I'll actually be at the esplanade in Boston to see the Boston Pops and Massachusetts National Guard perform my favorite musical instrument, the M198 155mm howitzer.
I love how the 1812 Overture was actually originally written as a patriotic anthem for a completely different country (Russia), but the moment us Americans found out it used a fricking howtizer as an instrument we decided there'd clearly been a mix-up somewhere, because this was obviously the most American song that had ever been written. Therefore, it's ours now, finders keepers losers weepers!
I would argue that the conflict in the Americas was undeniably linked with that in Europe in 1812. The 1812 Overture speaks to the general sentiment at the time and largely translates. It's also very important to follow it up with the Stars and Stripes Forever by JPS.
I was at the hatch shell. It was a good thing too because fireworks were all obscured by clouds. You cannot really switch once the concert starts. It is not physically possible.