The Queen Invites The World From BC Place Stadium March 1983 Video

Band marching in.

Close up of the uniforms.

One of those trombone players above is me.

Mr. Gordon Olson, conducted me a zillion times sorry for what I put you through.

Royal Visit 1983 First Event in BC Place

The more removed I am from my youth and my time in Canada, the more precious stuff like this is. This was March 1983. I was Grade 10. Our band conductor Gordon Olson (RIP) told us that we will look back twenty years from now and still remember that day. Well, it's twenty six years later and dog gone it , he was right. First installment of this is here.

The occasion was that the Queen invited the world from BC Place Stadium. Expo 86 was three years later. The stadium was not even formally inaugurated yet.

I am not sure if there is video of this event available online. This was the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) coverage of the event. Granted what's left of my blog audience has been subject to video of me doing the craziest things. Lousy or not, its part of my past. We marched in to "Brasses to the Fore" . The first song we played once we stood in place I could not remember to save my life. At about 4 minutes in you will see a decent shot of the trombone section.

The second version of the same thing , you might see a certain Filipino trombone player that provided endless amusement for tenor sax player Bill Schatz. He could not get enough of the deer in the headlights look. I call in intense concentration.


Ed













If any of the old crew remember the name of the feature song let me know.




Editor's note June 1 2013. I was contacted this week by a flute player that day Monika Mackenzie who was present  for my entire run in the Beefeaters if I recall. She told me the song was Crown Imperial. Proof that I don't remember everything. You play one song for royalty your whole life and you forget the name.  






The deer in headlights look is even worse 26 years later.

Tags: queen, canada place, beefeater band

For even more pictures click here

The Queen Arrives in Vancouver March 1983

Royal visit 1983

The more removed I am from my youth and my time in Canada, the more precious stuff like this is. This was March 1983. I was Grade 10. Our band conductor Gordon Olson (RIP) told us that we will look back twenty years from now and still remember that day. Well, it's twenty six years later and dog gone it , he was right. That's the Beefeater Band playing in the background around the first minute of the video. Playing O Canada. I think it's an honor to be bringing your video since I have been trying to look online for documentation of this day



http://www.vancouverhistory.ca/chronology1983.htm

The Royal Yacht Britannia sailed into Vancouver with the Queen and Prince Philip aboard. At B.C. Place the Queen, in an international hookup, invited the world to Expo 86. On this same voyage, she turned the first shovel of soil in the construction of Canada Place. Enthusiasm over the prospect of a world exposition was tempered by nagging unemployment, with, among other gloomy news, word that none of five shipyards on the North Shore (Burrard Yarrows, Vancouver Shipyards, BelAire, Allied and Matsumoto) had any new shipbuilding contracts pending. It is expected 2,500 workers will be unemployed by July.

I am not sure if there is video on line other than this one. Granted what's left of my blog audience has been subject to video of me doing the craziest things. Lousy or not, its part of my past.

Here the Queen is laying the foundation for what will later be Canada Place. That's us playing O'Canada in the background. More video of this later on.


Ed

Tags: queen, beefeater band