Visitors

No show this past weekend...just a lot of work tightening down the show and getting ready for the stretch run. We all knew we needed to come in focused and ready to work. We also knew it was going to be ridiculously hot (and it was). We got a lot better this weekend, and we're all very excited to take the show to Kingston, where we go on last, and roll the dice.

I rented a car this weekend and brought the drum major and 3 of my 4 captains from Archbishop Ryan HS up to corps with me on Saturday. We use a very similar rehearsal system at Ryan (obviously), and I wanted them to get a chance to see things in motion, how they should be, etc. They spent most of the day on the scaffolding with me observing the corps, discussing various ensemble situations, etc. They were absolutely blown away by the drum corps, and it was obvious at rehearsal last night that they got a lot out of the experience. I spend a lot of time with our leaders, running clinics, talking to them before and after rehearsal, taking them to drum corps. It's important. Good solid student leadership is the foundation on which you can build sustainable success with any program over the long term.

We put in a new end to Part 3 that works a bit better than what we had. The ending of the show is new as well, and far more effective than what we had. The rest of the show is tightening up. Endurance is coming rapidly. I think we're going to be able to make some significant noise from this point on as long as what needs to happen happens.

Sunday we met in Weehawken, NJ at a brand new sports facility right on the banks of the Hudson River. If you face away from the drum major podium you have a beautiful view of all of Manhattan. This is inspiring and appropriate considering the theme of our show. It's also nice because we're so close to the water, and there's always a cool breeze making our day a little more tolerable. It's an astroturf field, with plenty of room for us to split up for sectionals. The corps will be there every Sunday for the month of August. A big thank you goes out to Brian Fallon who secured us the facility and asked for nothing in return. Brian never was a Bushwacker. He marched in the 60s and happened to find out that we rehearsed so close to his home last year. He came around to check us out, and next thing you know the guy has Bushwacker clothing on and is helping to unload our truck in the morning before rehearsal. Now, he hooked us up with easily the best rehearsal site this corps has ever had. While he never wore our uniform, Brian is most definitely a Bushwacker...and we appreciate him for his heart and genorosity.

Here are some pictures courtesy of Al Nielsen (click for larger image):