U.S. Navy Band Helps Kick Off Military Tattoo

Musicians with the U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa Band perform in the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo outside Edinburgh Castle.

Musicians with the U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa Band performed in the first public showing of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo outside Edinburgh Castle on August 3.

Above, the musicians perform the theme song to Superman as technicians project a superhero image onto the castle.

“I am confident that our performance here will leave everyone wanting more,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Andrew Francisco, a saxophonist. “It’s an honor to serve our country as musical ambassadors in this show. It’s definitely a once-in-a-lifetime event.”

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo brings musicians, dancers and bagpipers from around the world to Edinburgh, Scotland. It is considered one of the most popular and oldest military tattoos in Europe. (A military tattoo is an outdoor military parade or pageant.)

The band's conductor for the show, Lieutenant David Latour, said that throughout the three-week tattoo the band will reach roughly 240,000 live audience members and millions of viewers watching on television.

“The Royal Edinburgh Tattoo is a great opportunity for the United States to spread good will on a global scale,” Francisco said. “We are able to promote peace and community relations through the music.”