The Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo 2009

Updated July 16, 2009 by Nora

The Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo 2009

This show is amazing, so I had to take a few pictures, here ;)

Started in 1979, The Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo kicks off July 1 (Canada Day) every year in Halifax at the city’s main indoor venue, the Halifax Metro Centre. This event features various types of performers from Canada and around the globe, and is the largest indoor show in the world.

The performance is rooted strongly in the rich military histories of the City of Halifax, the Province of Nova Scotia, the rest of Canada, and those of the many countries participating in the show.

The word Tattoo comes out of the seventeenth century, and originates from the Dutch phrase doe den tap toe, which translates to “turn off the tap”. The British Army was fighting in Belgium and The Netherlands, and this term marked a nightly drum roll, performed by British drum soldiers. The drummers would play every evening to instruct the soldiers in town to return to their barracks for the night. Innkeepers and bartenders would then know to stop serving alcohol to the soldiers.

Today this term has come to mean an all out performance, in cases such as this, at least. This show lasts about three hours with an intermission, and makes use of music, special effects, acrobatics, gymnastics, military performances, explosions, vehicles and other props, and oh yeah – over 2,000 performers!!

Below is a list of performers from this year, 2009:

Canada
Stadacona Band of Maritime Forces Atlantic
Central Band of the Canadian Forces
Air Command Band
National Band of the Naval Reserve
Land Force Atlantic Area Band
Band of The Ceremonial Guard
Ceremonial Guard Drill Team
Massed Pipes & Drums
Obstacle Race Teams
Jeep Competition Teams
Tri-Service Guard
RCMP National Ceremonial Troop
Tattoo Choirs
Tattoo Dancers
La Baie En Joie
Titans Gymnastics Club
Tattoo Extras
Brenna Conrad
Jason Davis
Derrick Paul Miller