Top Secret Drum Corps is a drum corps based in Basel, Switzerland . With 25 drummers and colour guard section, the corps became famous for its demanding six-minute routine performed at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in 2003. With its invitation to Edinburgh, Top Secret became one of the first non-military, non-British Commonwealth acts to perform on the Esplanade at Edinburgh Castle .
19-602: Since its success in 2003, Top Secret was invited to return to Edinburgh in 2006 with a new routine. They were invited a third time in 2009 and again in 2012, 2015, 2018 and 2022. Under the leadership of Erik Julliard , the band is also responsible for the founding of the Basel Tattoo , a military tattoo show similar to the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, now held annually in Basel. Top Secret
38-408: A Dutch officer corps. Drummers from the garrison were sent out into the towns at 21:30 hrs (9:30 pm) each evening to inform the soldiers that it was time to return to barracks and the innkeepers that no more beer was to be served, that the taps were to be closed. The drummers continued to play until the curfew at 22:00 hrs (10:00 pm). Tattoo, earlier spelled tap-too then taptoo, are alterations of
57-503: A total of 15 shows were planned with an estimated 120,000 visitors. Scheduled performers (2015): In addition to the stage performances in the Basel Kaserne (old barracks ), the 2015 Basel Tattoo also has following shows: Military tattoo A military tattoo is a performance of music or display of armed forces in general. The term comes from the early 17th-century Dutch phrase doe den tap toe (Dutch for "turn off
76-510: Is also held every year by the city's Fasnacht Committee. Basel drumming style is militaristic, derived from the military drumming drills of Swiss soldiers dating back to the Middle Ages. Top Secret in many ways adheres to the military nature of Basel drumming, but differs in many respects. Its drummers play at a much faster rate. Also, while traditional Basel drumming is somber and favors traditional marching tunes (accompanied by fifes during
95-737: Is also used to designate military exhibitions such as the Royal International Air Tattoo . The term dates from around 1600 during the Thirty Years' War in the Low Countries ( Belgium and the Netherlands ). The Dutch fortresses were garrisoned with mercenary troops who had been under federal command since 1594. The Dutch States Army had become a federal army, consisting mostly of Protestant German, Scottish, English and Swiss mercenaries, but commanded by
114-576: Is considered the largest event. The Basel Tattoo was started in 2006 by the local Top Secret Drum Corps . It has grown to be the world's second largest military tattoo in terms of performers and budget after the Edinburgh Military Tattoo . The event is now sponsored by the Swiss Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS) , making it the official military tattoo of Switzerland. In 2008,
133-569: The first post at 21:30 hrs and the last post at 22:00. Bands and displays were included and shows were often conducted by floodlight or searchlight. Tattoos were commonplace in the late 19th century, with most military and garrison towns putting on some kind of show or entertainment during the summer months. Between the First World War and the Second World War elaborate military tattoos were held in many towns and cities, with
152-402: The tap "), a signal sounded by drummers or trumpeters to instruct innkeepers near military garrisons to stop serving beer and for soldiers to return to their barracks and is unrelated to the ink tattoo that was borrowed from Tahitian. The tattoo was originally a form of military music but the practice has evolved into more elaborate shows involving theatrics and musical performances. It
171-602: The 2014 series of Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway , as the act for the "End of the Show" show. In their routine, show presenters Ant and Dec joined in as drummers, colour-inverted versions of the drummers' jackets (Ant and Dec wore white; the drummers always wear off-black). The routine included the ever-present drummers' duel, the stick juggle, and the fire-stick routine. A Top Secret Drum Corps drumming loop features heavily on British electronic music band The Prodigy 's 2015 release " The Day Is My Enemy ", which also became
190-541: The Basel Tattoo began holding a parade in Basel to showcase the performers to a wider audience. A second parade was added in Freiburg im Breisgau , Germany the following year. In 2012, the Basel Tattoo festival had about 2,000 performers and was seen by 260,000 people during 15 live stage-arena performances and two parades. In 2014, 120,000 spectators attended the performances at Basel Tattoo Arena, 125,000 viewed
209-575: The Dutch words tap toe , which have the same meaning. Taptoo was the earlier alteration of the phrase and was used in George Washington's papers in which he said:"In future the Reveille will beat at day-break; the troop at 8 in the morning; the retreat at sunset and taptoo at nine o'clock in the evening." Over the years the process became more of a show and often included the playing of
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#1732780376480228-699: The Fasnacht), Top Secret's drumming style is upbeat and playful. Segments of their routines feature a rhumba , a drummer's duel, drumstick juggling, exploding flagpoles, and other crowd-pleasing details. Likely due to their 18th-century uniforms and precision work, the band is often referred to as a military band or a part of the Swiss Army , but it is not affiliated with any military unit. Since its 2003 performance at Edinburgh, Top Secret has enjoyed worldwide success. They have performed at various venues in Europe,
247-489: The Top Secret Drum Corps performed at the pageant on 15 May 2022 and they are featured in the soundtrack of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One . Top Secret's members include highly dedicated drummers with diverse day jobs: bankers, civil servants, factory workers, college students, and others. They give up their leisure time to practice nearly every day of the year. Due to the demanding nature of
266-746: The United States, Australia and at the 2008 South African Tattoo held from 11 to 14 September 2008. In 2011, they performed at the Quebec City Military Tattoo . They are the subject of a documentary film by Swiss television which recounts their rise to fame at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo . A feature film based on the Edinburgh endeavour is currently in the works with Insert Films , Switzerland. Top Secret made an appearance on an episode of
285-473: The parades in Basel and Freiburg, and 450,000 viewers watched a televised presentation on SRF 1 . In 2015, 15 arena performances in nine days will feature 30 performing acts from Switzerland, Australia, Canada, Germany, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Oman, South Africa, South Korea, the United Kingdom (groups from England and Scotland) and the United States. One of the main highlights is expected to be
304-526: The performances of the Blue Devils International Corps , a 97-member drum and bugle corps made up of alumni of the 16–time Drum Corps International (DCI) world champion Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps of Concord, California and eight other DCI World Class corps. The eleventh annual Basel Tattoo had 30 formations from five continents giving 15 performances over nine days. From Friday, July 17 through Saturday, July 25, 2015,
323-535: The title of the album released the same year . The Prodigy's founder and producer Liam Howlett is said to be a big fan of the Top Secret Drum Corps and asked permission to record a drum section for use on the band's album. In May 2016, Top Secret Drum Corps provided one of the performances in the 90th Birthday Celebration for Elizabeth II , the Queen of the UK and 14 Commonwealth realms. For Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee
342-588: The work, its membership changes frequently. Basel tattoo Basel Tattoo is an annual military tattoo show performed by International military bands , display teams, popular musicians, and tattoo formations in Basel , Switzerland. Since 2006, Basel Tattoo has had annual stage-arena performances within the Basel Kaserne (old barracks ) (now also known as Basel Tattoo Arena) and hosts two parades in July. The Basel Tattoo parade, with an estimated 125,000 visitors,
361-490: Was founded in 1991, with its roots in the rich drumming traditions of the band's home city, Basel, which is known for its annual carnival called Basler Fasnacht . The city is said to have over 3,000 active drummers at any one time. These drummers perform at traditional events such as Fasnacht , the Vogel Gryff , Charivari , and various parades associated with the city's guilds. A Trommelkönig (Drummer King) competition
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