Uncle Sam Day Parade
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The Uncle Sam Day Parade is a parade held every year in Lansingburgh (north Troy) on or around Uncle Sam's birthday (mid-September). The band has performed in every Uncle Sam Day Parade since 2005 (except for 2007, which was rained out).
History
- 2005: Manager AJ Macey, himself a Troy native, arranged for the band to march in the Uncle Sam Day Parade for the first time in recent memory this year. The idea was met with some resistance initially, almost entirely because of the marching issue. However, after a short rehearsal and 15 minutes of marching practice, the band set out to "march" on what ended up being a particularly hot day. The setlist was just Twist and Shout, Final Countdown, and Handjive, and the band won first place in the Adult Division playing Final Countdown for the grandstand.
- 2006: The band played Children of Sanchez for the grandstand.
- 2007: The band was scheduled to play in the parade this year, but ended up being rained out.
- 2008: The setlist included Hogan's Heroes, Twist and Shout, Louie Louie, Spirit in the Sky, and Hail.
- 2009: The setlist was Hogan's Heroes, Magnificent Seven, Final Countdown, Watermelon Man, and Hail, with an occasional short cheer (Chris Sommers, Night Train, and Islanders). Also, a sousaphone got urinated on by a small dog while the dog's owner was talking to a friend.
- 2010:
- 2011: The band played 25 or 6 to 4, Watermelon Man, YMCA, Sweet Caroline, and Hail. Handjive, Hey Baby, and a few cheers were also played when the band got bored. During Sweet Caroline the truck driving behind the band honked the horn along with the song in a few spots.
- 2012:
- 2013: The band played Spirit in the Sky, Sweet Caroline, Just Dance, I Want to Hold Your Hand, and Teenage Dream. The band also played You Can Call Me Al and Stacy's Mom] without the conductor calling them.
- 2014: The band played You Can Call Me Al, Sweet Caroline, Build Me Up, Buttercup, Teenage Dream, and Don't Fear the Reaper. The woodwinds were placed in the back of the grouping for the first time in the history of the parade.