Band celebrates 75 years

Band celebrates 75 years

THE Baillies Mills Accordion Band marked a major milestone last week when members staged a concert to mark their 75th anniversary.

The Lagan Valley Island theatre in Lisburn was packed to capacity for a memorable night of music and entertainment with tickets to the event selling out several weeks in advance.

Themed ‘Baillies Mills and Friends’, the show was hosted by the band and compered by Joe Cauley, who has been a friend of the band for over 30 years.

The band was joined on stage by Rodd Hogg, who is a brilliant young magician from Coleraine. He thrilled the audience with his magic illusions and witty banter.

The evening also featured the return of folk group Bakerloo Junction, who came out of retirement especially for the show.

They had performed at the band’s first concert in 1978.

Noel McMaster, Drew Rowan and Aubrey Campbell from the original group were joined on stage by Conal McCartney.

They had the audience singing along and finished with ‘My Lagan Softly Flowing’, which is a song penned by Noel which became a hit in the 1980s.

During the course of the evening, Stephen Dickson, who is the band secretary, recounted the history of the band, and particularly referred to the recent events which had seen the band take their music beyond these shores.

The show included projected photographs relating to the band’s history and its various activities.

The audience included Robert Mackin, the last surviving founding member of the band.

Recently the band lost a friend through motor neurone disease and a donation of £500 from the proceeds of the concert was presented by Arthur Gibson to Stephen Thompson of Motor Neurone Association NI.

The Baillies Mills Accordion Band also recently celebrated the 80th birthday of Bobby Mitchell, who is fondly regarded as the father of the band.

A cake with the band’s crest was presented in his honour and the band made its own musical tribute to him.