A local samba reggae drumming band have marked their 20th year in their own inimitable style.
Batala Lancaster are well known for their ‘adventure drumming’, and to mark their 20th anniversary, over the weekend 30 members of the tropp, joined by members of Batala Mersey, Batala Bangor, Batala Manchester and Batala Austria, carried their drums up from Kirkstone Pass to Stony Cove Pike, where they performed above the Lakeland Fells.
This was the band’s eighth mountain drumming adventure and a repeat of the hike the band first did in 2015 with 100 Batala drummers from around the world as part of the Batala Encontro.
Batala Lancaster’s mountain adventures first started in 2011 when members carried their drums 24 miles to drum at the top of the three peaks for charity. Since then, the band has completed six more challenges, including drumming at the top of Helvellyn and in the waters of Ingleton waterfalls.
Gordon Fletcher, who has been a member of the band since 2009 and has been the driving force behind the band’s adventure drumming, said: “We have become known in the Batala world for our drumming adventures, so we couldn’t let our 20th birthday pass without strapping our drums to our backs and climbing up a mountain to feel on top of the world as we celebrate amongst the swirling winds and clouds!’’
Later in the year, the band are performing at Lancaster Castle as part of Lancaster Music Festival and will be bringing their largest-ever band to the city.
More than 50 Lancaster drummers will be joined by Batala drummers from around the UK to form a 100-strong band. They have the honour of headlining World Music Day, performing at Lancaster Castle at 12:30 and 14:00.
Manda Johnson-Holme, a member of Batala Lancaster since 2006 and one of the anniversary event organising team, said: “We always enjoy playing at Lancaster Music Festival.
‘’It has an amazing atmosphere and is a brilliant event to be part of, but to be able to perform at the Castle and headline World Music Day on our anniversary year promises to be something really special.
We’d like to thank the Duchy and Lancaster Music Festival for allowing us to make this happen.”
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