Key Points
- Hot 8 Brass Band Newport performance took place at the Corn Exchange in Newport on 5 August 2026.
- The New Orleans group opened with its brass-led version of Snoop Dogg’s “What’s My Name?”, according to Buzz Magazine’s review.
- The concert marked the band’s first recorded appearance in Newport, according to Songkick.
- The Corn Exchange listing gave the venue capacity as 350, with doors opening at 7pm and ticket prices ranging from £12.50 to £28.
- Hot 8 Brass Band’s music combines New Orleans marching-band traditions with jazz, funk, gospel and hip-hop influences.
- The review described the band as taking control of the venue rather than simply appearing on its stage.
Newport (Wales Times) August 07, 2026 – The New Orleans ensemble performed at the Corn Exchange on Wednesday, 5 August, in a concert billed by Songkick as the group’s first appearance in uk/local/newport/">Newport. The event placed one of the city’s smaller concert venues at the centre of a performance shaped by brass instruments, marching-band rhythms and the band’s established connection with hip-hop material.
Hot 8 Brass Band turned its 5 August appearance at Newport’s Corn Exchange into a high-energy meeting point between New Orleans brass-band tradition, jazz, funk and hip-hop, opening with its distinctive version of Snoop Dogg’s “What’s My Name?”, according to a review published by Buzz Magazine.
Buzz Magazine’s review said the group did not merely take the stage but “seize[d] it”. The review’s opening observation focused on the musicians’ version of “What’s My Name?”, a Snoop Dogg track reworked through the band’s brass-heavy sound. The performance therefore began with a clear example of Hot 8 Brass Band’s approach: taking a recognisable popular song and rebuilding it around the force and movement of a New Orleans street band.
What happened at Newport’s Corn Exchange?
The concert was held at the Corn Exchange on High Street, Newport. Songkick listed Hot 8 Brass Band as the headliner and recorded the event date as 5 August 2026. Its listing also stated that the band had not previously played Newport, making the performance a first visit to the city according to the event information available on the platform.
Doors were scheduled to open at 7pm. Ticket prices were listed between £12.50 and £28, while the venue’s stated capacity was 350 people. Those details indicate that the show was presented as a relatively intimate concert rather than a large arena event, although the available sources do not provide a final attendance figure.
Songkick classified the event under jazz, but Hot 8 Brass Band’s musical identity extends beyond a single genre. The band’s catalogue and descriptions connect its sound with New Orleans marching brass, jazz improvisation, funk rhythm and hip-hop performance practice. That mixture helps explain why the Newport concert could be marketed to jazz audiences while also drawing on material associated with rap and popular music.
Why was “What’s My Name?” important?
“What’s My Name?” is not an incidental cover in Hot 8 Brass Band’s recorded history. In a 2015 description published on the band’s website under the name of Petr Verner, the track was presented as the second single from the group’s debut album, Rock with the Hot 8. The description identified it as a version of the Snoop Dogg song and highlighted the band’s combination of traditional New Orleans marching brass, free-form jazz, funk and hip-hop.
That background gives the Newport performance a wider musical context. Rather than treating the song as a conventional rap cover, Hot 8 Brass Band recasts it through the sound of trombones, saxophones, trumpets, drums and tuba. The arrangement brings the song into the band’s own musical language, where the rhythm section and horns can create both a dance-oriented pulse and the feeling of a mobile marching ensemble.
The track also reflects the group’s broader practice of connecting New Orleans musical history with contemporary popular culture. The band’s music profile refers to a large brass line-up supported by the tuba basslines of band leader Bennie Pete. It also lists influences including Tuba Fats, Leroy Jones, Louis Armstrong, Stevie Wonder and Jackie McLean.
How did the performance fit the band’s style?
Hot 8 Brass Band’s recorded material shows a pattern of moving between original material, reinterpretations and songs associated with soul, funk and rock. Its catalogue includes versions of “Sexual Healing”, “Love Will Tear Us Apart”, “Ain’t No Sunshine” and “Give Me The Night”, alongside original releases and extended projects.
