Kill your “this one time in band camp” jokes. The Tacoma Concert Band was up to none of those “American Pie” shenanigans when they recently embarked on their tour of the French Riviera to wow the crowds with the professional sounds of the volunteer ensemble. For one, they’re too old to be up to puerile antics, and for another, they were far too busy enjoying the scenery and culture of a European holiday that many a high school boy would clean his room for.



And despite the minor — though major — inconvenience of two musicians having their instruments stolen and despite the extra work the festival entailed, the band members managed to enjoy themselves heartily.



But now that the 60 members of the ensemble are home, it’s time to settle into their typical August schedule, with outdoor concerts planned in four local venues, with the first concert set for Wednesday, Aug. 8, at 7 p.m. on the lawn of Franke Tobey Jones (5340 North Bristol; the band will play toward Vassault and Park Way). Thursday, Aug. 9, the band will play at Fircrest Park, and then the reeds and mouthpieces (and those who blow on them) will get a chance to rest before playing on Saturday, Aug. 11 at the Johnson Farm Museum on Anderson Island at 6:30 p.m., followed by one last show at the Panorama City Retirement Community in Lacey.



While two retirement facilities, a historical museum, and a local park aren’t exactly the French Riviera, Executive Director Mark Reutlinger insists, “All of the places we play are beautiful settings.”



And in these beautiful settings you can expect to hear more than just the standard concert band “La Bamba” fare, or one of those interminably long pieces of music that your mom made you sit and listen to when she was going through her classical music phase.

Because while your mom might have been listening to major opus–type stuff, Bob Musser, founder, musical director and conductor of the Tacoma Concert Band, will keep you awake with a variety of music and with shorter, more accessible pieces such as a John Williams medley (Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark, etc) interspersed with more classical favorites by the likes of Mozart, Bach or Beethoven, then changing it up again with a march, and then perhaps a medley of show tunes or a medley of Gershwin tunes.



“If you didn’t like the last piece, then you’ll like the next one,” Reutlinger promises.

And should you happen to be out of town when the Tacoma Concert Band outdoor series rolls through, you can catch them again when they make it to the Pantages for the opening of their regular season Oct. 5 at 8 p.m., when they bring an international accent to the Pantages music scene with “Festival,” inspired by their travels.