Practice is over... It's Wednesday... BUT IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!!!
I've received a few gifts already. An awesome practice last night, a free pint from one of my favorite pipers, my lovely future wife got me a video game, and last but not least... The European Pipe Band Championships are being streamed live.
For an actual article regarding this see http://www.pipesdrums.com/ViewObject.aspx?sys-Portal=57&sys-Class=Article&sys-ID=18628...
Now about practice. Pretty good run through. New guy, Tyler Osmond, made it out to check out the grade 2 corp. Tyler will be joining our grade 3 corp in the fall but wanted to meet everyone. Welcome Tyler.
Things were suspiciously smooth yesterday. Chris Brown did a fantastic job with the setup of the new tenor heads, and the ladies responded beautifully and played them like champions. I think we sound ten times better just from that.
All in all a solid birthday. I'm looking forward to the long weekend. Especially Saturday!!!
Sean
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
A Little Under Two Weeks
uh.... wait let me double check that... yup 12 days until we fly outta here... oy...
Luckily I have Kyla (my sister)'s wedding on the 6th so I'll be busy enough to maaaaybe put it all out of my mind.
I can't help but get excited. The progress the band keeps making is blowing me away. This weekend the Grade 2 band hit up the Celtic festival in Thunder Bay and from what I've heard, ROCKED OUT!!!
Not only that it was the debut of our uniform change, which, from the facebook pics, looked awesome.
Not only do we sound sharp (pun fully intended if you read our sheets from last year's world's) but we look it too, and that's a big piece of the puzzle. A band from so far away, with very little track record, needs to make a big impression up to the line.
I've been practicing my "Means business" look in the mirror. Normally the drum corp looks pretty relaxed, but we also need to appear confident and serious. Like we have nothing to fear. So I'm working on that.
If you haven't been following Ryan MacDonald Photography's blog, you should!! Check out the awesome photographing the art pics. Latest one I've seen was Sean Somers' (Rocky Mountain Pipe Band P/M, and all around cool guy)family portraits entitled Callum and the Pipes... Holy smoke is that kid cute and getting big.
This blog inspired me to get out my camera. I often forget to do this, and thinking back, regret it very much. So many great memories that I remember well now, but years of drums, pipe bands, and rock and roll will surely scramble my brains.
So here is my game face in action... and Dylan's and Graham's ... just from last season. Confidence? I think so...
Talk soon! It's my Birthday tomorrow so I'm sure I'll do something dumb at band tonight and have to write about it.
Sean
Luckily I have Kyla (my sister)'s wedding on the 6th so I'll be busy enough to maaaaybe put it all out of my mind.
I can't help but get excited. The progress the band keeps making is blowing me away. This weekend the Grade 2 band hit up the Celtic festival in Thunder Bay and from what I've heard, ROCKED OUT!!!
Not only that it was the debut of our uniform change, which, from the facebook pics, looked awesome.
Not only do we sound sharp (pun fully intended if you read our sheets from last year's world's) but we look it too, and that's a big piece of the puzzle. A band from so far away, with very little track record, needs to make a big impression up to the line.
I've been practicing my "Means business" look in the mirror. Normally the drum corp looks pretty relaxed, but we also need to appear confident and serious. Like we have nothing to fear. So I'm working on that.
If you haven't been following Ryan MacDonald Photography's blog, you should!! Check out the awesome photographing the art pics. Latest one I've seen was Sean Somers' (Rocky Mountain Pipe Band P/M, and all around cool guy)family portraits entitled Callum and the Pipes... Holy smoke is that kid cute and getting big.
This blog inspired me to get out my camera. I often forget to do this, and thinking back, regret it very much. So many great memories that I remember well now, but years of drums, pipe bands, and rock and roll will surely scramble my brains.
So here is my game face in action... and Dylan's and Graham's ... just from last season. Confidence? I think so...
Talk soon! It's my Birthday tomorrow so I'm sure I'll do something dumb at band tonight and have to write about it.
