30th Anniversary Event: Party

11th October 2025 7:00pm

Kirkgate Centre

To celebrate 30 years of Kirkgate Arts & Heritage we have a series of special celebratory events over 2025.

The last event will be our 30th Anniversary Party!

Join us at The Kirkgate for a New Orleans speakeasy style celebration with the 1920s swing jazz band Alligator Gumbo, there'll be food with a Cajun twist and you'll have a final chance to buy your 30th birthday raffle tickets.

This a chance to celebrate 30 years of The Kirkgate in style, so put on your fanciest frocks, invite all your friends and get ready to groove the night away.

The band…

Alligator Gumbo are an exciting7-piece band playingjazz from the hey-day of the New Orleans swing/jazz era, in particular the "roaring 20s", when music was raw and largely improvised with melodies and solos happening simultaneously which has now become defined as the 'New Orleans' sound. Performing extensively for over 10 years, Alligator Gumbo have made numerous appearances at prestigious international jazz festivals and clubs throughout the country, establishing themselves as firm favourites on the British jazz scene. The band continues to wow audiences far and wide with their good-natured mix of foot-stomping rhythms and toe-tapping tunes, and raucous singalongs! Guaranteedto be a show like no other and not to be missed!

Featuring the line up;

James Paylor – Double Bass/Vocals

Mike Rudland Simpson – Guitar/Vocals

Chris Lloyd – Piano

Greg Surmacz – Clarinet/Saxophone

Chris Williamson – Trumpet

Tim Hurst – Trombone

Jose Williamson – Drums/Washboard

ONLINE:

Band website: www.alligatorgumbo.co.uk

Facebook – www.facebook.com/alligatorgumbo

Instagram – www.instagram.com/alligator_gumbo/

YouTube/links to live videos – www.youtube.com/@alligatorgumbouk

Link to recordings – www.alligatorgumbo.bandcamp.com