On Friday afternoon, July 4, at the James Center for the Performing Arts, the Sequim City Band performed one of the most joyous, fun-filled, Independence Day concerts I’ve ever heard in my long life.

Under the baton of Tyler Benedict, these talented musicians put on display their breathtaking versatility, bringing to life the serious (“Amazing Grace” and “Battle Hymn of the Republic”); the whimsical (several tunes from “The Wizard of Oz”); and the spectacular (“The 1812 Overture” and “The Stars and Stripes Forever”).

To their hundreds of fans (my wife and I surely fall into that category), the breadth and quality of Friday’s show wasn’t a great surprise; of course, we may be a bit jaded, having come to expect it. My hope is this message reaches others here on the peninsula who have yet to attend one of their shows.

If you haven’t heard the Sequim City Band, I urge you to bring your lawn chair out to the James Center and listen to one of their summer concerts or come over to the Sequim High School auditorium, where they perform during cooler weather.

If you do so, I believe you’ll want to come back. And by the way, all of the band’s concerts are free to the public; they exist strictly on donations.

This group is what I refer to as a treasure, not just for Sequim but for all of Clallam County. There’s nothing quite like it in this area and they deserve all the support they can get.

The band’s next two concerts at the James Center – both Sundays — are scheduled for Aug. 17 and Sept. 21. C’mon down, sit back for an hour or so and enjoy the Sequim City Band.

Paul J. Martin

Port Angeles