ABOUT US
Fanfare Gertrude is a band from Berlin and plays funky Pop & Rock Brass Music. We are more than 25 enthousiastic musicians with instruments like trumpets, trombones, clarinets, flutes, saxophones, sousaphone, tuba, euphonium and drums.
In recent years we have had the pleasure of playing at very nice locations and parties like:
Birgit & Bier, Sisyphos Club, Holzmarkt 25, Club der polnischen Versager, BRLO Brwhouse, Berlin Brass Festival, Festival of Lights Berlin, Fête de la musique in Berlin, Neue Republik Reger, the Festival des Fanfares de Brest, Festival of Inclusion at the House of Life and Urban Nachbarschaftshaus, Design Markt Berlin, Tag der Polonia in Berlin-Reinickendorf, cooperative garden of the Centre Français Berlin, half marathon in Berlin, Villa Lützow, Kiezfest im Gethsemanekiez, weddings, birthday parties and much more….
On our musical adventures, we’ve met many fan-tastic brass bands that have truly won our hearts! Whether it’s the German Krach Boom Brass Berlin, Tinnitussis or Tuba Libre from Weimar, or the French Nymphoniks, WestCostars, Texas Couscous, Godfingers, Fanfare Zébaliz, Tractopelle and La Band’à Joe – we’ve celebrated, played, and shared unforgettable moments with them all!
Let the brass and glitter take over!
Fanfare Gertrude is not your typical fanfare or marching band. Yes, we play brass instruments – that’s where the similarity ends. We bring a whole new twist by playing pop and rock music in a brass band style. And our performances are vibrant, colorful, and full of glitter!
Watch some videos of Fanfare Gertrude.
If you want to spice up your evenings with Gertrude’s music, don’t hesitate to contact us !
You want to get to know Gertrude a bit more? Read The Story of Gertrude:
THE STORY OF GERTRUDE …
Inspired by the brass music style of French Fanfares, Gertrude was born on Monday, October 24, 2016, at 8 pm sharp in Berlin-Kreuzberg. As a German with Breton, Toulouse, Belgian and Polish flavors, Gertrude has an innate fondness for beer, pretzels, pierogis and Breton crepes.
Keep in mind: You can’t find Gertrude on Tinder – to meet her you’ll have to get off your couch and out onto the streets and bars of Berlin, or even further. If you’re lucky, you’ll meet Gertrude and dance to the sounds of her brass instruments! If you want to spice up your evenings with Gertrude’s funky Pop-Rock brass music, don’t hesitate to contact us!
Die geschichte der GERtrude …
Inspiriert von der Blasmusik französischer Fanfaren wurde Gertrude am Montag, dem 24. Oktober 2016, um Punkt 20 Uhr in Berlin-Kreuzberg geboren. Als Deutsche mit bretonischen, toulouser, belgischen und polnischen Akzenten hat Gertrude von Natur aus eine Vorliebe für Bier, Brezeln, Pierogis und bretonische Crêpes.
Aufgepasst: Gertrude ist nicht auf Tinder – um sie zu treffen musst du schon runterkommen von deiner Couch und raus auf die Straßen und in die Bars Berlins oder sogar noch weiter in die Ferne schweifen. Mit Glück kannst du Gertrude treffen und zu ihren Klängen einen Freudentanz aufführen!
L’histoire de Gertrude…
Gertrude la berlineuse est née le lundi 24 octobre 2016 à 20h pétante (spécificité germanique) à Kreuzberg. Insprirée de la petite Fanfare de quartier d´un village d´irréductibles Gaulois du nom de Douarnenix en Armorique, elle a grandi au son des douces soirées berlinoises.
Gertrude c´est une trentaine de sicos´ super chelous (l´Allemand est cash et honnête) qui se déclinent en clarinettes, trompettes, trombones, saxs, euphoniums, percus, tuba, soubasophone et flûtes traversières.
Allemande aux arômes bretons, toulousains, belges et polonais, elle a de nature un penchant pour la bière, les Bretzels, les Pierogis et les crêpes bretonnes. Plutôt pas mal, elle n´est pas sur Tinder, alors si tu veux être THE super veinard qui va la voir danser au son des cuivres, vient vite faire sa connaissance dans les rues et bars berlinois, ici, là-bas, sous ta fenêtre, au bled, où ailleurs !
What is a Fanfare?
In France, the fanfare culture is deeply rooted. Fanfares are brass bands mainly consisting of brass instruments such as trumpets, euphoniums, tubas, and trombones. They play a central role in local festivals, parades, and public celebrations. Wherever fanfares perform, there’s a celebration. There are even fanfare festivals where many different fanfares come together and celebrate for several days with brass music. The music of the fanfares helps to bring the people of a region together.
The Berlin-based Fanfare Gertrude is inspired by this French fanfare tradition but is not your typical fanfare. However, Gertrude can’t really be classified as a brass band, marching band, wind orchestra, or brass ensemble either, as both its formal structure and repertoire differ. For example, a classic brass band does not include woodwind instruments like saxophones, clarinets, or flutes – but Gertrude does! Gertrude doesn’t march in parades, but instead, during a Fanfare Gertrude concert, you’re more likely to see wild dance moves on display. Military uniforms? You won’t find those here. Instead, there are bright, glittering, and neon-colored outfits, where everyone can express their creativity freely.
Gertrude brings pop and rock songs to life with brass instruments. Whether it’s street performances, in clubs, or at parties – their loud, energetic brass music gets the audience singing and dancing along!
In its very own version of brass music, Fanfare Gertrude combines French joie de vivre with the unmistakable craziness of Berlin.