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!!!

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

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

Disappointed and a little jealous

Good friday everyone,


There's a contest this weekend, a first. Riverwalk Highland Gathering is Saturday at the one and only Forks in Winnipeg. I've been saying for years someone ought to put a contest there... and they did.

However I won't be able to make it....

The down side to having three jobs is sometimes they conflict and alas, I'm due in Red Lake Ontario for sound check at 2 pm. Translation, after gigging all night tonight me and the boys are hitting the road at 7 am to be in Red Lake on time.

I'll be thinking about my favorite pipe bands, and soloists. I know they'll do well. But as any leader you worry endlessly about your section. Cam Fidler is in charge on Saturday. Cam has proven himself time and time again, and provided I did my best for these guys through the season, they'll do well.

I'm wishing my guys luck, they're taking on Regina without me, and their confidence is strong.

Good luck boys,


Sean

A Sad Day

This is one of those days you know is inevitable but never acknowledge it until it is upon you.

As a young punk being raised by a single mother, you tend to latch on to any sign of male role model you can. Any paternal character willing to tell you to "cut your hair" or "stand up straight" or simply refer to you as "soldier". I guess most guys crave that.

At a point in my simple life when I was destined for terrible, dangerous, and surely jailable things, I came into contact with the Transcona & District Pipe Band.

Mr. Lawrence has passed away today. A pipe major to many, a friend to even more, and a seeming "Grandfather" to countless students of both pipes and drums, there aren't really words to describe the terrible loss we all feel.

As with all great scots young and old, we can be tough yet kind, stubborn yet creative, and passionate always passionate, Mr. Lawrence was all of those. I have spent today going through my countless memories with incredible fondness.

So tonight, when you sit down in the warmth of your homes, or head out sand bagging, or pick up that dusty practice chanter or set of sticks you haven't touched in awhile, find a mirror and look in it, we are Mr. Lawrence's Legacy. Two generations of human beings who, perhaps, would never have found music at all.

God bless, and rest in peace Mr. Lawrence. We all owe you a gift that can never be re-paid.

Sean

Concert Unleashed

Just a quick post today to show off Chris Brown's handy work.

Here's the Concert Poster.

In Search of Perfection

March... Strathspey.... and Reel.....



It's MSR year in Glasgow. I've been obsessed with MSRs for years, mostly because they seem so straight forward, everyone shrugs when you ask them about it, and yet, everyone has something different they look for.


I've learned nothing... kinda.

I know they're the more technical of the contest sets. The March must be brisk and bright, yet not frantic. The Spey must lift like a dancer, yet weigh heavily on the accent pattern. The Reel must swing like Duke Ellington while driving forward with precision...

If you're not in pipe bands, but you're a musician, and you read this, you now know why we party so hard.

I've been listening to St. Lawrence O'Toole's worlds performance, they pretty much nail it. So powerful, yet so musical.

So my goal for the next 3 months is to learn everything I can about MSR's and pass it along to my corp. Then, hope we can input that all into our playing.

I'll keep the blog updated periodically if I learn some new ground shaking truth about idium or something, and just between us, I think I'm going to try and pick the brain of one of the judges who's hammered my corp and our MSR playing in the past. I want to know what we are missing.

Running a corp is alot like an MSR. You have to be brash, yet humble, fearless, yet respectful.

Maybe it's just a balancing act

Sean