The Naden Band of the Royal Canadian Navy was back at Osoyoos Music in the Park by popular demand on Friday and they didn’t disappoint.
Just shy of 600 people – 597 to be exact – turned out with their lawn chairs to hear the multi-member band and its mix of brass and woodwind instruments.
Janis St. Louis, the only remaining original member of the Three Amigos who began Music in the Park in 2015, speculated on why the Naden Band has been such a crowd pleaser.
She pointed to the number of people with connections to the military.
“Maybe it’s the Canadian spirit,” she said. “The uniqueness of seeing a military band. It’s not every day that you have that opportunity.”
The Esquimalt-based band was originally expected to return to Osoyoos in 2017, a year after they wowed audiences the previous year. But another commitment scuttled those plans and instead the also-popular Jet Stream of the Royal Canadian Air Force performed here last summer.
St. Louis said people kept stopping her on the street to ask if the Three Amigos planned to bring back the navy band.
The band, dressed in white, played a mix of traditional military music, an adapted Irish folk piece and popular favourites.
St. Louis said other concerts this season have also drawn large numbers, with one attracting 450. One concert had to be moved to the Legion due to bad weather.
“I think the next three will be quite popular as well,” she said. “We’ve got Daniel Gervais, fiddle champion, coming next week and people asked us to bring him back. So that’s going to be big. Cod Gone Wild after that and they play East Coast music, very energetic. And our last group, (Rusty Rails) is a bluegrass band.”
St. Louis said the Three Amigos, who now also include Roland Berg and Debbie Dundass, try to bring a variety of music genres to meet different music tastes.
The concerts are free and run on Friday evenings from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The remaining concerts are Aug. 17, 24 and 31.
RICHARD McGUIRE
Osoyoos Times
The clarinet players were highlighted in this piece, during the performance Friday night by the Naden Band of the Royal Canadian Navy at Osoyoos Music in the Park. (Richard McGuire photo)
An orange sun peaks through the smoke clouds above the bandshell at Gyro Park on Friday during the performance by the Naden Band of the Royal Canadian Navy at Osoyoos Music in the Park. (Richard McGuire photo)
A crowd of close to 600 people turned out Friday night at Gyro Park to watch the Naden Band of the Royal Canadian Navy. (Richard McGuire photo)
The Naden Band of the Royal Canadian Navy performed with a mix of woodwind and brass instruments on Friday at Osoyoos Music in the Park. (Richard McGuire photo)
About 600 people turned out Friday to watch the Naden Band of the Royal Canadian Navy perform at Osoyoos Music in the Park. This was the largest turnout ever for the free Friday night summer concerts. (Richard McGuire photo)
Petty Officer second class Barrie Sorensen (on saxophone) and Petty Officer second class Miguel Valdes de la Hoz, came down to play to the audience up close at the end of the Naden Band’s first set. (Richard McGuire photo)
About 600 people turned out Friday to watch the Naden Band of the Royal Canadian Navy perform at Osoyoos Music in the Park. This was the largest turnout ever for the free Friday night summer concerts. (Richard McGuire photo)
