Photo By Staff Sgt. Tyrone Williams | The 275th Army Band Performance marching for the audience at their “Spirit of the...... read more read more
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In the early 17th century, a signal by drummers or trumpeters was an indication for taverns near military bases to turn off the taps and for soldiers to return to their barracks. The trumpet and horn sounds filling the District of Columbia Armory June 6 and 7 had an entirely different meaning. Instead of ending the fun, the music set the stage for a celebration.
The Spirit of the District of Columbia Tattoo featured the sounds, sights and spectacle of marching units, military demonstrations and music—lots of music.
The annual event, hosted by the 257th Army Band, follows the tradition of the military tattoo ceremony. The word “tattoo” is thought to be derived from the Dutch phrase “doe den tap toe,” which translates to “turn off the tap.” The local bartenders were under instructions to turn off their beer taps and send the soldiers out. Hundreds of years later, tattoo ceremonies have become elaborate indoor and outdoor military pageants featuring patriotic and contemporary music.
With performances by the 257th Army Ceremonial Band, and its Brigadier Brass, Capital Messengers and Capital Sound ensembles, the Spirit of the District of Columbia lived up to its name with a non-stop hour of entertainment that had the more than 500 military and civilians guests singing, clapping and dancing along.
The two performances were the culmination of more than six months of planning and practicing. “This is one of the biggest events we do here at the armory,” said Sgt. Andrew Waiters, band drum major and clarinet player. “Music is an important bridge-builder and a great way to bring people to the armory. It’s a great way to reach out to children. They really seem to enjoy what we do and it’s a motivator,” Waiters added.
“Music is the universal language,” said Spc. Charles Berry, a French horn player attending his first performance since graduating from the Army School of Music in May. “Music is emotion and energy, so we are going to bring both and hope the audience is feeling what we are feeling,” said Berry.
Alana Whitehead, 6, and her dance partner Ashtyn Ono, 4, twirled across the wooden drill floor for most of Capital Sound’s lively contemporary music set testing the dance skills and endurance of band members attempting to keep up with them.
“I liked the ‘Happy’ song the best,” Whitehead said of Capital Sound’s rendition of the popular Pharrell Williams song. “I had fun dancing.”
A Community Affair
“The tattoo shows the versatility of what we can do. Performances like this add to the public visibility of not just the band but of the D.C. National Guard,” said Sgt. Vicki Golding, lead vocalist for the Band of the Nation’s Capital. “It is important to reach out to the community not just in the traditional way during emergencies. The Guard is very much a part of the community so having the community to come to our house and have a good time with good music is a great community relations event,” she added.
In addition to Soldiers of the 257th Army Band, the tattoo featured the Northern Virginia Firefighters' Emerald Society Pipe Band playing traditional Celtic music and New Guard America, a professional civilian rifle exhibition team whose rifle drills include spinning and tossing weapons with 10-inch steel bayonets.
After the final Sunday afternoon performance, 1st Sgt. Brian Jones reflected on the efforts of his 29-member band. “I couldn’t be more proud of my Soldiers. The week leading up to the concerts was full-throttle getting ready. They worked hard and put everything they are as professional Soldiers and musicians into putting on a good show,” Jones said.
The D.C. National Guard’s commanding general was equally as impressed. “The band always does a great job and represents our D.C. Guard well every time and everywhere they perform,” said Maj. Gen. Errol R. Schwartz.
The 257th Army Band boasts a proud lineage going back to the organizational lineage and association with the legendary Corcoran Cadets, the D.C. militia that inspired John Philip Sousa to compose his march of the same name. Although centrally located among the finest military bands in the world, the 257th is officially recognized as "The Band of the Nation's Capital".
| Date Taken: | 06.07.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 06.11.2015 09:52 |
| Story ID: | 166253 |
| Location: | WASHINGTON, DC, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, US |
| Web Views: | 76 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
This work, Tattoo fills D.C. Armory with the sounds of music, by Gigail Cureton, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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