THEY may be anthems to Australians, but to 50,000 Japanese who attended a big marching festival in Tokyo some of the songs played by members of the Australian Army Band Kapooka would have been just great songs.
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Waltzing Matilda, On The Road To Gundagai and I Still Call Australia Home were on the play list of an Australian Army band that performed at the Japanese Self Defence Marching Festival.
Ten members of the Kapooka band were part of the 44-person ensemble that performed seven times in three days during the festival earlier this month.
Probably more recognisable to the Japanese who attended the event were Kylie Minogue tunes played by the band, including Spinning Around.
Sergeant Stuart Jefferis said the festival was held in the Nippon Budokan, a large indoor arena in central Tokyo where some of the biggest names in rock music, including Cheap Trick and Ozzy Osborne, have recorded live albums.
"Bands were invited from all around the world," Sergeant Jefferis said.
Corporal Justin Kennedy said the experience was vastly different from the march out parades which comprises a lot of the Kapooka band's musical tasks.
"These people came to see us, so we had the opportunity to throw everything at it and show at an international level pretty much what we are good at," Corporal Kennedy said.
The Kapooka band's officer commanding/musical director Major Peter Thomas was pleased with the local representation in the Australian contingent.
"I was very proud that a significant proportion of the band was made up from the Australian Army Band Kapooka," Major Thomas said.