Fabulous tattoo celebrates marching, song and dance in aid of The Not Forgotten
A Wrexham man is celebrating music and cultures across Britain, and even as far as China as part of his entertainment extravaganza in aid of The Not Forgotten.
Gareth Butler is running a concert called ‘The British International Tattoo IN CONCERT A Slice of The British Isles’ which will celebrate the historical and cultural importance of marching bands, choirs and national dances at Coleg Cambria Yale, Wrexham on Saturday, October 2 2021.
The concert will be performed by a cast and crew of over 100 people, and combines some of the ‘best-loved’ music that has raised national spirits through World War I and beyond, with the traditional sights and sounds of England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland, accompanied by a delightful Chinese act.
Producer Gareth was inspired to create the event after enjoying regular trips to The Royal Tournament as a young boy and promises a real mix of voices, pipes, drums, marching bands and dances, all performed in front of stunning visual imagery, displayed on a big screen.
He said: “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do. I was completely mesmerised by The Royal Tournament and visited it every year.
Two years ago, I approached The Royal Tournament’s Producer, the legendary Major Sir Michael Parker, to see if he would become the Patron of our new show and the rest is history.
He also suggested that we run our show in aid of The Not Forgotten. I don’t think we could have come as far as we have with our show without the support of The Not Forgotten. They’ve all been so supportive and positive about the whole idea.”
This year will hopefully be the first of many similar Tattoos, as Gareth hopes to make the event an annual affair; each with its own theme and little surprises. Next year’s show is expected to be a full military and civilian Tattoo.
Gareth added “This year, we’ve gone with a British and international theme to celebrate the many cultures that make Britain great!
“Next year’s show, ‘A Reel of Remembrance’ will celebrate Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee with music from stage and screen taking us from the accession to the throne to the 1980s where we will commemorate 40 years since the Falklands conflict”
Putting the concert together has been a ‘labour of love’ for Gareth, who raised the show’s budget by carrying out various challenges from abseils to sponsored walks.
“There’s been a lot of late nights and early mornings but I’m enjoying every minute of it!” He said.
“We’re very fortunate to have had such amazing backing from our act’s sponsors and our main event sponsor, United Utilities.
“We have also been incredibly fortunate to gain the support of our venue, Coleg Cambria Yale in the heart of the Garrison Town of Wrexham.
“It has been wonderful to work with the staff and students who are all working incredibly hard to help make the event a great success. It’s a really big team effort and our vision is that we’ll get more of the Armed Forces Community involved next year.”
At the event, the students will be running the tech, lighting, sound, and along with the support of some very dedicated local cadets, assisting audience members. The college’s restaurant will be open for business as usual for pre-concert dining.
A trade exhibition display will also feature on the night, with many charities and local producers selling their beautiful produce.
There’s still a chance that Gareth might have to jump on the microphone for some commentary during the evening, but said that his hope is that he will be “sat in the wings with a big smile on my face, enjoying the show.”
If you would like to attend the British International Tattoo IN CONCERT A Slice of The British Isles, you can book your ticket for the event here. Alternatively, you can donate to Gareth’s JustGiving page here.
