The Castle of Good Hope opened its doors to several energetic youth groups, who performed together with the military bands – SA Army Band Cape Town, SA Air Force Band, SA Navy Band and SAMHS Band – and two of the pipe bands that have been performing during the Cape Town Military Tattoo – the Cape Field Artillery Pipes & Drums and the SAMHS Pipes & Drums.
After all the bands had had an opportunity to go through their routines in the front arena during the day, it was time for all the different acts to be assembled together into a well-structured programme, with one act flowing nicely into the next.
When the early morning mist curled around the buildings and streetlights of Cape Town, creating a slightly eerie atmosphere, it gave no indication that it would become such a hot Monday. By mid-morning, the heat of the sun had burned off the mist, and a brilliantly blue sky was bringing out the ochre-yellow hues in the walls of the Castle of Good Hope. By midday, everyone was looking for shady spots to shelter from the harsh sun, and glancing hopefully towards the western skyline, where just the hint of a cold front was starting to appear.
I paid another visit to the Castle today to see what was happening in the run-up to the Tattoo. The mood was one of excitement and anticipation. It is a challenging task to coordinate the rehearsals of all the participating acts in the show, and to make sure that everyone knows exactly what is expected of them.
On Saturday morning, 20 October 2012, I made my way to the Florida Park Sports Ground in Stroebel Road, Ravensmead. I had been asked by WO2 André van Schalkwyk of the SA Army Band Cape Town to take some photographs of their performance at the Western Cape Schools Drill and Marching Festival 2012. I had attended and written about last year’s festival in Vygieskraal Stadium, Athlone, and was looking forward to what promised to be a very exciting event.
Update: The article I wrote about this event was published on the Reserve Force Division Website. Here is the PDF document. I am absolutely thrilled to be able to share this news with you – it is all systems go with the Cape Town Military Tattoo 2012! You may recall that I was racing around…
Update: An article I wrote about this event was published on the Reserve Force Division website. Here is the PDF document. While I was finalising my write-up of the 2011 Gala Concert of the SA Army Band Cape Town, I suddenly realised that I had forgotten to tell you about their fabulous concert of the…
Update: An article I wrote about this event was published on the Reserve Force Division website. Here is the PDF document. On Friday, 2 December 2011, the annual Gala Concert of the SA Army Band Cape Town took place at the grand City Hall in Darling Street, central Cape Town. As concertgoers took their seats in…
Update: An article I wrote about this event was published on the Reserve Force Division website. Here is the PDF document. This evening, the Military Sunset Concert 2011 was held at the Castle of Good Hope in central Cape Town, under a cloudless blue summer sky. When the big imposing gates of the Castle opened…
Round up all your family and friends, and head on down to the magnificent old Castle of Good Hope in central Cape Town on Friday 18 November 2011 and Saturday 19 November 2011, for a relaxing sunset picnic on the lawns, followed by a wonderful military music concert. Yes, you are invited to bring along…
Update: The article I wrote about this event has been published in the Reserve Force Volunteer magazine of Summer 2012. Here is the PDF document. Last Saturday, 15 October 2011, I found myself at Vygieskraal Stadium in Johnson Road, Rylands, Athlone. My mission: To take photographs during a mini tattoo at the Western Cape Schools…
My goodness, what a whirlwind of a week this has been! We picked up mom-in-law Lissi (visiting us from Windhoek, Namibia) from Cape Town International Airport last Saturday, and spent a leisurely afternoon at home, giving her some time to relax before launching into a jam-packed program of activities.
On a sun-baked Sunday afternoon in February, the catchy tune of “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” filled the warm summer air, setting feet a-tapping and hips a-swaying in the peaceful De Waal Park in the City Bowl. “When you fall, get up, oh oh And if you fall, get up, eh eh Tsamina mina…
Last year, I wrote a couple of blog posts about the SA Army Band Cape Town, who are regular participants at the annual Cape Town Military Tattoo. They have recently created their own blog – here: SA Army Band Cape Town. And a few days ago, they re-posted some of my posts, which I thought…
After the high-energy performance by the drummies of Curro Private School, it was the turn of the popular SA Army Band of Cape Town (more here) in their red tunics and dark-blue pants to wow the audience. Led out by Drum Major WO2 André van Schwalkwyk and under the baton of Director of Music Major…
Grains of Sand 
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