Sean
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
The Weekend
Hi Everyone,
Practice is over, it was a sweaty one. I'm praying for a cooler day for Grade 3 practice, even though I'm just stopping by. It looks like rain today but who knows what will happen.
Great grade 2 practice again last night. I even managed to let the corp have some fun messing with Salute to Max Rayne (we butchered it) and letting Shane (Peanut) our newest recruit try his luck at one of the Marches. He held his own and for a kid his age I'm very impressed with his cool performance.
This weekend is going to be a crazy one. The grade 2 band is off to Thunder Bay to play the Fort William Historical Park Celtic Fair. Natalie McMaster is playing too and I'm a little jealous I'm stuck in Winnipeg gigging with Pop The Trunk. However, I'll get my fix as I'm subbing in with the grade 3 band for the Morris Stampede Parade on Saturday, I haven't played with this band in years and I'm very much looking forward to it.
Keep you eyes peeled for a pack of blue kilts coming your way as the grade 2 band is making it's last public appearance before the plane ride, and the grade 3 band is showing their work horse character as they hit parades all over Manitoba.
Have a great weekend!
Sean
Practice is over, it was a sweaty one. I'm praying for a cooler day for Grade 3 practice, even though I'm just stopping by. It looks like rain today but who knows what will happen.
Great grade 2 practice again last night. I even managed to let the corp have some fun messing with Salute to Max Rayne (we butchered it) and letting Shane (Peanut) our newest recruit try his luck at one of the Marches. He held his own and for a kid his age I'm very impressed with his cool performance.
This weekend is going to be a crazy one. The grade 2 band is off to Thunder Bay to play the Fort William Historical Park Celtic Fair. Natalie McMaster is playing too and I'm a little jealous I'm stuck in Winnipeg gigging with Pop The Trunk. However, I'll get my fix as I'm subbing in with the grade 3 band for the Morris Stampede Parade on Saturday, I haven't played with this band in years and I'm very much looking forward to it.
Keep you eyes peeled for a pack of blue kilts coming your way as the grade 2 band is making it's last public appearance before the plane ride, and the grade 3 band is showing their work horse character as they hit parades all over Manitoba.
Have a great weekend!
Sean
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Tuesday hath come
It's Tuesday, temperature approx 95 degrees C....
No air conditioning in the office either. Luckily business attire isn't mandatory at band practice.
I love this time of year, I get so excited about band practice. More than usual anyways.
Oh, but I should stop writing, I received an email from one Treebeard about how he misses band and wishes I would stop bragging about how great it is...
Well Jamie, we miss you too. You aren't missing anything, nothing but boredom and mediocrity...
Now stop reading so I can write about what's really going on.
Tuesday, hot, but I'm sure we'll all be out in full force. Ready to rumble for a great practice.
Lata!!!
Sean
No air conditioning in the office either. Luckily business attire isn't mandatory at band practice.
I love this time of year, I get so excited about band practice. More than usual anyways.
Oh, but I should stop writing, I received an email from one Treebeard about how he misses band and wishes I would stop bragging about how great it is...
Well Jamie, we miss you too. You aren't missing anything, nothing but boredom and mediocrity...
Now stop reading so I can write about what's really going on.
Tuesday, hot, but I'm sure we'll all be out in full force. Ready to rumble for a great practice.
Lata!!!
Sean
Monday, July 18, 2011
Huh............
You have no idea how hard it is to wash egg off your face while removing the foot from your mouth, all the while dealing with hell freezing over....
Wait maybe you do.
If you're anything like me and thought "Livingston is going to Toronto? WHAT THE HELL IS HE THINKING?" then you may be dealing with these issues today as you kill time at your desk YouTube-ing the latest pipe band vids.
So Toronto won Cambridge.
Not exactly the World's, but impressive. I'm not completely sold on the idea, but I did enjoy their medley, even a bit more than the others.
