41
a nightmare before christmas
Monday 26 – Thursday 29 October 2026
Maidenhill School, Stonehouse · Final gig Thursday 29th at the Subscription Rooms, Stroud
Apply onlineEst. 2002 · Stroud, Gloucestershire
Form a band. Write a song. Play a real gig.
Bandit is a four-day band and songwriter project for young people aged 8–17. No auditions, no experience needed — just turn up with your instrument or your voice, join a band, write an original song and perform it live on a professional stage.
Upcoming projects
The next four Bandits
Every project runs at Maidenhill School in Stonehouse, and each one finishes with a full live show at its own venue. Places go quickly — many families plan their holidays around it.
42
Bandit Forty-Two
Theme: to be confirmed…
Monday 5 – Thursday 8 April 2027
Maidenhill School, Stonehouse · Final gig Thursday 8th at Kingshill House, Dursley
Join the mailing list43
Bandit Forty-Three
Theme: to be confirmed…
Monday 2 – Wednesday 4 & Friday 6 August 2027
Maidenhill School, Stonehouse · Final gig Friday 6th at Oldbury Farm, Arlingham
Join the mailing list44
Bandit Forty-Four
Theme: to be confirmed…
Monday 25 – Thursday 28 October 2027
Maidenhill School, Stonehouse · Final gig Thursday 28th at Stroud Brewery
Join the mailing listQuestions, posters, sponsorship or anything else — call 07827 434246 or email kevin@longtrainride.co.uk and we'll get straight back to you.
24
Years running
40
Projects so far
50–70
Young musicians each time
8–17
Ages welcome
What is Bandit?
Four days. One band. One song. One unforgettable night.
Young people from across the community come together, form bands with people they've often never met, and write a completely original song.
With a team of professional musicians on hand all week, every band builds its song from the first riff to the full arrangement — then takes it to the stage for a full-scale gig with proper sound, lights and a real audience. Along the way there are guest speakers from the creative industries, green-room interviews, and cameras rolling to capture the lot.
It's not polite. It's not quiet. It's music as it should be — messy, alive and necessary. And it's been a rite of passage for young musicians in Gloucestershire for over twenty years.
How it works
The four days
Day one
Meet your band
Ice-breakers, jam sessions and band-forming. Pick a theme, start throwing around ideas, and find the first spark of your song.
Day two
Write the song
Riffs, chords, melodies and lyrics take shape with tutors on hand in every room. Guest speakers share what a life in music really looks like.
Day three
Make it yours
Arrangements, harmonies and stagecraft. Bands perform for each other, take feedback, and push their song to its final shape.
Day four
Play the gig
Soundcheck like a touring band, then play a full-production live show — lights, smoke, cameras and a roaring crowd of family and friends.
See it for yourself
The Bandit films
Every project is filmed and every final show goes online, so the bands can relive their gig — and you can see exactly what your kids would be part of. Press play.
Bandit 37 · Gothic
Filmed at Woodchester Mansion
Bandit 36 · Ephemera
Final show, Stroud Subscription Rooms
Bandit 35 · Retro
Final show, Stroud Subscription Rooms
Bandit 33 · Live
Stroud Subscription Rooms, 2023
Bandit 32 · Life
Stroud Subscription Rooms
Bandit 31 · Robot
Stroud Subscription Rooms
Reviews
What families say about Bandit
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.Mathew, Bandit parent
In three days — and then they're performing. Wow. I was close to tears throughout watching the gig.Adam, Marley's dad
Thank you for running Bandit. It was a blast. I had a lot of fun and I really faced my fears going on stage.Zach, age 10
Stanley is a different person doing Bandit. It has been a really positive part of his life.Rachel & Lee, Bandit parents
It's such a special and rare thing, and we're so grateful our boys have this experience.Kate, mum of Dan & Seb
Every Bandit has a theme
One theme. Twenty new songs.
Each project gets a theme, and every band writes its song around it — so every Bandit sounds completely different from the last. Gothic songs in a Gothic mansion. Robot songs with robot lights. You get the idea.
Next up, Bandit 41: a nightmare before christmas
Supporters
Made possible by
With thanks to everyone who has backed Bandit over the years — including the Subscription Rooms, the Prince Albert, Stroud Arts Festival, Stroud Valleys Artspace, Tewkesbury School, the Roses Theatre, Stonehouse Town Council, Arts Council England and many more.
Get in touch
Ready when you are.
Applications, dates, posters, sponsorship, or joining the mailing list — drop us a line and we'll sort you out.