It was fantastic!

We were doing it for a popular classics concert which is very much like the Last Night of the Proms but with lots of smoke and light effects which surprisingly work very well. I heard most of the concert from up in the gods whilst waiting for our performances (which is also a great location to see how amazing the Albert Hall is).

As well as providing musket fire (having artillery indoors would be a bit tricky, but we're surrounded by fireworks and pyros as well), at the start of the second act we parade through the stalls to the 'Radetzky March'. Only fifty yards or so but I was crapping myself on the first night. We also stand in the Gods at the end of the first half and wave large Union flags whilst the crowd sing 'Land of Hope and Glory'. It's also quite fun to hang round the bar during the interval and pose for photos.

But it's the 1812 we're really there for. When the piece started, I was sweating a lot under the heavy wool uniform and the large hat whilst standing at attention for ten minutes or so until the order came to load. Once done, we waited a bit more until the order came for each firing pair to shoot. I think I made the cue - a sword being lowered. We turned round, reloaded, and waited for the next time we would fire, although now we were backlit with smoke: it must have looked impressive. I was glad I was using my trusty American Civil War 1861 Springfield as at least I'm familiar with it, though as the company of 24 or so was composed of a mixture of English Civil War and ACW people some were shooting with flintlocks.

Yet to get the picture of me that my friend took but might post it here when I do. Depends how good it is

EDIT: It's pretty cool to be in a pub after a show and see people with programmes. We even signed a few!