I think on the video somebody squawked during the attack... clearly it wasn't an issue, but generally from my ears I found their performance to be the most enjoyable.
So, what happened?
I have no idea as I wasn't there. Peel didn't sound their usual selves for whatever reason, and this weekend proves that on the day, anything can happen.
Which speaks to why we just shrug when some other grade 2 Canadian bands mock us, and put us down behind our backs. Then to our faces say "why are you going again, you aren't going to win".. Well you certainly won't staying home and going to the beach.
We're a competitive pipe band, and perhaps the scariest part for me as a leader is thinking "I can't control that"... sometimes certain factors go your way, sometimes they don't. It's all part of the rush.
We have faith in each other, and right now, the grade 2 band sounds better than ever. It's always worth a shot. Living the dream as it were. Spending a week with good friends making great music, and giving ourselves a chance, believing in each other.
Only a few more practices until we leave. We're looking confident, and sounding great. Most importantly we're certainly too loud to hear anyone outside our circle :)
Sean
Wait maybe you do.
If you're anything like me and thought "Livingston is going to Toronto? WHAT THE HELL IS HE THINKING?" then you may be dealing with these issues today as you kill time at your desk YouTube-ing the latest pipe band vids.
So Toronto won Cambridge.
Not exactly the World's, but impressive. I'm not completely sold on the idea, but I did enjoy their medley, even a bit more than the others.
I think on the video somebody squawked during the attack... clearly it wasn't an issue, but generally from my ears I found their performance to be the most enjoyable.
So, what happened?
I have no idea as I wasn't there. Peel didn't sound their usual selves for whatever reason, and this weekend proves that on the day, anything can happen.
Which speaks to why we just shrug when some other grade 2 Canadian bands mock us, and put us down behind our backs. Then to our faces say "why are you going again, you aren't going to win".. Well you certainly won't staying home and going to the beach.
We're a competitive pipe band, and perhaps the scariest part for me as a leader is thinking "I can't control that"... sometimes certain factors go your way, sometimes they don't. It's all part of the rush.
We have faith in each other, and right now, the grade 2 band sounds better than ever. It's always worth a shot. Living the dream as it were. Spending a week with good friends making great music, and giving ourselves a chance, believing in each other.
Only a few more practices until we leave. We're looking confident, and sounding great. Most importantly we're certainly too loud to hear anyone outside our circle :)
Sean
Thursday, July 14, 2011
The Week the Wesley Went
Now say that ten times fast.....
Yep the mice are playing, Wes is at Camp this week.
While he's out pretending to work hard with The Captain and Mr. Walters at Lake Diefenbaker Piping and Drumming School, we still had to run practice.
It actually went incredibly well. Now there's a reason for that.
Perhaps the most unsung hero of our organization is our Pipe Sergeant. Cam Ballantyne has been with the band.... well.... a long time... and his years of experience, and un-real ability to adapt to the ever changing piping world have made him indispensable in our circle.
In a band full of wonderful, yet periodically noisy people, you barely ever hear a peep out of Cam. Until something needs to be said. Then in his worldly, "every word counts", manner he explains exactly what needs to be said.
He and Wes are the perfect team. They're polar opposites of each other, however they have the same vision of our pipe band and Cam always finds a brilliant way to sum up what Wes is talking about in 5 words or less.
Now obviously if Cam and Wes are a good pair then Cam and I work great together. For a man with a thousand times my experience, Cam has never, ever, questioned my musical opinions.... He shows me the same respect as everyone else on earth. So on Tuesday when he said "what do you think?" I simply said... "let's play it again" and away we went.
Cam is the reason our band walks with the confidence we do. Our success, even in dark days when our Pipe Major's health was less than shining, Cam led us through, and we stand behind, and beside him, just like Wes.
Now he's called practice on Saturday for 9 am.... I suppose given Cam's rural mentality it could have been worse, but try telling that to some of the guys :)
The only real trick for me is watching his foot tap as his camouflage disappears into whatever he's standing near....
Helluva guy that Cam!
