The dark clad figures of the Pentacle Drummers stood outlined before the magnificent form of Battle Abbey, which was bathed in the golden glow of spotlights. It looked like the opening scene of a film, but was in fact the closing of our first set of the evening.
Thousands of onlookers watched from behind the safety barriers, or upstairs windows across the road. While we were playing, various people had come inside our drumming circle to take photos and videos, but we didn't let ourselves get distracted and played as well as ever.
When the photographer had finished, we marched down the main road and formed another circle, in the road. We were under the impression that the roads had all been closed for the event, but soon realised our mistake, and had to retreat to the kerbside several times to avoid being run over. But we did it without missing a beat, despite frequent looks over our shoulders to see if any more cars were coming along.
Then we made our way to the gathering point for the start of the procession. The event was going smoothly and happily, until Cliffe Bonfire Society who were directly behind us, started throwing fireworks at us. A brief arguement ensued, but it did no good and they carried on doing it all evening.
When the procession began to move things picked up again. There were hundreds of flaming torches in front of us, and thousands of onlookers on both sides of the road all the way through town. The atmosphere was great, and because the fireworks had made us all a bit deaf, it didn't seem too noisy. We walked through the main road and past the Abbey, down to a roundabout, and back to town. Then back past the Abbey again, and down to the roundabout once more, but this time we turned into a field on the right.
There was a narrow muddy path through the fields, and it was a bit of a trek, but the fireworks were worth it. As we had finished drumming for the night, we all relaxed and watched the fabulous display. As well as the usual ones that go bang and explode, this time there were also ones that spiralled and whistled, some that hung in the air like red jellies, and a load of new ones that beeped and buzzed at the same time as filling the sky with colours. An excellent display, followed up by a large bonfire, and a bit of effigy burning. Who could ask for more?
Thousands of onlookers watched from behind the safety barriers, or upstairs windows across the road. While we were playing, various people had come inside our drumming circle to take photos and videos, but we didn't let ourselves get distracted and played as well as ever.
When the photographer had finished, we marched down the main road and formed another circle, in the road. We were under the impression that the roads had all been closed for the event, but soon realised our mistake, and had to retreat to the kerbside several times to avoid being run over. But we did it without missing a beat, despite frequent looks over our shoulders to see if any more cars were coming along.
Then we made our way to the gathering point for the start of the procession. The event was going smoothly and happily, until Cliffe Bonfire Society who were directly behind us, started throwing fireworks at us. A brief arguement ensued, but it did no good and they carried on doing it all evening.
When the procession began to move things picked up again. There were hundreds of flaming torches in front of us, and thousands of onlookers on both sides of the road all the way through town. The atmosphere was great, and because the fireworks had made us all a bit deaf, it didn't seem too noisy. We walked through the main road and past the Abbey, down to a roundabout, and back to town. Then back past the Abbey again, and down to the roundabout once more, but this time we turned into a field on the right.
There was a narrow muddy path through the fields, and it was a bit of a trek, but the fireworks were worth it. As we had finished drumming for the night, we all relaxed and watched the fabulous display. As well as the usual ones that go bang and explode, this time there were also ones that spiralled and whistled, some that hung in the air like red jellies, and a load of new ones that beeped and buzzed at the same time as filling the sky with colours. An excellent display, followed up by a large bonfire, and a bit of effigy burning. Who could ask for more?
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