A film about Creswell Colliery Band’s past, present and future.

Commissioned by Junction Arts and Limestone Journeys, Underground Music is a collaboration between the band and local film-maker Ian Nesbitt. Charting the rise and fall – and rise again – of the band, set against the backdrop of the mining industry, it is an oral history of both Creswell colliery and the colliery band, told by band members past and present.

Filming took place in the latter part of 2012 and the premiere screening was held at the old Creswell Miners Welfare on November 28th, 2012.

The event, which featured a performance by the band, attracted a capacity audience and a great amount of interest in the local community. 100 DVDs were produced, and distributed to local libraries, Limestone House, members of the band and attendees at the event.

IAN NESBITT

Film-maker Ian Nesbitt approached the band following a commission by Junction Arts and Limestone Journeys – his brief was to make a film about the industrial heritage of the area, but within that he was given free rein. Having spoken to people in the village, it became clear to him that the band was something that people were passionate about. He came along to a rehearsal, and decided that the band was going to be the focus of the film.

The film was made over the course of several weeks with Ian filming in the bandroom, along with a session at the old Creswell colliery site. He filmed interviews with band members past and present, and spoke with other people connected with the colliery and the band including band president, Phoebe Williams, who recounted a number of events from the band’s history.

The photographs below show some of the filming that took place.

For more information about Ian, see his website at www.iannesbitt.co.uk

SENSORIA FESTIVAL

The film was shown as part of Sheffield’s Sensoria music and film festival in September 2013.

The screening took place at St Vincent’s, Solly Street, and was played to a full house with the band giving a short concert. Musical Director, Jeff Shaw, commented that the timing of the screening was particularly poignant, as just a week before, the band had played at Creswell church for the service to remember those who died in the Creswell colliery disaster on September 26th, 1950.