I hope many of my fellow LVAers watched the fireworks from DC and got to hear the great music from our armed service groups. What an incredible show, and all the positive vibes. It is worth the watch in case you missed it. I am posting it here to keep the politics of the sink out !
Originally posted by: Brent Kline
I hope many of my fellow LVAers watched the fireworks from DC and got to hear the great music from our armed service groups. What an incredible show, and all the positive vibes. It is worth the watch in case you missed it. I am posting it here to keep the politics of the sink out !
I watched a fantastic fireworks show at a location that was about as far away from DC as one can possibly get in the lower 48.
I caught much of the Parade of Sail, of the "tall ships" (seems that is an 'official' term) and the jet plane flyovers, all of which were breath-taking. On NBC all day Saturday into the evening. The ships and planes from nations all over the world. The planes of our U.S. armed forces and of other countries.
I think it was 11 or 12 plane groups, six to maybe 10 or 12 of a group, with super tight flyover formations, many with red/white/blue trailing smoke. Think Blue Angels on steroids, of our armed forces and those of other nations as well.
Excellent commentary, with history and details about every ship, some 47 of them, all so beautiful with all the different sails and flags of their countries, and men/women in uniform standing on all the platforms. Some ships were over 100 years old, all decked out for this event, two years plus in the planning. One of them they said was over three football fields high. Sailing from New York Harbor, around the Statue of Liberty, up the Hudson, will be docked for two weeks, I think they said, for folks to visit and come aboard. These ships serve as training sites for new recruits into the different branches of their military.
It was really emotional, heartening, uplifting that so many came from so many other countries to particpate, to honor our celebration of 250 years. I can't fathom the extent of efforts pulling all this together, and having it come off so beautifully for all to see.
I confess that like some, I'd almost had enough talk about the 250 event. It was by accident that I caught this. I stopped dead in my tracks and couldn't tear myself away from the TV. And the interviews, oh my. Folks from other countries, citizens living here or abroad who admire America and made the effort to be here for this celebration.
Candy
Originally posted by: O2bnVegas
I caught much of the Parade of Sail, of the "tall ships" (seems that is an 'official' term) and the jet plane flyovers, all of which were breath-taking. On NBC all day Saturday into the evening. The ships and planes from nations all over the world. The planes of our U.S. armed forces and of other countries.
I think it was 11 or 12 plane groups, six to maybe 10 or 12 of a group, with super tight flyover formations, many with red/white/blue trailing smoke. Think Blue Angels on steroids, of our armed forces and those of other nations as well.
Excellent commentary, with history and details about every ship, some 47 of them, all so beautiful with all the different sails and flags of their countries, and men/women in uniform standing on all the platforms. Some ships were over 100 years old, all decked out for this event, two years plus in the planning. One of them they said was over three football fields high. Sailing from New York Harbor, around the Statue of Liberty, up the Hudson, will be docked for two weeks, I think they said, for folks to visit and come aboard. These ships serve as training sites for new recruits into the different branches of their military.
It was really emotional, heartening, uplifting that so many came from so many other countries to particpate, to honor our celebration of 250 years. I can't fathom the extent of efforts pulling all this together, and having it come off so beautifully for all to see.
I confess that like some, I'd almost had enough talk about the 250 event. It was by accident that I caught this. I stopped dead in my tracks and couldn't tear myself away from the TV. And the interviews, oh my. Folks from other countries, citizens living here or abroad who admire America and made the effort to be here for this celebration.
Candy
Great experience, and thanks for sharing your impressions. God knows, it's been hard lately to feel patriotic or proud of our country, but this celebration was more about our (storied) history than the present situation. I think the tall ship parade in particular was really cool, and the logistics must have been formidable.
I think that the world was always going to show up for our big birthday party, much like even if Uncle Ferd has turned into a raving alcoholic psychotic, we're still going to be there for his 70th birthday. A tribute to the past and a salute to what we've done (except recently, of course).
The expected music was fun to hear. One piece I didn't hear, but was probably performed somewhere, was what I consider the most iconic American piece: Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man. That one still gives me goosebumps, both because it's an incredibly stirring composition and because of what it meant and what it stood for.
Thanks for the tip about the ships being available to see and visit. I love the "living ship museums" anchored in San Diego, San Francisco, etc. You get to come aboard and see what it was like on a schooner or a clipper ship. The Age of Sail ships were incredibly complex and a technological marvel for their time. I'm going to research what's available to see on the Hudson in the next two weeks. I'm thinking about a spontaneous trip!
Originally posted by: Kevin Lewis
Great experience, and thanks for sharing your impressions. God knows, it's been hard lately to feel patriotic or proud of our country, but this celebration was more about our (storied) history than the present situation. I think the tall ship parade in particular was really cool, and the logistics must have been formidable.
I think that the world was always going to show up for our big birthday party, much like even if Uncle Ferd has turned into a raving alcoholic psychotic, we're still going to be there for his 70th birthday. A tribute to the past and a salute to what we've done (except recently, of course).
The expected music was fun to hear. One piece I didn't hear, but was probably performed somewhere, was what I consider the most iconic American piece: Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man. That one still gives me goosebumps, both because it's an incredibly stirring composition and because of what it meant and what it stood for.
Thanks for the tip about the ships being available to see and visit. I love the "living ship museums" anchored in San Diego, San Francisco, etc. You get to come aboard and see what it was like on a schooner or a clipper ship. The Age of Sail ships were incredibly complex and a technological marvel for their time. I'm going to research what's available to see on the Hudson in the next two weeks. I'm thinking about a spontaneous trip!
That would be a trip worth doing.
Composer Aaron Copland's history, child of Russian immigrants to the US, is beyond amazing. That piece "Fanfare" (1942) is unique, all horns and tympani. Majestic.
I'm gonna dust off my DVD of The Heiress, Copland's score of the film winning Best Original Score in addition to Best Picture, Best Actress (Olivia de Havilland) (1949). But that's a tiny drop in the sea compared to his life and works, interesting in many, many ways, too numerous to think about listing.
Do that trip, Kevin.
Candy
We saw the US Air force band in Salida Colorado a few years back on 4th of july weekend. They were amazing and the same goes for the music at the DC fireworks . What a cool atmosphere with the red white a blue stage and the 10 barges with fireworks behind it. All the people just having a great time celebrating our country
