Our military bands are known to be among the best concert bands in the country. Their programming of various musical styles from marches and light classics to traditional band repertoire and instrumental arrangements of favorite songs – okay, plus seeing those crisp uniforms so proudly worn by the members – never fails to reward us with an uplifting experience.

So when one of these ensembles comes to our area, my husband and I do our best to be there. For weeks now, since receiving the flyer for the Gulf Shores Outdoors & In series, we have been looking forward to Friday, June 11. What makes it even better is that it’s a FREE concert.

The evening’s stars are the extremely talented members of the Air National Guard Band of the South. These folks serve as traditional guardsmen, plus they average 50 performances a year. Although their main focus is the Southeast, they do travel to other states and even other countries. They perform in various combinations of personnel depending on the needs of the function, but the June 11 presentation will be the full concert band. We are in for a real treat!

So be there with your family and friends to applaud these dedicated service musicians Friday evening at 7:00 p.m. at the Erie Meyer Civic Center in Gulf Shores, corner of W. 19th Ave. and W. 2nd St. Doors will open at 6:30, so arrive early to claim your favorite seats. My husband and I won’t be able to get there much before 7:00, and I hope we have trouble finding an empty seat.

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