By Carron Stacey

WHERE?: Southsea Common (press ticket)

WHEN?: 23-25/8/19

Ms Humdrum at monstagigz had the pleasure of meeting Linden McKenzie from Tuba Libres at Victorious Festival at the weekend.

• Read on for reasons including A Humdrum Mum’s view on the audio/visual spectacle

The brassy, brightly-attired eightsome formed in Southampton, with one local Pompey boy, bravely announcing this during their set in Beats and Swing to some harmless banter from the south-coast rival crowd.

The group, formed in 2015, comprises two percussion (standing, which is great to watch) and assorted brass from trumpets to a trombone, with saxes and a sousaphone in between, releasing their eponymous debut album in 2017.

They hammered out acoustic versions of hits by Lady Gaga, Pharrell Williams and I’m sure I caught Britney Spears in there too, choreographed to perfection with an end kick which, apparently, took six months to perfect.

If such pop is not your thing, you’ll love it anyway, all down to their enthusiasm, energy and musicianship as tight as their colourful leggings. They are an audio/visual spectacle who, according to Linden, perform “surprisingly to have a laugh. You always have a smile on your face while you’re doing it and that’s the most important bit for us.”

It’s obvious how much they enjoy it; you can see those grins when the audience erupt at the end of each song. No stranger to local events and festivals, Linden tells us of how Tuba Libres once performed at a hen do which comprised only four guests, a bouncy castle, some odd-shaped chocolate and the eight members of the band!

On the back of such raciness, I’m expecting them to be up for partying at the festival for the rest of the day, but no. Linden tells me that his plans are solely to take his baby son home, give him a bath and go to bed! Were the rest up for some fun? No, some members had gigs back in Southampton, while two were playing with Tom Grennan that night on the Castle Stage. 

Maximum Thrust, their new album, is now available 

Head to https://www.tuba-libres.co.uk and on social media @tubalibres

• Read more from Carron at her blog A Humdrum Mum. Carron’s take on Victorious 2019. Picture by Carron Stacey. Tickets