Town bands occupied the more musically inclined in the early years. George Shakspeare financed an Artesian Band and Will Chandler, choirmaster of the Methodist Church, was bandmaster for Oddfellows. They combined in 1897 to become Barcaldine Brass Band.
By 1927, however, when times were bleak, the Town Band was almost defunct. The newspaper reported they had ‘not one sound instrument’.
But it reformed in 1928 after a concerted effort by E. Bennett to revive interest. The ageing C. J. James became patron, and W. Ivers president of a committee which raised £28 for new instruments. Under the baton of N. Firbank the band became a vital part of town life once again and in 1933 a rotunda was built near the Shire Hall – an iron circle filled with sand and gravel and lit by a stand at its centre.
(Hoch, 2008, Pages 43, 83, 92)
At 7 am on 8 March 1932, Leo Madison began playing a piano in Forester’s Hall. Supervised by a local bandmaster, C. Smallwood, and encouraged by people who came to dance, Madison played continuously for four days and nights until he had broken the existing record.
By the time he reached the end of his marathon – 113 hours – the hall was packed by a cheering crowd (Hoch, 2008, Page 92).
