BEATING THE RETREAT 2015

WHAT: BEATING THE RETREAT 2015
WHEN: WEDNESDAY 10th & THURSDAY 11th JUNE 2015
WHERE: HORSE GUARDS PARADE, LONDON
COST: TICKET £10 - £40 (DEPENDING ON STANDING/SEATED/VIP)

The event, over two consecutive evenings brings together the best of the best of serving bandsmen to thrill and entertain. Over hundreds of years, Beating Retreat has become a musical, ceremonial event performed and perfected throughout the commonwealth.

Sunset falls and Horse Guards Parade prepares for a truly brilliant event where the finest precision drills, horses, guns, cannons and fireworks anywhere in the World can be seen first hand. The music is provided by the Massed Bands, Pipes and Drums and the Corps of Drums of the Household Division perform alongside the horses and guns of The Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery alongside guests from the visiting commonwealth countries.

Historically, Beating Retreat was the sign for all those on the battlefield to return to their garrison as darkness fell and was used to signify the closing of the gates for the night and includes the lowering of the regimental flag at sunset. The earliest documents detailing the drum retreat to return to garrison was in 1554 where it is described as ‘watch setting’.

The fireworks will be fired at strategic points during the concert and of course in the rousing finale, usually to the booming sounds of the magnificent sounds of the 1812 overture by Tchaikovsky however, 2014 saw the display to the sounds of Jeff Wayne’s War of the World's.

We love fireworks, whatever the reason, but nothing can make you prouder than hearing the pipes and drums of our armed forces alongside the explosions of beautiful fireworks.

Here is a taster of what to expect as filmed at last year’s event: