3rd Field Artillery Regiment Band host drop-in practice in Saint John
Those walking past the Barrack Green Armoury in Saint John’s south end Saturday would’ve been drawn inside by the sound of music.
That music was courtesy of the 3rd Field Artillery Regiment Band who held an open house Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to offer the public a chance to see, and hear their work up close.
“The public doesn’t always get to see what we do as military musicians,” says Bombardier Ashley Robinson, who is a drum major in the band.
“Whether it be playing a mess dinner, it could be a parade in town where they might get to hear us come down the street, but the general public wouldn’t normally get to come and experience what we do here. We play concerts, we play different venues throughout the year so it’s really good to bring people into our house to see what we do so when we are in their house they are saying I remember those guys.”
The band practices once a week out of the armoury and tries to do as many gigs as possible throughout the year to spread their music. Robinson says they aim to do at least four major concerts a year, on top of the various parades sprinkled throughout the calendar.
The 3rd Field Artillery Regiment Band practices once a week at the Barrack Green Armoury in Saint John, N.B. (Avery MacRae/CTV Atlantic)
The music played by the band isn’t just your typical army marching tunes. The band also mixes in some classic songs like Michael Jackson, “Jump in the Line”, and familiar tunes from classic cartoons.
“People relate to that,” says Robinson. “And when they relate to that they relate to what we do as a band and in turn they think okay, the pride of the military could be the band.”
The open house also served as a way to help recruit more people into the regiment for both military and band purposes. Those interested and are somewhat skilled in brass, reed, or percussion instruments can contact the recruiting office at the armoury.
Robinson notes joining the band can lead to a number of interested and memorable opportunities, and even get the chance to meet high ranking officials.
“We have performed for every member of the royal family,” Robinson points out. “Just last year we performed from Princess Anne in Sussex and Moncton, we have performed for the queen, and Prince Charles before he became the king. It’s a lot of opportunities playing in this to meet some high brass.”
The event was the final public gathering hosted by the military as part of the Canadian Army Reserve Job Fair 2024, which saw various recruitment events take place across the country.
For more New Brunswick news visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Oprah Winfrey: I set an unrealistic standard for dieting
Oprah Winfrey said on Thursday evening that she has long played a role in promoting unhealthy and unrealistic diets.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Toronto police called to Drake's Bridle Path mansion for another alleged intruder on Thursday
Toronto police say a man who allegedly attempted to access Drake’s Bridle Path property was taken to hospital on Thursday after an altercation with security guards.
Flat tire on a highway? Here's why you shouldn't try to fix it
If you're cruising down a highway and realize you have a flat tire, you may want to think twice before stopping to fix it on the side of the road.
Storm-battered U.S. South is again under threat. A boy swept into a drain fights for his life
Dangerous storms crashed over parts of the U.S. South on Thursday even as the region cleaned up from earlier severe weather that spawned tornadoes, killed at least three people, and gravely injured a boy who was swept into a storm drain as he played in a flooded street.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.
Prince Harry, Meghan arrive in Nigeria to champion the Invictus Games and meet with wounded soldiers
Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, arrived in Nigeria on Friday to champion the Invictus Games, which he founded to aid the rehabilitation of wounded and sick servicemembers and veterans, among them Nigerian soldiers fighting a 14-year war against Islamic extremists.