But members were left devastated when they found out they would not be allowed to participate in this year's national march after organisers decided to use recorded music instead.

"Band members were pretty concerned about it, it was something we looked forward to every year," acting band master Tony Sillcock said.

But the band was not left wondering how to commemorate Anzac Day for long, soon asked by the Canberra Services Club and Mecure Hotel in Ainslie to perform at their events.

"We're probably now able to do more community involvement than we would have before," he said.

"Anzac Day is a special day in our history and most people have family connections to the two world wars and all the conflicts since.

"It is a day of remembrance and saying thanks for what we've got and we feel committed to contributing to the day in some form.

"We're getting the consolation prize of being able to perform to veterans and friends and family in a much more relaxed and perhaps receptive environment."

The band played to a much more jovial Anzac Day crowd than they were used to, providing the backing music for rowdy games of two-up at the Canberra Services Club annual Anzac Day function.

The historic club house was destroyed by fire in 2011, but that has not stopped members from keeping an attachment to the site.

Canberra Services Club president Mike Kinnebourgh said the club decided to keep the Anzac Day services and two-up traditions on the site - as they had done since the club opened in the late 1930s - because they considered it their spiritual home.

"We decided to stay with the tradition and come back every year and still have the Anzac Day here because it is our spiritual home and we love it," he said.

Mr Kinnebourgh said for club members, Anzac Day was about remembering friends, family, their own experiences, but most of all the price of war.

"This is not to glorify war, it's really to think about our mates who have past and hope that we never see another war," he said.