CTMT 2015: Rehearsals (Part 1)

After the Remembrance Day service at the Cenotaph in Adderley Street on Sunday morning, a couple of the bands participated in a mini-Tattoo at the V&A Waterfront on Sunday afternoon. The South African Army Band Western Cape and the Pipe Bands of the Cape Town Highlanders, Cape Field Artillery and Cape Garrison Artillery were joined by our exotic visitors, the Pakistan Army Band who performed on the amphitheatre’s stage afterwards, and by a team of youngsters from the TS Woltemade Sea Cadets who are doing a Gun Run for us in the arena at the Tattoo. By all accounts it was an awesome performance, which no doubt had a positive effect on ticket sales.

Massed military bands rehearsing in the arena

Monday morning started early for a lot of the people working behind the scenes. Since my early days behind the scenes of the Tattoo in 2010, that unforgettable year when South Africa hosted the FIFA Soccer World Cup, I have learned more and more how much is involved in making an event like this happen. Five years down the line, I realise that I still don’t know everything!

Apart from the performers and acts on the stage, who obviously spend long hours rehearsing and fine-tuning their musical skills and marching drills, there are countless organisations, military regiments, and individuals, both civilian and military, Regular Force and Reserve Force, who all contribute to the Cape Town Military Tattoo. And only a small proportion of this work is actually visible to audiences who attend this event – and yet, all of it is necessary to ensure the smooth functioning of the Tattoo.

Chloë Agnew – Oh, what an incredible voice!

Just from the side of the performers, this year we have three international acts (Chloë Agnew, Joey the War Horse and the Pakistan Army Band), five pipe bands (the Cape Town Highlanders, Cape Field Artillery, Cape Garrison Artillery, Algoa Caledonian and Knysna & Districts) and military bands from all four services (Army, Air Force, Navy and SAMHS).

In addition, we have the Cannon Association of South Africa who makes the big bang at the beginning, the Cape Field Artillery Saluting Troop who make lots of big bangs towards the end of the show, and the paratroopers of 3 Parachute Battalion Charlie Company [actually, they’re from 1 Parachute Battalion, but we didn’t know that when we wrote the programme] who are going to make quite a lot of bangs in the middle.

We also have the Precision Drill Squad of the SA Army’s School of Infantry, and the TS Woltemade Sea Cadets and Gun Crew. And we have the Riel Dansers known as Die Nuwe Graskoue Trappers, the Chris Hani School Choir and Dancers, and a String Quartet from the Cape Town Philharmonic Youth Orchestra.

But that’s just the action onstage. Behind the scenes, there are a mind-boggling number of things that must be attended to: production, choreography, music, marketing, promotions, public relations, media liaison, radio and television interviews, social media, logistics, VIP hospitality, event safety and security, emergency medical services, wranglers and ushers, never mind construction of the stands, stage and scaffolding, signals and communication, electrical, sound and lighting, catering and refrigeration, accommodation and transport, cleaning, toilet hire, printing, photography, publications… I’m sure I’ve forgotten some important ones here…

But now, I hope you’ll enjoy the photos below. Remember that you can click on any of the images below to access the slideshow.

: The SA Air Force Band and the SA Navy Band are performing together in a single act called ‘Maritime Aviation’

: Look – my fellow photies are back!

: The Pakistan Army Band rehearses their routine on the arena

: The lighting guys from 3 Electrical Workshop have their work cut out for them

: Hands on hips…

: Watchers from the sidelines

: The paratroopers run through their routine in the middle of all the rehearsals

: Capt Vernon Michels of the SA Army Band Western Cape

: Chloë Agnew at the Cape Town Military Tattoo!

: It’s going to be an unforgettable show

: Unaccompanied, with just a microphone, she gave us all goosebumps with her rendition of ‘The Prayer’

: Maruwaan de Bruyn, a drummer of the Cape Town Highlanders Drums and Pipes

: Maruwaan’s and Chloë’s voices complement each other beautifully

: WO2 Charles Canning (wearing his Rupert the Bear trousers) is the very capable Production Manager

: Andy Dippenaar will be announcer this year

: Spotlights on the roof

: Trumpeters fanfare from the gantry

: A brief pause, as the Key Ceremony is performed for the visiting tourists

: Lt Col Tienie Lott (Poducer), Lt Col Ralph Wilkinson (Executive Officer) and Capt (SAN) Marcus Rammutloa (Media Liaison Officer) watch from the stands

: Good grief, so they have to play ALL those notes???

: Little yellow arrows and white sticky tapes indicate … er … something or other

: WO2 Charles Canning and Andy Dippenaar

: Lunch break – badly needed

: Even bandsmen must eat

: The Dolphin Pool is in the middle of renovations – not ideal timing…

: Shiny shiny instruments

: Pakistan Army Band

: Air Force and Navy Bands combine forces

: Paratroopers don’t walk into the Castle – they fastrope from above!

: The paratroopers meanwhile continue their rehearsal in the midst of everything

: Massed military bands

: Yamaha is popular

: All the seats have to be numbered correctly

: The Precision Drill Squad of the SA Army’s School of Infantry runs through their drill with R4 assault rifles

: In the early evening, the pipers take to the stage

: A beautiful sky

: A wall of sound from the massed pipes and drums

: The percussion instruments are on raised platforms with wheels this year, so they can be wired for sound separately and moved around the arena as needed by the wranglers