IBEW convention delegates and guests were treated to a musical extravaganza to open the convention that left ears ringing with the sounds of pipes, drums, violins and custom rock vocals.

After a warm welcome from Chicago Local 134 Business Manager Donald Finn, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, the opening ceremonies of the IBEW's 40th International Convention got underway the morning of May 9.

Two pipe and drum bands presented their respective nations' colors, one from New York Local 3's "Sword of Light" and the other from the Toronto Highlanders Band, each followed by live performances of the national anthems. Local performer Jim Cornelison sang the "Star Spangled Banner" as he has for 20-plus years at Chicago Blackhawks home games, and Ottawa Local 586 member Brett McClean sang "O Canada" while playing guitar.

The IBEW LED Drummers, a group of about 15 musicians decked out in yellow safety vests and playing on drums glowing blue with LED lights, dazzled first from the stage and then from the floor for the remainder of the opening show.

"It was very exciting," said Newark, N.J., Local 1158 member George Serio. "It got the members motivated and really woke them up."

The drummers were joined by Bella Electric Strings, a four-woman violin group that has performed worldwide, including with Beyoncé, Shakira and Andrea Bocelli. They did an instrumental version of Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" wearing hardhats and other safety gear.

"It was nice to see the violinists, especially since they were all women," said Judith Hermosillo, a convention guest. "And the drummers added a little swag." She described the ceremony as, "bright, neon, fun and diverse."

The Milwaukee Toolshed Band's lead singer Alyson Harms, who performed a few days earlier at the convention picnic and has been a mainstay at IBEW events over the years, joined the violinists on stage for a version of Starship's "We Built This City" that changed some of the lyrics to give the song more of an IBEW theme.

"It was a good blend of rock-and-roll," Hermosillo said.

Serio said the IBEW version of "We Built This City" "was very appropriate since Chicago was, in fact, built on union labor."

Following the performances, the drummers stuck around, forming a guard of honor for the introductions and entrance of international vice presidents and members of the International Executive Council, who joined International President Lonnie R. Stephenson and International Secretary-Treasurer Kenneth W. Cooper onstage.

And with that, the spectacle ended and the work of the 40th International Convention began.