Unicorns Christmas Cavalcade - Wembley Conference Centre 1982

Sue Ennals posted this video of the Unicorns at the Christmas Cavalcade at Wembley Conference Centre in 1982 on Facebook, thanks Sue.

You can see this and other archive videos on our videos page.

Alumni

I've been doing a couple of updates to the Alumni page, which has a list of all past members of the band.

If your name is missing of you can't see someone who should be there please let us know by using the comment box at the bottom of the page (you will need to sign in to post). Or you can also contact us via Facebook or Twitter.

Facebook pages

If you are a member of Facebook, and these days who isn't? Don't for get that there are 2 great Bristol Unicorns groups to join.

There is this one ( http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=4214265014 )
And there is this one ( http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2456776307 )

What are you waiting for??

New Alumni page posted

We've just posted a new Alumni page, with a list of all past members of the band.

If your name is missing of you can't see someone who should be there please let us know by using the comment box at the bottom of the page (you will need to sign in to post). Or you can also contact us via Facebook or Twitter.

New photo galleries

New photo galleries

I've now added a new page for photo galleries here.

There are currently 3 galleries to choose from. You can set them as a slideshow or simply scroll through at you own speed.

Don't forget to send me any pictures you want me to add to the galleries.

Does anyone have any photos...

... that they would like to share?

You can either send them to me (comment on a post here to let me know or via Facebook) and I'll add them to the gallery section. Or if you prefer send me a link to the photos and I'll add them as a link from this site.

I don't have any from the last reunion so a few of them would be good too.

S

You know you're a child of the 80's when...

• You remember when the biggest mystery in the world was who shot J.R.
• Alvin Stardust taught you how to cross the road, using the classic phrase “you must be out of your tiny minds”... a bit rich coming from a man wearing a glove and a ring on the outside!
• You remember a 'Man's got to chew, what a Man's got to chew'.
• You remember when there was no breakfast TV and when TV shut down at midnight, and when there was nothing on TV in the middle of the day except for that test card girl with the stupid clown and a blackboard.
• You know that another name for a keyboard is a Synthesizer.
• You can name at least half of the members of the elite Brat Pack.
• You wanted to be a Goonie.
• You remember when ATARI was a state of the art video game system.

New video page added to site

I've now added a video page to the site. Only a handfull so far but more to come.
See all of the current videos here.


British Marching Band Championships 1984 part 1

Join the Bristol Unicorns on Facebook

Facebook seems to be the place for finding old friends these days, you can also view a load of old videos and much more in the Bristol Unicorns groups.

Steve Annette's Unicorns group
Nikki Fossey's Unicorns group

The Drake Music Project

The 2003 Reunion raised £398.92 for our chosen charity The Drake Music Project

We recieved this message from them on the 13th Nov 2003:

"Hi folks,
Thank-you so much for your donation of £392.98 to our project, supporting disabled musicians of all ages using technology. You have touched the lives of some wonderful people through your support, and that coming from your music making makes it all the more special. Many thanks to all who have been involved on behalf of the team in Bristol, and to Steve Annette for getting in touch with us."

Best wishes from Anna Batson
(Project Co-ordinator)

Introduction

We were all, at one time or other, questioned and perhaps even criticised by friends outside of the movement for the amount of time we dedicated to the Bristol Unicorns. "Can't you miss it, just this once?" they'd ask as they told us how great it would be to go and see Rovers thrash City! To many people our age it must have seemed a sad way to spend our spare time. They couldn't imagine getting up at 6am on a Saturday or Sunday for an all day rehearsal at Colerne, only to be shouted and bawled at if things didn't quite go as expected. It must have seemed really masochistic to go back for more every Tuesday and Thursday evening!
These people however, would later see the obvious benefits of belonging to an organisation such as this. With the hours of hard work and commitment came the rewards of travel, championship titles and consequently all the accolades and publicity. No one could ever say it was handed to us on a plate, because we all, members and supporters alike, had to make sacrifices to achieve the successes we did.

