Pops, Keith take the stage

Country and classical fuse the 4th

By Jingyun Fan Jul. 7, 2010

3133 pops 1 — A jam-packed crowd watches on as Conductor Keith Lockhart leads the Boston Pops at the Hatch Shell. Well over 500,000 people lined the Charles River to watch the 4th of July fireworks celebration.
Andrew Swayze—The Tech

3134 pops 2 — The U.S. Army’s artillery squad fires off cannons during the Boston Pops’ rendition of Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture.” The “1812 Overture” is a traditional part of the July 4th Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular at the Hatch Shell.
Andrew Swayze—The Tech

3135 pops 3 — The Fourth of July fireworks are seen from the top of the Green Building (Bldg. 54). Anxious spectators began lining up along the Charles River early in the morning to reserve prime viewing spots for the July 4th Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular.
Elijah Mena—The Tech

Over 800,000 people gathered on the Esplanade on July 4th this year to watch the annual Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular. The show featured musical performances at the Hatch Shell by country singer and superstar Toby Keith, the Boston Pops Orchestra with conductor Keith Lockhart, the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, and the Middlesex County Volunteers Fifes & Drums. This is a “show that will surely dazzle the senses!” promised the announcer as the show went live on national television.

As in years past, Bostonians and visitors camped out in the sweltering heat for prime space on the Esplanade eight hours before the show actually started. To fend off boredom, children played volleyball with beachballs and garnered red, white and blue face paintings.

Keith was dressed in flared blue jeans, cowboy boots and hat, and brown shirt with glimmering gold inserts. Each time he entered the stage, his most avid fans cheered wildly. One fan shouted loudly, “I love you!” prompting the national television host Craig Ferguson to acknowledge the declaration.

The highlight of the show was the Boston Pops Orchestra’s performance of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture set to cannon salutes by the 101st Field Artillery Regiment. The three M102 Howitzer cannons have a range of 11,500m (7.1 miles) and a rate of fire of 10 rounds per minute.

The spectacular show concluded with the famous fireworks display. This year, the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular focused on presenting new effects, adaptations, and meaningful music themes—including this year’s use of hot pink hearts. During the fireworks, recordings of “You’re a Grand Old Flag” sung by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and “Just Dance” sung by Lady Gaga were played for spectators.