Bands are nothing new to Lawrence – a band played public concerts in the city’s pioneer days, according to Robert Foster, director of the Lawrence City Band.

“One of the most memorable early concerts had to be one which was presented in downtown Lawrence the evening before Quantrill’s raid,” Foster wrote during an online chat Thursday on the Journal-World’s Web site.

“That band had new uniforms, music and instruments which had arrived from Massachusetts, and according to reports at the time, it was a big success.

“The next morning, all but one of the members were killed,” Foster wrote. The early band members were among about 200 men who were killed during Quantrill’s Raid on Aug. 21, 1863.

During the chat, Foster also indicated it was difficult to get into the modern-day band, which offers concerts on Wednesday evenings in South Park.

“Most of the members have been in the band for a long time and there is very little turnover,” he wrote. He said there is a waiting list for most sections.

You can read the entire transcript of the chat at www2.ljworld.com/news/chats/newsmakers/.