The Bandit Music Projects

Bandit started small a spark in a school lunchroom in 2002, Kevin Howlett trading a free school dinner for the chance to run a ragtag song writing club at Maidenhill School. A handful of kids, a few guitars, and a dream to make noise. Then the idea grew, go bigger, louder, wilder. Dartington Plus rolled in with amps and tape machines, and the thing got its name: BandiT.

What started as a two-day experiment exploded into a goddamn institution. Kids writing songs, recording them, then — hell why not — performing them on a stage big enough to scare their parents. The Subscription Rooms shaking under teenage guitars. After a couple of rounds, Howlett figures he doesn’t need to drag teachers up from Dartington anymore. Bring in the local mercenaries, the pro musicians, the freaks who know how to tune a guitar and wire a stage without burning the place down.

And it worked. It worked too well. The beast wouldn’t stop growing. Once a year, twice a year, pandemic be damned — they kept it alive with cameras and live-streams, spitting defiance in the face of lockdown. Now? Three times a year. Four days of controlled chaos. Sixty to seventy kids, aged eight to seventeen, bashing songs out of nothing, forming bands overnight, learning stagecraft, live sound, lights, the whole carnival. Guest speakers drop in to tell war stories from the industry. Green Room chatter. Interview booths. By the end, they walk onstage and play like their lives depend on it.

Twenty years running and the machine still runs hot, fine-tuned by a network of musicians, technicians, and mad teachers. Bandit isn’t just a workshop. It’s a rite of passage. A full-throttle plunge into the deep end of music. No excuses. No safety nets. Just play.

Thank you letters...

Morning Kev,

What a totally brilliant evening at the Mansion! Thanks to you and all the Bandit team for pulling it all together. Amazing idea and It must have been quite a thing managing the whole event… You’re all amazing; we appreciate you all, and the contribution, effort and opportunities for the youngsters you give through your work.

And of course, thank you for being there to ferry the needy up the and down the way!!!

Hope you enjoy a rest this weekend,

Bev and Jake x ( Freddie and Daisy)

Morning Kev, Debs, and the incredible Bandit team, Happy Friday!

Just a little note from us to say a massive heartfelt thank you for the amazing week you’ve provided at Bandit for our first timer. It’s been nothing short of transformative.

We’ve been travelling in from Bibury every day and every evening Byron came home buzzing — telling us all about his band, the communication, what he’s learning, and what they’re creating together. It’s been amazing to witness.

What you’re doing for these kids is truly special. We’ve never come across anything like it. Since relocating from Essex last November, we’ve been searching for opportunities that match Byron’s passion for music — and this has far exceeded our hopes. He’s always loved exploring different genres, and seeing him up on stage yesterday, looking so at home at his first proper gig, was something I’ll never forget.

The way you put everything together was so thoughtful — the lanyards, interviews, the staging, even down to the graphics for the band names. You made it all feel real and exciting for them. It’s clear how much behind-the-scenes work has gone into making this such a memorable and professional experience. We’re so grateful for the extra touches and care you’ve put in.

We did have to sneak out a little early yesterday for the drive back (still feeling the post-Oasis tiredness — no drinks involved!), but we’re already looking forward to the next one. You mentioned October — count us in!

Wishing you all a brilliant rest of the summer and a well-deserved break. Honestly, thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Natalie, Dom and Byron 🎸

Hi Kevin,

Thank you so much for all the hard work you and the team have put in to running the Bandit Music Project. It really is the highlight of the year for Lorcan and is such an amazing experience for all those young musicians. The final show is incredible, so well put together and it's fantastic to see them all up there having a great time.

Huge thanks to you and all the team for your time and hard work in putting it together.

We also loved seeing you perform!

Best wishes,

Katherine

And an even bigger thank you to you Kevin

What you put on with Bandit really it's remarkable. For the second year I've been in awe of how well you gather so many children, facilitate them, and bring out their self motivation, social abilities and confidence.

It's like a crash course in being good humans and figuring out who you are. I hope you're aware of how special it is. Thanks again.

Mathew

banditmusicprojects.co.uk