Scholars of naval slang will know that Biffin's Bridge is a somewhat risque name for a band that aspired to entertain wedding crowds and so over the next year the prefix was dropped to leave the The Bridge.
Begging and borrowing PA equipment, The Bridge gigged pubs and clubs around Gloucestershire and recorded their first demo CD, ironically back at DB studios in Stroud. The band continued this way for two years and started to develop a reputation as a good party band. The band web-
Mark, known by all as Milly, joined the band in January 2004 and worked hard to learn the established material. Milly fitted into the band perfectly and due in no uncertain terms to his enthusiasm, the band started to perform much more regularly and focus on providing entertainment for weddings. The band recorded a second demo CD, back at DB studios, in 2006 and really started to establish a strong reputation in the Gloucestershire area.
It was a difficult decision when the band decided in the summer of 2006 that to expand their repertoire they would advertise for a keyboard player. It could have been a real gamble especially when the standard of response was initially very poor. There was one respondent who stood out however, and Nigel Bunce joined the band in September 2006. Nigel had an enormous amount of experience and equal measures of talent! His first gig later in September, was a real watershed for the The Bridge as it became clear that the band had arrived at a perfect mix.
Three years on, including tours to Sweden, Poland and The Czech Republic, and the band is busy fulfilling functions and wedding receptions across the England. The band has managed to combine excellence in musicality and sound quality along with a great show, which looks likely to continue for a long time.....
The Bridge as a band has existed for over 8 years. It has evolved over time with
the current line-
The origins of the band began as all great bands do over a pint or two, in the summer of 1999. Guitarist Frank Moran began talking with near neighbour Ian Shepherd (original drummer) about music and they vowed that they would get a band going. Like most conversations about starting a band, nothing then happened for a year! In January 2000 Ian then met up with bass player Mark Nye at a recording session at DB studios in Stroud. Both were under whelmed with the artist they were recording for, but exchanged telephone numbers. It was four months until the two spoke again, when following a further party Ian organised for the three to meet up. Bobby Mac Donald, who had sung with 80s show band Billy Badger & the Set with whom Frank had played guitar joined them. The four met at what was to become the band's spiritual home, The Beaufort Arms, in Cheltenham and planned to establish a covers band. Without a name at this point the fledgling band started to rehearse, but without a great deal of focus until the Christmas of 2000 when Bobby announced that he wasn't able to put the time in to rehearse and as such was going to leave the band, still without a name.
The band didn't wait long for a new voice as Ben Perkins joined in January 2001.
Ben, a long time friend of Mark, had sung with some blues outfits previously. The
new line-
