Now that I’ve been doing their commercials Premier Subaru asked if I’d emcee tonight’s band concert and fireworks in Branford. I was glad to and it was another good chance to get the word out I’m on FoxCT. Amazing how many people still don’t know (feel free to pass the word around).
After a threatening day and with thunderstorms moving through Northern Connecticut Branford was was exquisite. The sky was mainly blue, the temperature comfortable and the dew point low.
The Branford Town Band was playing on the flat roof above the public restrooms! That’s not as strange as it sounds. We were perched above the harbor with a direct line-of-sight to the island where the fireworks were being launched.
The band began playing at 7:45. After their first song I was brought up to lead the band. Surprise to me!
All they had me do was count to four. They broke into “Sleighride.”
The concert was mostly band favorites and some medleys. All the instruments were wind save the drums. I was pleased to see my old friend Bob Child playing.
My job was to read a little lead-in for each song. I do this as part of “what I do” for work, but the truth is I enjoy doing it and think I do it well.
The skies darkened and the fireworks began around 9:30 PM.
I can’t imagine how there’s a better place to see fireworks. I can’t imagine a better night. We were so close powdery debris rained on us as the show progressed!
Because the winds were calm smoke from the rockets never dissipated and some of the show was actually obscured by its own smoke!
As a photographer I enjoyed the lower part of the program. It was possible for me to shoot the explosions and still see the crowd.
Here’s a small sample of the shots I took tonight in Branford.
