Air Force Band of Liberty Concert at Chandler Pond Thursday 7/24

Last summer the Air Force Band of Liberty's wind ensemble played an outdoor concert at Chandler Pond to an enthusiastic crowd:

Following the opening number, the Air Force Band had a well-timed fly-over. Not by a Stealth Fighter or the Blue Angles, but a flock of Canada Geese headed towards Chandler's shores to make their 1-pound daily deposit.

It was a great family event, and they even provided the DEET.

This year will have an encore event: on Thursday, July 24th, the Air Force's jazz band will be playing an outdoor concert at the same venue at 7:00 pm. The site is on the western edge of the pond in the open, grassy field -- Gallagher Park.

BYO lawn chairs, blankets, and picnics.

Warning: Rabid Racoon Near Chandler's Pond

I just got a report in this evening (8/17/07) from a resident who:

saw a large sick racoon crossing Kenrick near Larch this afternoon around 4. At around 7:30 we were barbecuing in the back yard and the raccoon came stumbling within feet of us...

we actually had to leave the yard. I reported it to animal control, but it wandered away (up the hill behind houses on Larch) before anyone bothered to call back. Animal control said if it was stumbling around and acting drunk, it probably has rabies, and would probably be spotted around the neighborhood for the next couple of days, and to report it to them if anyone sees it.

Boston Animal Control can be contacted via the Mayor's 24-hour hotline: 617-635-4500. (Don't use the online form on the weekends -- it might not be read until Monday.) Animal control always has a person on-call for emergencies like this.

U.S. Air Force Band of Liberty Plays at Chandler Pond

The U.S. Air Force "Band of Liberty" celebrated its 60th year -- and Brighton-Allston's 200th -- with an outdoor, evening concert Thursday night (8/9) in Gallagher Park next to Chandler Pond in Brighton. I would guess that 400 or so people were in attendance.

Following the opening number, the Air Force Band had a well-timed fly-over. Not by a Stealth Fighter or the Blue Angles, but a flock of Canada Geese headed towards Chandler's shores to make their 1-pound daily deposit. Actually, the grass and sidewalks near the pond currently have less goose-goo than in recent years, although that may be a function of our recent, heavy rain.

The guest conductor was none other than Senior Master Sergeant Bill Drury, better known locally as a conductor of wind ensembles at New England Conservatory and the Boston Conservatory. His standard military post is conducting the Air National Guard Band on Cape Cod.

As you might expect, the Air Force Band played nothing but American music, but it had a surprisingly wide range of styles:

1. Star Spangled Banner, *sung by Michelle Felicia
2. Paul Creston: Celebration Overture. A mid-20th century composer known for many changes of meter and diatonic writing, this work is popular among wind ensembles
   
3. Henry Fillmore: Men of Ohio March. Early 20th century band composer known for "Lassus Trombone"
4. Leonard Bernstein: "Tonight" *
5. Bernstein: West Side Story Suite (un-attributed arrangement for wind ensemble)
6. George Gershwin: "Someone to Watch Over me" *
7. Gershwin: "I Got Rhythm" *
8. unannounced big band number, maybe Lionel Hampton
9. Major Glenn Miller: "In the Mood". Perennial crowd favorite, especially the dancing children
   
10. Benny Goodman: medley, ending with "Sing, Sing, Sing"
11. "Freedom", first popularized by Wynonna Judd *
12. Service Marches: Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Goast Guard, and Air Fforce
13. God Bless America, in a power ballad arrangement
14. [encore] John Philip Sousa: Stars and Stripes Forever March

The event was put on as part of the Brighton-Allston Bicentennial celebration, co-sponsored by Boston Parks and Recreation, Brighton Main Streets, Brighton Board of Trade, and Chandler Pond Preservation Society. Rosie Hanlon claims to have extracted a promise out of Master Sergeant Drury to return again next summer.

Deet bug spray provided by Boston Parks and Recreation Department. Bravo!

Air Force Band Concert at Chandler Pond: Thursday 8/9 at 7 pm

Thursday, August 9
7:00 - 9:00 pm
Chandler Pond, Brighton

The U.S. Air Force Band will play at Chandler’s Pond, off Lake Shore Road, to celebrate the bicentennial of Allston-Brighton from 7-9 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 9. Families are invited and encouraged to bring lawn chairs, blankets and picnic baskets to enjoy the summer evening event. This event is co-sponsored by Boston Parks and Recreation, Brighton Main Streets and Brighton Board of Trade.

Also see the calendar at the Brighton-Allston Bicentennial webpage.

Bring bug repellent.

Turkey Trot

While running on Kenrick Street this morning, just over the Newton line, I again ran across three of our local, wild turkeys. One male was displaying alongside two females. Photo of male displaying not mine (nor from Brighton):


The street location is near to the Newton Commonwealth Golf Course (who ought to modify their logo), further down the street from Chandler Pond, the Cenacle, Rogers Park, and St. John's Seminary open spaces. Charlie Vasiliades made the point on Saturday's walking tour that adjacent and/or connected sets of open spaces support the presence of wild animals like these turkeys. Here is a map of these Brighton open spaces from the Boston Parks Department master plan 2001-2006, where the turkey sighting is at the middle-left-edge of the map:

Watch Out at Chandler Pond!

Somebody needs to teach this Canada Goose some manners.