The story behind Tiverton Town Band's addition to Coldplay's support acts

Six members of Tiverton Town Band enjoyed the biggest ‘gig’ of their lives on Saturday night... supporting Coldplay in a concert at Exeter Castle, writes the County Gazette tonight.

They stepped in at the last minute after singer Lily Allen pulled out with a throat infection, and one of the lucky six was Leah Ellis, a massive Coldplay fan, who said this week: "The day was surreal. In the morning we played for Macmillan nurses at Exeter Airport and in the evening we were on the same stage as Coldplay. When I heard about the concert I was so disappointed because I knew there was no way I could get tickets, and then this happened. We had backstage passes and met Chris Martin afterwards. He said all his band like brass bands, and Jo Whiley, the Radio 1 DJ who compered the gig, said she enjoyed it, too."

The drama began in the morning when the band offered their services after Coldplay appealed for a brass band on BBC Radio Devon. Bandmaster Graham Pillivant then had the difficult task of choosing just six players because there was no room for the band’s full complement of 30 on stage. Leah said: “He just had to pick the players who would be able to make decent harmonies, and luckily I was one of them.”

The sextet played a selection of festive songs, including ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’, ‘Mary’s Boy Child’ and Slade’s ‘Merry Xmas Everybody’.

Pictures of Coldplay at Mencap's Big Noise Sessions, Exeter Castle, Exeter, UK (19 December 2009):