Battle of the Bands
Every town and village in Malta, and sometimes even every parish, has its very own brass band – or in some cases, two.
It all started with the British, who imported their military brass bands for displays of pomp and pageantry. When the locals wanted to start their own bands, the British encouraged them, and officials of the band clubs eventually came to wield political, not just musical, power.
Today, bands and their band clubs are highly popular, and during the festa, every house and car will be playing their band’s marches at top volume. In fact, so great is the pride taken in the prowess of local bands that, occasionally, fights break out in the streets as rival fans and clubs clash. Police and parish priests now monitor the marching routes and try to make bands pass through friendly streets rather than through rival territory. Visitors are definitely encouraged to join in, and will be welcomed into the revelry with open arms, especially if they’re swigging from a bottle of local Cisk beer. It’s best to wear old clothes, though, as things can get messy!