1991 - The final curtain

At the beginning of 1991 quite a few of the members from the previous year attended a concert band rehearsal at Patchway High School. Dave had decided that his spare time would now be dedicated primarily to the dance band and a new concert band. Much of the concert band repertoire would consist of old Unicorns music to begin with, in order for the band to re-establish itself once more.
On the weekend of 16th-18th March the band returned to Eire, and took part in the St. Patrick's Day Parade through Dublin. This was to be our final marching engagement.
We travelled overnight to Dublin and stayed in YMCA accommodation near the centre of the City. There was a return journey to Arklow for a small parade through the town and a chance later to meet up with our hosts from the previous year.

1990 - Comforters philosophers and lifelong mates

(SELECTIONS FROM THE MUSICAL, LES MISERABLES)

Castle On A Cloud	At The End Of The Day	I Dreamed A Dream
Master Of The House	On My Own	Do You Hear The People Sing?
Finale

That's Entertainment	Yankee Doodle Dandee	At The End Of The Day
I Dreamed A Dream	Master Of The House	On My Own
Do You Hear The People Sing?	Finale

On Tuesday 9th January the band returned from the Christmas and New Year break for a rehearsal at Pearce Construction. The main objective of the evening was to find out what sort of sound this much younger band could produce. A few of the members who had previously decided to leave returned in the new year, and after some minor changes in instrumental categories, there appeared to be a promising foundation for another good year.

1989 - Euro success leaves the eagle's feathers ruffled!

An American In Paris	Russian Dressing	Feelings
Finlandia

This year the band was to return to Kerkrade, Holland, in July, attempting to retain our World Championship title. Much of the year was spent fundraising and included numerous weekend trips to Weston-super-Mare sea front where we put on marching displays and concerts.

On Saturday 10th June we entered our first regional competition of the year at Eastleigh and won the title for the eighth consecutive year. Unfortunately we weren't so successful at the Hove Championship where we were beaten into second place by the Midsomer Norton Marching Brass with only half a point separating the two of us. To this day, past members of Midsomer Norton Marching Brass talk of this victory and hail it as a highlight of their existence. We had travelled up to Reading the night before, and once again were honoured to take part in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineer's Open Day.

On the evening of the 14th June the band was invited to play at the Colston Hall in a concert presented by The Band of Her Majesty's Grenadier Guards. Our local press reported the next day "The Band of the Grenadier Guards, though in rousing form, is likely to remember the evening for being upstaged by the Bristol Unicorns."

1988 - Yahoo! We rise from the ashes

Strike Up The Band	Sabre Dance	2001 Space Odyssey
Battlestar Galactica	Where No Man Has Gone Before	Can You Read My Mind?
Cantina Band	Star Wars

At the end of 1987 we once again lost a number of members due to work and family commitments, but thankfully we were able to maintain the standard of previous years with recruiting and another reshuffle of instrumental categories. One of our first public performances of the year was at the Nat West Festival of Marching Bands at the Royal Albert Hall on Sunday 16th February.
It was again decided that this year's show would be based primarily on a theme, so selections of music from various space anthems were chosen. Strike up the Band was kept as an opening piece to the routine.

1986 - A triple conquest

Return Of The Jedi	Russian Dressing	Feelings
Finlandia

The year started with a slightly younger band after many of the older, more experienced members decided that family commitments meant they would be unable to dedicate as much time to the band. We kicked started the season with an appearance at the Royal Albert Hall for the Nat West Festival of Youth Bands on Sunday 16th February.

Six competitions were entered at the first half of the season. At Crawley the band continued to play the 1812 Overture as the closing piece to the show until it was finally replaced by Finlandia for the second contest at Hornchurch. Having gained first place in both competitions we went on to win other titles at Eastleigh, Midsomer Norton, Hove and Sandy. Out of a possible 47 trophies to be won at these contests we came home with 40.

