SANFORD — A U.S. Army band of a different sort is coming to Sanford to give a free concert April 5.
The Volunteers, a six-member rock, country and contemporary music ensemble, will perform at Sanford Veterans Memorial Gymnasium starting at 7 p.m. that day.
Parks and Recreation Director Marcel Blouin said The Volunteers, under the helm of the U.S. Army Field Band, play a mix of music from the 1970s to 1990s and beyond.
In fact, he said, they arrive, take the tempo of the audience, and tailor their concert to fit.
“This is going to be a nice evening,” said Blouin. “They do a nice job, and tickets are going fast.”
The Parks and Recreation Department has been sponsoring military concerts for 20 years. Blouin said The Volunteers, who play 100 concerts a year, have performed in Sanford before, in an open air concert a few years ago. The band was formed in 1981.
Recent performances at Summerfest, Country USA and the AAA 400 at the Dover International Speedway electrified the audience, according to the band’s website. As well, The Volunteers’ annual support of the Army All-American Marching Band gives them the opportunity to work with high school musicians.
Back in 2010, The Volunteers played a two-week tour of Iraq, playing to their fellow soldiers.
Their spring tour this year commenced March 11 in West Chester, Pa., and makes its way through New England before winding down in Philadelphia April 11. The concert in Sanford is their only foray into Maine in this touring schedule.
Free tickets for The Volunteers are available through the Parks and Recreation Department at 324-9130.
The Journal Tribune is a sponsor of the event, as it was for “The Presidents Own” U.S. Marine Band, which played here in 2012.
The Volunteers performance in Sanford comes on the heels of a free concert at 3 p.m. this Sunday, March 30, by the U.S. Army Field Band’s Concert Band and Soldier’s Chorus at Biddeford High School.
— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or twells@journaltribune.com.
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