Until Saturday!
Sean
World's Count down... uh.... 24 days til we're on the plane!!!
Yep the mice are playing, Wes is at Camp this week.
While he's out pretending to work hard with The Captain and Mr. Walters at Lake Diefenbaker Piping and Drumming School, we still had to run practice.
It actually went incredibly well. Now there's a reason for that.
Perhaps the most unsung hero of our organization is our Pipe Sergeant. Cam Ballantyne has been with the band.... well.... a long time... and his years of experience, and un-real ability to adapt to the ever changing piping world have made him indispensable in our circle.
In a band full of wonderful, yet periodically noisy people, you barely ever hear a peep out of Cam. Until something needs to be said. Then in his worldly, "every word counts", manner he explains exactly what needs to be said.
He and Wes are the perfect team. They're polar opposites of each other, however they have the same vision of our pipe band and Cam always finds a brilliant way to sum up what Wes is talking about in 5 words or less.
Now obviously if Cam and Wes are a good pair then Cam and I work great together. For a man with a thousand times my experience, Cam has never, ever, questioned my musical opinions.... He shows me the same respect as everyone else on earth. So on Tuesday when he said "what do you think?" I simply said... "let's play it again" and away we went.
Cam is the reason our band walks with the confidence we do. Our success, even in dark days when our Pipe Major's health was less than shining, Cam led us through, and we stand behind, and beside him, just like Wes.
Now he's called practice on Saturday for 9 am.... I suppose given Cam's rural mentality it could have been worse, but try telling that to some of the guys :)
The only real trick for me is watching his foot tap as his camouflage disappears into whatever he's standing near....
Helluva guy that Cam!
Until Saturday!
Sean
World's Count down... uh.... 24 days til we're on the plane!!!
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Excitement is Building
Well I had a nice facebook conversation with a new friend from Ireland. John Stewart, who plays with Cullen Cork Pipe Band Gr.2 was online and we chatted a bit about our heat.
The heats and draw are up, we're in heat 2 dead middle. Guess that's good.
I'm off to grocery shop, just wanted to pop on and spread the news about the qualifier heat.
Cheers
Sean
The heats and draw are up, we're in heat 2 dead middle. Guess that's good.
I'm off to grocery shop, just wanted to pop on and spread the news about the qualifier heat.
Cheers
Sean
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Back at 'er
Well it's been far to long since I last blogged.
But I can't be blamed... Stupid blogger here wouldn't let me post. Hence why I suddenly had two blogs pop up at once.
It's been a very interesting month or so. We cancelled the concert, with little community support the logistics were just to much this year. Next year we will return bigger and better. That much I promise.
Selkirk Highland Gathering went off without a hitch, possibly one of the best local contests we've had in a few years. Too bad there weren't more bands.
We got to spend some quality time with our friends Jake and Alan, they helped point out a few things we needed to tidy up, and definitely put a fire under us.
The drum corp has been busy with two a week practices. Trying to polish our performance. So far we're the only Canadian grade 2 band at the World's and we want to put a good showing forward.
All in all a busy, but productive spring has come and gone. Now we just count the days until the plane ride... I can taste the kabob already...
Sean
But I can't be blamed... Stupid blogger here wouldn't let me post. Hence why I suddenly had two blogs pop up at once.
It's been a very interesting month or so. We cancelled the concert, with little community support the logistics were just to much this year. Next year we will return bigger and better. That much I promise.
Selkirk Highland Gathering went off without a hitch, possibly one of the best local contests we've had in a few years. Too bad there weren't more bands.
We got to spend some quality time with our friends Jake and Alan, they helped point out a few things we needed to tidy up, and definitely put a fire under us.
The drum corp has been busy with two a week practices. Trying to polish our performance. So far we're the only Canadian grade 2 band at the World's and we want to put a good showing forward.
All in all a busy, but productive spring has come and gone. Now we just count the days until the plane ride... I can taste the kabob already...
Sean
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