1987 - Howdy folks!..welcome to the circus

Strike Up The Band	Send In The Clowns	El Companchero
Selections From Barnum
A Sucker Born Every Minute	One Brick At A Time	Come Follow The Band
The Colours Of Life	Come Join The Circus

At 7am on January 1st we travelled to London for the New Years Day Parade through the City. It was obvious that most of us were feeling the effects of a hangover from the night before, so the 2 hour journey to the centre of London was very quiet. It was an extremely cold morning which only added to our woes and severe sense of humour failures. We arrived at the muster point and soon marched off, parading through the streets of London past some of the famous landmarks. At the halfway point the Mayor of London sat watching the procession and acknowledged the participants of the parade. There were a panel of judges sat alongside the Mayor taking note of the drill, appearance and musical ability of the band. We stopped here and played through The Return of the Jedi before marching off again. We were eventually announced as the runners-up behind the Conquest Alliance, and whilst many believe that there was a slight mix-up in the rules, I believe it was the overpowering stench of alcohol coming from the band that let us down! We were grateful to get back on the buses and return home after what has to go down as one of the band's worst engagements.

1985 - A year to remember

Magnificent Seven	Greatest Love Of All	James Bond Theme
Two Imps	Moon River	1812 Overture

Magnificent Seven	Greatest Love Of All	Russian Dressing
Feelings	Moon River	1812 Overture

This will undoubtedly go down as the bands finest and most successful year. Having entered five regional championships in the first half of the year at Nuneaton, Crawley, Hornchurch, Midsomer Norton and Sandy, we came home with all five supreme titles.

The weeks after these triumphs were spent rehearsing for the World Showband Championships, to be held in Kerkrade, Holland on July 21st. A week before the competition, the band held its first youth band tattoo at the home of great West Country football, Eastville Stadium!
Supporters of the band had been up for hours erecting scaffolding that was eventually covered by a canvas sheet, giving the effect of a huge castle. As the gates to the "castle" opened, out came the bands onto the arena to perform their field displays. Midsomer Norton Marching Brass, 37th Kingswood Scout Band and Bath ATC were among the guests asked to participate in the event. The weather conditions were poor, but we took this as an opportunity for a dress rehearsal before the World Championships. It was the last time we would perform the show in public before departing for Holland.
Under floodlight, in the pouring rain, we produced one of our finest ever shows, earning a standing ovation from those inside the stadium. We were perhaps inspired even further by the fact that there were many members of the West Coast Cadets Drum & Bugle Corps, another local band, stood in the stands watching our performance!

1984 - Overture to a new era

Magnificent Seven	Greatest Love Of All	James Bond Theme
Two Imps	Moon River	Buck Rogers Theme
Land Of Hope And Glory

Magnificent Seven	Greatest Love Of All	James Bond Theme
Two Imps	Moon River	1812 Overture

Sadly the band was not able to compete at the Albert Hall for this year's National Championships in March because we were no longer recognised as a traditional marching band. With the band continuing to grow it was perhaps for the best as it would have proved very difficult to design a show for so many people in such a confined space. This obviously meant the band had more time to rehearse the display and music for the coming British Youth Band Association competitive season, commencing in May.

Two new pieces of music were introduced for the beginning of this season's show, with the James Bond Theme, Buck Rogers and Land of Hope and Glory being kept for the first half of the year. The Two Imps was put into the routine to feature the whole of the percussion section. The band would often rehearse indoors to get to grips with the 1812 Overture, a huge challenge that would eventually replace the Buck Rogers Theme and Land of Hope and Glory in time for the British Championships in November.

1982 - Going Dutch

Alabamy Bound	God Only Knows	Don't Worry Baby
Fun Fun Fun	Moon River	Black Magic Woman
Classical Gas	Quincey Theme	Land Of Hope And Glory

Once again the competitive season began at the Enfield National Marching Band Championships at the Royal Albert Hall, and again the Unicorns won the supreme title. It was a very close contest with the band only coming home with three caption trophies, including best colour guard for the first time, best mallet and percussion sections, whilst coming consistently second in every other caption. Seven regional contests were entered throughout the season between March and July and the band took all seven titles. These successes obviously meant automatic qualification into the BMBC at the NEC for the third successive year. The band did not compete at the International Festival of Marching Bands this year, but instead represented Great Britain in the evening.