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Band fiddles on in thick of gig ruckus

Shaun Almond
30/11/2005

SEAN Wood and his band of merry men carried on fiddling while fists flew at a celebration party.

His band, the Curragh Brothers, were booked to play for a party for Whitegate Stables, Durham in celebration of jockey Graham Lee winning the Cheltenham Cup.

With a free bar fuelling the high spirits of the 300-strong crowd a ruckus soon broke out.

Sean, who writes our weekly 'Wood on the Wild Side', said: "It turned into wholesale mayhem. There were blokes flying over hay bales and women jumping on men's backs."

In the mayhem one of the organisers approached Sean and promised the band an extra £300 if they would carry on playing.

The band accepted and fiddled their way through the increasing chaos.

Sean said: "I kept playing through the bedlam while at the same time protecting two women and two small Irish jockeys. We had three people locked away in the band's jeep to keep them safe.

"About 30 stable hands and jockeys were involved in the bust-up. We were in the middle of nowhere so there was no use calling the police.

"We kept playing fast music as people were still dancing - though they had to watch their backs."

The band were relieved to finish the set and collect the cash bonus.

They are hoping a little festive cheer at their Christmas concert at the Globe on 10 December will mean a less rowdy reception.