Posted on 05/27/2012 5:49:46 PM PDT by God luvs America
Anyone else watching the National Memorial Day Concert on PBS??? Annual tradition- takes place on the lawn of the Capitol...announced in the middle of the show that dangerous weather was on the way and everyone should leave in an orderly manner- then they cancelled the show in midstream...
http://www.pbs.org/memorialdayconcert/concert/
Yes, I was watching and crying buckets.
First, the capitol police just asked the crowd to disperse. Then the MC said to follow the directive of the police, but that the show would go on. It did for about five more minutes, then the capitol police ordered the show to stop.
Too bad.
really too bad....my wife and i were saying there are 1000’s of people who travel to DC just for that concert to pay tribute...
i think the only reason they carried on another five minutes was to give PBS an opportunity to cue up last year’s show...it was actually kind of creepy vaguely hearing the PA announcer after the Trace Adkins song...
I was watching and crying, as I always do. At first I was surprised but the weather here, I’m about 20 minutes outside DC, is starting to get crazy. Lots of really strong winds, I’m sure the rain isn’t too far off. It is a shame the concert had to be cancelled. At least we had beautiful weather earlier today for Rolling Thunder.
I am in DC for the event. And its a strong one coming in!
http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/virginia/weather-radar?play=true
That is just way too bad.
We went to see Rolling Thunder downtown in DC today. Had to sort of drag hubby along as he was tired. Ended up walking back over Arlington Bridge and striking up a conversation with a Gold Star mom who was walking back across by herself.
Her son was killed in Iraq in 2008. She was there, to ride in the parade and attend that show tonight. Bless her heart.
I was glad we went, if only to be able to walk with her across that bridge today.
And I have a Harley! Not great in pouring rain with lousy car drivers!
Thank you for being there.
I hope you’re under cover! Stay safe out there.
Obie’s FEMA on steroids. Chicken Little.The sky is falling!!!!
Yes, it’s very emotional. I was watching and was sad to see it cancelled. It really puts those of us who were not in the military in touch with them and the sacrifice they make for us all. May God bless those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.
That’s not good!
I was watching it, and the young widow touched me as well. Not good that it had to be cut short, but safety first.
But not surprised either, since what happened last summer with that storm that took that concert stage down, concert organizers much more nervous.
God Bless those who were touched by death while in military service. Your dear ones service and sacriface will not be forgotten.
I remember watching it on TV maybe six or seven years ago when it was actually pouring down rain for quote some time during the show, and they soldiered on.
I dimly remember Barry Bostwick (possibly best known among FReepers as the Mayor in “Spin City” with Michael J. Fox), soaked to the skin in whatever button-down shirt he was wearing, slogging across the stage with a big push-broom between acts, kicking electrical cords out of the way of The Pointer Sisters, and dancing (around puddles) and singing himself in the finest “show must go on” tradition.
I don’t know if it’s quite worth lamenting what seems to be a widespread loss of national will, but I will: I have to say that it saddens me to read this article and see yet another overly timid response to something that could be dealt with just a few years ago.
was sad to see it cancelled- there were a lot more stories that i’m sure people wanted to tell and hear...
one of my best friends was at the concert you spoke of with his little kids....didn’t Bostwick start off the show mentioning how it was pouring all day but they planned on moving on with the show???
The sad thing is that a number of the reflections will not be presented.
Damn there he is holding an umbrella over his head as he announces The Pointer Sisters, right here on youtube, Capitol Fourth, 2001:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ntc7dV4IE6Q
At 2:45 or so, the shot from the back of the stage shows obvious recent rainfall; by 3:30 you can see lots of wet hair and shirts everywhere, and by 4:00 the rain is pounding down so hard that The Pointer Sisters are not just soaked but holding umbrellas as they sing.
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