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  • Jack William Belljackwilliambell@rustedneuron.com
    Jul 4, 2026, 7:04 PM

    Everyone is talking about the 1776 Bicentennial, mostly as a comparison to the shitshow happening in DC this day.

    So, I guess I should tell my Bicentennial story…

    I had just turned 19 and by the end of the year I would find myself suddenly in the Air Force. But right then I had no such inklings of the future, I was just a guy with his first apartment working a crap job and partying too much.

    Then my sister contacted me. She was still in High School and a member of the Drama Club.

    [contd]

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Replies

  • Jack William Belljackwilliambell@rustedneuron.com
    Jul 4, 2026, 7:07 PM

    I had been a member as well, ever since the day I was essentially drafted by the school drama teacher because I was there the day my sister joined three years before. So I knew everyone involved, including the teacher.

    Anyway, my sister asked me to call the teacher in question, which I did. And he proceeded to draft me, and one of my friends who I had been in a band with, to be the 'orchestra' for a Bicentennial musical to be held at a community theater.

    [contd]

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  • Jack William Belljackwilliambell@rustedneuron.com
    Jul 4, 2026, 7:10 PM

    It turned out he had written the musical himself and had gotten a grant to produce it locally. It was a fairly large production with every ex and current student he could round up, which told the history of the USA for the past 200 years.

    And, yes, the 'orchestra' for this bloated production was two guys who's only experience was a failed rock and roll band and a piano player.

    Aside from intros and outros the music was all actual historical songs. Which we proceeded to learn to play.

    [contd]

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  • Jack William Belljackwilliambell@rustedneuron.com
    Jul 4, 2026, 7:14 PM

    And, just to make it harder, he wanted us to play on historical instruments where possible, although much of it was piano and guitar. Meaning I learned enough mandolin and banjo to be passable and my friend, who was actually quite a good musician, got to show off his ability with a number of instruments.

    We were even on stage for two ensemble songs.

    We started practicing in March and our first show was in late June. We did two shows a week through July, with decent attendance.

    [contd]

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  • Jack William Belljackwilliambell@rustedneuron.com
    Jul 4, 2026, 7:23 PM

    My sister? Yeah, she was one of the headliners. Us 'orchestra' were on the playbill though, at the bottom.

    It was actually a lot of fun and I enjoyed learning the music — although today I couldn't play you a note of the songs. Still it remains a good memory, even if I did get too drunk at the blow out after the last show.

    Thing is? Compare and contrast today to then: In 1976 the government offered a large number of small grants for local celebrations; mostly by amateurs like us.

    [contd]

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  • Jack William Belljackwilliambell@rustedneuron.com
    Jul 4, 2026, 7:26 PM

    Whereas here in 2026 I haven't heard about anything like that. I assume there are local celebrations and productions of some kind, but they aren't being publicized to the same extent. Instead the only thing anyone has heard about was an over-produced and under-attended 'National State Fair' where all the headliners are professionals. (And most of them pulled out.)

    And, tellingly, the event itself was partially cancelled because of Climate Change! How ironic is that?

    [contd]

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  • Jack William Belljackwilliambell@rustedneuron.com
    Jul 4, 2026, 7:30 PM

    And thus why so few of us are feeling it today.

    Whereas, in 1976, I was standing on a stage with a mandolin in a large group of amateur actors and singing my heart out to an appreciative audience.

    I hadn't been too excited about being drafted into the production, but once the momentum kicked in so did the feels. And there were tens of thousands like us all over the country.

    Beat that Trump…

    [fin]

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  • Royroytoo
    Jul 4, 2026, 7:58 PM

    @jackwilliambell
    That's a good memory to have.
    I was 4 and all I clearly remember is that there was a big parade where we lived at the time in Glendive, Montana.
    I know my older sisters also did school activities but I don't remember any details.

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  • Jack William Belljackwilliambell@rustedneuron.com
    Jul 4, 2026, 8:05 PM

    @roytoo

    Actually? It's something I hadn't thought about for years, which came to mind today only because of other people my age bitching about the difference between then and now.

    Still? Remembering anything from when you were four means it must have made quite an impression on you. I have very few memories that far back.

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