The 2015 description of “What’s My Name?” also referred to “Fly Away” and “I Got You”, two additional tracks released alongside the single. “Fly Away” was described as having gospel overtones and a traditional marching-band arrangement, while “I Got You” was characterised by percussion and call-and-response interaction between the musicians.
Those details are relevant to the Newport show because they illustrate the performance tools that define Hot 8 Brass Band’s work. The band’s music is built not only around written melodies but also around collective rhythm, instrumental interplay and the physical impact of a large brass ensemble. The accessible Buzz Magazine extract points to that same stage presence by describing the band as taking possession of the room from the beginning of the set.
The available review extract does not publish a complete set list, a full account of the concert’s running time or the names of every musician who performed in Newport. It also does not provide a formal star rating or a detailed assessment of the sound mix. Those omissions are important because they limit what can be stated confidently about the entire show.
What did the available reports confirm?
The Buzz Magazine report confirmed the location, the band’s forceful arrival on stage and the opening use of “What’s My Name?”. It presented the concert as a performance centred on energy and a brass-led interpretation of a well-known hip-hop song. The article’s displayed headline described the group as bringing the sound of Bourbon Street to Newport.
Songkick independently confirmed the date, venue, ticket range, opening time, capacity and the fact that Hot 8 Brass Band was listed as the headliner. It also identified the Newport appearance as the band’s first in the city.
The band’s own published material supplies the musical context but should not be treated as an independent review of the concert. Its website describes “What’s My Name?” as a characteristic example of the group’s style, while its music profile identifies the ensemble’s New Orleans base, instrumentation and influences.
No accessible source reviewed for this report supplies a statement from Hot 8 Brass Band members about the Newport concert itself. There is also no available audience survey or official attendance announcement. Accordingly, the confirmed account is limited to the published review extract, event information and the band’s own descriptions of its music.
Why does the Newport show matter?
The concert gave Newport audiences an opportunity to hear a New Orleans brass band in a venue designed for a comparatively close audience experience. The combination of a 350-capacity room, a ticket range beginning at £12.50 and a first-time appearance created a direct connection between the touring group and local concertgoers.
For the city’s music audience, the event also demonstrated how a jazz listing can include a performance rooted in several musical traditions. Hot 8 Brass Band’s repertoire connects brass-band heritage with contemporary rhythm, making the concert relevant to listeners who may not normally attend a traditional jazz performance.
The available evidence does not establish whether the show sold out or whether it generated additional bookings in Newport. It does, however, show that the performance was promoted as a significant live appearance and that the review regarded the band’s stage presence as central to the evening.
What is the background to Hot 8 Brass Band?
Hot 8 Brass Band is based in New Orleans, Louisiana. Its official music profile describes an ensemble built around trombones, saxophones, trumpets, snare and bass drums, with tuba providing the low-end foundation. The profile names Bennie Pete as the band leader and cites New Orleans figures, jazz musicians and soul artists among the group’s influences.
The band’s official account of “What’s My Name?” presents its music as a fusion of marching brass, jazz solos, funk and hip-hop. That approach has allowed the group to reinterpret songs from outside the traditional brass-band repertoire while retaining the communal and rhythmic qualities associated with New Orleans performance.
The Newport performance sits within that continuing musical development: a live appearance in Wales in which a New Orleans ensemble brought its established brass-and-beat format to a small city-centre venue.
How could this development affect Newport audiences?
For Newport audiences, the Hot 8 Brass Band concert may increase interest in live music that crosses genre boundaries rather than fitting neatly into jazz, hip-hop or funk. If venues continue booking comparable acts, local listeners could see more performances that combine international touring artists with intimate room settings.
The event may also encourage audiences to explore New Orleans brass music beyond the concert itself. However, there is currently no confirmed evidence that the Newport appearance will lead to a return date, a wider local programme or a measurable increase in attendance at similar events. Any such effect will depend on future bookings, audience response and the decisions of local promoters.
