EVENT: The world’s largest drum, Big Bertha of The University of Texas at Austin, will lead the world’s largest New Year’s Day parade in London on Jan. 1, accompanied by the Longhorn Alumni Marching Band.
WHEN: Noon-12:45 p.m. GMT (6-6:45 a.m. CST), Thursday, Jan. 1. Between 12:30 and 12:45 p.m. GMT (6:30-6:45 a.m. CST), a live satellite feed will show Big Bertha entering Parliament Square, where the Lord Mayor of London will bang the drum. Technical details are below.
WHERE: London, England. A map and information about the parade can be found at http://lnydp.com/.
WHO MAY ATTEND: The parade is open to the general public.
BACKGROUND: Making her maiden voyage overseas, Big Bertha, the cherished drum played at major events at The University of Texas at Austin, will accompany the Longhorn Alumni Band to lead the 2015 London New Year’s Day Parade.
The parade, considered the largest New Year’s Day event of its kind, features 10,000 performers from around the world, hundreds of thousands of spectators and a TV audience of several hundred million.
Parade organizers learned about Big Bertha, billed as the world’s largest drum, while they were considering the Longhorn Alumni Band as one of the many visiting bands taking part in the 2015 festivities. They ended up inviting the band and Bertha to lead the parade.
Band members had to raise funds and overcome logistical obstacles to transport the 500-pound, 10-foot-tall Bertha to London. Alumni band members Moton Crockett and J.P. Kirksey helped organize the voyage, which will be the subject of an upcoming episode of the AandE television program “Shipping Wars.” Broadcast time has yet to be announced.
More than 200 Longhorn Alumni Band members will travel to London to play in the parade, which raises funds for London charities.
“It was a tremendous opportunity to be nominated to lead the parade,” said Nefertiti Williams, president of the alumni band. “And because the parade gives money back to the local community, we get to show that what starts here in Texas helps change the world.”
NOTE TO BROADCASTERS: The BBC will broadcast the parade, and organizers will offer a live satellite feed available for American audiences. For information, contact Dan Kirby, Communications Director, London New Year’s Day Parade, dan@lnydp.com +44 7785 392735
Technical Details for TV Stations
Broadcast begins at 6 a.m. CST (Noon GMT)
No Commercial Breaks
Satellite Details:
American Footprint
SAT TXP and CH: GALAXY 17/18 K Slot A
Orb Loc: 91′ W
U/L: 14,346.50 Mhz
U/L Polarity: Horizontal
D/L: 12,046.50 Mhz
D/L Polarity: Vertical
S/R: 7.
FEC: 3/4
MPEG: 4 HD 420
Bandwidth: 9 Mhz
Video Standard 1080/59.94
Modulation: DVBS2 8PSK
Audio 2 pairs 4 channels
Encryption: Clear
Pilot Tones: On
Roll Off: 20%
Technical Help from GlobeCast: +44 (0) 7980717075
For information about the London New Year’s Day Parade: Dan Kirby, Communications Director, dan@lnydp.com +44 7785 392735
