A BAND is to celebrate 125 years of music with a millennium concert.

The Rushden Windmill Brass Band will perform at St Mary's Church Hall, in Rushden, on Friday, November 3, at 7.30pm.

It originally started as a drum and fife band in 1860, but 15 years later decided to become a brass band, in line with the trend of the time.

After a meeting at the old Rushden Temperance Hall, the Rushden Temperance Silver Band was born. Its reputation grew until the turn of the last century, when it was regarded as one of the best bands in the Midlands.

It regularly won second prize in national competitions, such as the 1903 Crystal Palace Championships and the 1908 Belle Vue Championships.

LOOKING BACK - the Rushden Temperance Band in 1951

In 1965 the Temps, as they became known, were named BBC Band of the Year, crowning a successful decade that saw regular high placings in the National and British Open Championships.

The name change to the Rushden Windmill Band happened in its centenary year of 1975, in exchange for being allowed to use the town's Windmill Club, in Glassbrook Road, for rehearsals.

Although in 1990 membership declined to just six, it has now picked up again and the band is raising money to buy new uniforms.

Percussionist Brian Harris said: "It will be a good concert, with traditional marches and music from films such as 2001, A Space Odyssey.

"We'll also being playing a piece that was specially written for us a few years ago called Rushden Festival."

Tickets for the concert are £3.50 and £2.50.