The word “tattoo” comes from an old Dutch saying “doe den tap toe”, meaning “to turn off the beer taps”. This was to send the soldiers home for the night. However, for many members of the crowd at Montecasino, the taps were about to open as the performances commenced.
The massed pipes and drums began the festivities, led this year by the South African Irish Regiment. The SA Irish selected to play traditional Irish tunes and a massive harp (a well-known symbol of the Irish) was projected against the walls of the casino. The performance of the pipers and drummers was both visually and musically enthralling, with the pipers formed into the shape of a clover during the act.
Next on the program were the drum majorettes from Saint Dominic’s College, who tossed their batons and waved their flags to a somewhat more contemporary music selection. It included jungle and drum and bass tracks that gave the performance an exciting and interesting twist.
The Tshwane SAPS band hit a bit of a hiccup and ended up standing on the esplanade understaffed and a little late. A polite chuckle went around but the crowd patiently waited for the band to perform and were eventually met with a respectable applause. It was the dress rehearsal after all.
This year’s Tattoo would have excited lovers of percussion. Code Red Drum Corps from Gauteng showed off their back-sticking skills and coordination, looking smart in their camo pants and army boots. A new addition to the Tattoo was the Ten Drum Group from Taiwan. The ten young men pelted away at the skins of several different drums and got people’s attention with a few strange emotive cries during the performance. Undoubtedly, the percussion prize went to the world renowned Top Secret Drum Corps from Switzerland. Their accuracy and choreography were impeccable. A special treat was that all of the lights went out during their set and the snare drums lit up with every stroke.
A great surprise for any South African was the inclusion of the rock band Just Ginger, whose rock star attitude gave a bit of a cheeky edge to their performance. They grabbed the crowd’s attention and delivered a memorable and nostalgic set.
One of the best parts of the Tattoo was the finale, where all of the performers got the recognition they deserve. Led by the South African Tattoo’s director of music, Eddie Clayton, the cast ended off with the national anthem and a hair-raising rendition of the James Bond theme for the movie Skyfall.
2013 added another notch on the belt of the organisers of the South African tattoo. With shows sold out from Thursday till Sunday, the show was a resounding success.
