FOLLOWING on from last year's successful Swing Commanders show Grange-over-Sands Victoria Hall Support Group is putting on another fabulous fundraising concert.

On Friday, May 17 (7.30pm), The Carnival Band performs a fascinating blend of folk, world, classical and contemporary music styles in a kaleidoscope of instrumental and vocal colour, crossing continents, travelling through time, and bending the rules.

Catchy ballads, barn storming dance tunes and settings of text from the riotous pre-Lent carnivals of medieval Europe to the midwinter revelry of the Lord of Misrule, all figure in the band's rich tapestry of tunes.

The band have toured the UK appearing at festivals and performing in venues ranging from village halls to London's Cadogan Hall, and going global as far as Japan, with visits to Sudan and the Middle East for the British Council.

Among their 11 CDs are several recorded with first lady of folk, Maddy Prior. Recently they have recorded with an impressive list of singers, including Nancy Kerr, John Kirkpatrick and Vivien Ellis for a major project documenting the 100 most popular ballads of the 17th century.

Between them the band’s musicians have a track record in folk, contemporary, classical, baroque, medieval and Arabic music, and move effortlessly from one to another adding a sprinkling of rock, world music and theatricality for extra flavour.

They also undertake education and community work that embraces all ages.

From the vibrant blare of shawms, bagpipes and electric guitar to the seductive tones of Turkish clarinet and fiddle and the enchanting delicacy of the renaissance cittern, The Carnival Band mix and match their collection of more than 20 instruments, adding vocal harmony to create an astonishing range of sounds.

Tickets are available from Grange Information Centre on 015395-34026, open 10am-4pm.