Posted on 05/22/2017 1:54:04 AM PDT by Hillarys Gate Cult
I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a tingling Bros circus, but I lived mostly in small towns as a kid and when the circus came to town it was a very big deal. They were thrilling, exciting events for all of us. I haven’t been since my kids were little, but I have fond memories. Heck, as a kid that spent most of his time on the farm, once a year we, cousins and all, would travel about 25 miles once a year to swim in a concrete swimming pool, another thrilling event, since we mostly swam in ponds and creeks.
I remember clearly my parents taking my brother and myself to our first circus on Long Island. The excitement, the smells, the wild animals - well, it’s all cliche, but it was wonderful. I still remember my mother refusing to let me go into the sideshow. (That must have been very late 50s or 1960.)
I still love circuses and still seek them out. It’s mostly the aerialists that I admire. I still have my autograph from “Raven” the beautiful aerialist who was shot out of a cannon at the climax.
There are some amazing acts with Cirque du Soleil although it’s like watching people about to die by being smashed into the ground. Made me very uncomfortable after awhile. Also, it has a distinctly, European, ironic kind of attitude that turns me off. Much preferred Ringling Brothers.
I watched the Ringling Brothers in Madison Square Garden and it was wonderful, despite the Garden being a dump. That circus was the creme de la creme of American circuses.
Another great circus was the Moscow circus with stunning white horses racing around Radio City Hall! I saw this the year the Soviet Union fell and the performers sang the Russian and American national anthem at the finale.
“We still have the circus and freak show that is the Democratic Party.”
And a fair share of obstructionist establishment Republicrats like Paul Ryan, John McCain and Lindsey Graham just to name a few.
Saw it as a kid in the early 50s at the “old” Garden. Took a girlfriend and her 8 year old son to see it at the “new” one in the mid 70s. Rode the #7 to work throughout the 70s and 80s and would pass right next to the circus train parked in the Sunnyside yards as the el went underground at Hunters Point. Remember always seeing the picture on the front page of the Daily News of the elephants coming out of the Midtown Tunnel on their way into Manhattan? A sign of Spring in Fun City. lol
That must be a great memory about the anthems. I’ve got one also, but it involved Canada.
Had season tickets to the Rangers back when Canada had just changed to “Oh, Canada.” Montreal was in town and one of the guys from my crowd had xeroxed up the words and we passed them out to the whole section (Sec. 421...blue seats) The Garden played an instrumental only version with our section singing rather loudly. When it ended, the Montreal starting line turned around and raised their sticks while the players on the bench beat the boards with theirs.
Sad day.
5.56mm
Well, it was nice because the Soviet Union had failed and fallen and there was a feeling of kindness/connectedness in the audience. Strangely, this brilliant troupe of circus performers ended up stranded in the USA because Russia defaulted on their plane fares and hotel costs. I never found out what happened to them.
As the parent of an 8, 11, and 14 year old, I can assure you that the “live event” options for them are nearly limitless now. It’s insane compared to even when I was a kid in the early 80s when it was “Ice Capades, Circus, Globetrotters, and Wrestling.”
My kids do love the zoo, but I think they would feel bad for the animals if they went to some kind of animal act that didn’t involve dogs. To be honest, I’m not entirely sure my youngest even really know what a circus is. It’s just not part of the culture.
Just where did I write that there were no “live events” for children aside from the circus? Or are did you mistakenly post to me?
Yes. Your memory obviously held more import than mine considering the events of the time. It was talk of the Garden and anthems that brought that story back to me.
I did a bit of searching but couldn’t find out the resolution to that problem. Seems like it is not uncommon in the circus world. The Great Moscow Circus went belly-up in Australia recently stranding performers, but TPTB are trying to keep it going.
I didn’t mean to negate your experience, btw. I’m sure it was quite moving.
One of my favorite short stories is Thomas Wolfe’s about sneaking out of his house in the early morning with his brother to watch the circus set up in a field and then watching them serve and eat breakfast. Very touching.
I know you didn’t. I was a bit worried you might think that though. Even as a kid, “composition” was my worst subject.
};^)
Me, too!
Agree, all points.
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