Archive for July 4, 2009
The Boston Pops — RIP
I’ve been a fan of the 100+year-old Boston Pops orchestra and its Independence Day celebration for decades. I’ve loved it because of the brilliance of its directors — the irreplaceable Arthur Fiedler and John Williams — the wonderful, diverse music (imagine, John Lennon) and the historic setting — Independence Hall is down the street and turn your head and wow, there’s the Charles River.
CBS is airing the concert tonight. It’s about the military (killing people) — uniformed officers are everywhere as is cheap patriotism — people waving dime-a dozen-flags and wearing red, Statue of Liberty foam pointy-head-hats. Chintzy stars hang over the beautiful mosaic wood background.
There was a time when it was about the music.
Sad.
July 4 = Freak the Dogs Out
That would be my overall take on the way we Americans — neighborhood by neighborhood – celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence. People who have no idea what they’re “celebrating” set off fireworks while dogs freak out and their guardians do the best they can to keep them calm.
And if you live in a dry area, you worry about some idiot setting your trees on fire.
Lot o’ fun.
