This weekend, Bear Mountain Arena will come under musical attack by an army of military bands, pipers, drummers, dancers and vocalists for Vancouver Island’s first Pacific Tattoo.
Inspired by famous military tattoos, such as those held in Edinburgh, Basel and Nova Scotia, the Pacific Tattoo will be the biggest indoor show on Vancouver Island with more than 400 performers. A tattoo is a demonstration of precision in drumming, piping or musical expertise, first practiced by the British military over 300 years ago.
Today, tattoos also include special military skill, athletic ability and dance.
“The crowd in Bear Mountain Arena can expect traditional tattoo elements like massed pipes, drums and Celtic dancers,” says producer Roger McGuire. “We have some international crowd pleasers and surprises in store, too.”
Alongside director Dave Terry, an organizer of naval tattoos, McGuire has organized an extensive and jam-packed show.
Some of the talent includes: the Trumpeters of Berittener Fanfarenzug Freckenhorst, The Naden Band of Maritime Forces Pacific, The Regimental Pipes & Drums of the Calgary Highlanders, Canadian Scottish Regiment Pipes and Drums, Greater Victoria Police Pipe Band, and Canadian fiddle and step-dance star Stephanie Cadman. There will also be special skills demonstrations, a 55-voice choir and a 50-strong team of jive and Chinese dance groups, as well as, the Pacific Tattoo’s own Celtic dance team. The grand finale of the show will be performed as a collaboration of all the acts.
The Pacific Tattoo will run on Sat., July 14 and Sun., July 15 at 7:30 p.m. There will be a matinee on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. The show will run for two hours.
For tickets visit Pacifictattoo.ca or call the Bear Mountain Arena box office at 250-478-8384. M
— By Clare Walton