens' finale to his third organ symphony would be hard to top - awesome.