Performing the National Anthem for the Adirondack Thunder: A Night I’ll Never Forget!

Some performances stay with you forever.

Saturday, October 23rd, 2021 was one of those nights.

The Cool Insuring Arena — better known to many of us as the Glens Falls Civic Center — was absolutely electric. It was opening night for the Adirondack Thunder, and after months of anticipation, hockey was finally back in Glens Falls in a big way.

The arena was sold out.

Fans were buzzing.

The energy? Completely off the charts.

This matchup between the Adirondack Thunder and the Newfoundland Growlers marked one of the first major returns to live hockey excitement after the long pause of 2020, and you could feel how much everyone had missed moments like this.

Backstage, I stood with my violin in hand watching the players prepare mentally for the game. There’s something incredibly intense about that pre-game atmosphere — the focus, the adrenaline, the anticipation. It honestly felt like standing inside a thunderstorm waiting for the lightning strike.

And then the show began.

As the players were announced, they exploded onto the ice through a blazing ring of fire while thousands of fans erupted into cheers. The arena shook with excitement. Lights flashed, music blasted, and suddenly every heartbeat in the building seemed synced together.

Then came my moment.

The players lined up across the ice, facing the flags. The arena lights dimmed and a single spotlight illuminated the ice around me as I walked out carrying my violin.

The contrast was incredible — all that explosive energy suddenly giving way to silence and anticipation.

I began with the beautiful and elegant Canadian national anthem before turning my full attention to “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Performing our national anthem in front of 5,000 people standing proudly on their feet was one of the greatest thrills of my life.

There is something deeply emotional about hearing an entire arena unite in one shared moment before the action begins. As a musician, you can literally feel the emotion and energy coming back at you from the crowd.

And then just like that — the puck dropped, the crowd roared, and the arena transformed back into absolute hockey chaos.

If you’ve never been to an Adirondack Thunder game, you are missing out. The fans are passionate, the atmosphere is exciting, and the team plays with tremendous heart. It’s one of the most fun live sports experiences in the area.

And who knows… you might even spot me in the crowd cheering right along with everyone else.