Rehearsal #2

Well, it's hard to believe, but we're finished learning "Fractal Speak" and have moved on to new parts of the show.

This Sunday we rehearsed from 10-4 in Rahway, NJ. The night before I spent a few hours over JR's house talking through a new percussion transition we're putting in Fractal, the new beginning to the show, and what to do from a percussion standpoint for "Today is the Gift". It was productive, but I have a hard time these days if I don’t' get enough sleep at night. I'm getting old. I never used to sleep before drum corps weekends. There was too much to do and I had procrastinated. Now, I'm usually ready a few days beforehand, and I can get my 7 hours before a camp day. Not this time.

So, after about 3 hours of sleep I wake up and get ready to go. I feel good, which is weird. I knew it would catch up with me. Anyway, I go to pop the hood of my 92 Buick (sigh), and the cable breaks. My hood won't close. It's freezing, and I have 2 kids waiting for me at a Wawa to get a ride to rehearsal. Dena let me use her car for the day, and away I went...an hour behind, and frustrated because my car sucks (and hers was chowing through anti-freeze.) Not good.

The trip to rehearsal was uneventful. The kids kept me awake with their absolute ridiculousness. I arrived to find several people already there (a half hour early) and a lot more pulling in the parking lot. Looked like we were going to get to start on time at 10. I love it!

Rehearsal was un-real. Last camp the brass pushed through "Fractal Speak" like it was going out of style. We weren't sure that everyone grasped everything, but we asked them to work on it at home and come back ready to go. Not only were they ready to go, they wanted to prove to the staff that they had worked on it and were hungry for more. Matt warmed them up and then immediately jumped into a full out run through of the song...just to see what work they had done. That run was better than anything we had played at the last camp! It was great! They had obviously worked on it and liked it. So, we proceeded to beat the heck out of it for the next 3 hours.

Over in guard land, they spent the entire morning doing stretch and body. We've more than doubled our guard size from last year, and there's a lot of talent in this group. I can't wait to get them out on the blacktop to start working show. Anyway, the afternoon was spent doing basics and learning some flag work. This is going to be a very well trained and prepared colorguard. I'm impressed with the staff and the work ethic of the members.

The percussion ate through the rest of Fractal. The year-over-year improvement in the percussion is the most obvious of the 3 sections. They're all working their butts off to grasp a different technique program, a different arranger's notes, and a larger and newer staff. I knew it would be better, but I didn't know that it would happen so fast. That's what happens when you have good veteran leadership who buy in and do what is necessary to be awesome.

...and that's the whole camp in a nutshell. They did what was needed to be awesome...and awesome they were.

My goal is to guard against complacency and to keep them hungry for more small successes. If we keep having camps like this and keep making the kind of progress we've been making, I think we'll have a fun summer. They're getting a taste of what GOOD drum corps is all about. I just hope they realize that it is a TASTE, not the full meal.

Yesterday morning we woke up to take both of our cars to get fixed (my hood and her anti-freeze chow problem). My hood closed, but then wouldn't open up...and then the car wouldn't start at all. Dena's car cost nearly $600 for a new water pump, radiator flush, and some hoses we probably could have waited on. It still needs about $800 in work, which means we certainly don't have the kind of money it's going to take to fix BOTH cars. So, off we went to Carousel Toyota on Route 1 in Chadds Ford, PA. Dena got a 2005 Toyota Matrix, and I inherited the fixed Chevy. Why does the girl always get the new car? :) She's awesome and works hard, so she deserves it. I'm just glad that we're both in cars that work and should work for a while. Drum corps will be a lot easier that way...oh, and work.

Next camp is February 10th. I'll have some of "RIDE" for the corps to read down, as well as the introduction to the show. We're getting close to having the whole show completed, so we're on schedule! Come on out to the next camp if you can!

OH...and mark it on your calendars...February 23rd! The corps is hosting a fundraiser dinner that night. It's $30, but the meal is going to be spectacular! I'll have more details soon, but the money goes towards NEW UNIFORMS for the corps. It's a good cause, and the food really is amazing. It'll be a great night, so no matter what corps you're in....or no corps at all....come on out and support our efforts!

Corruption...

My nephew, Nathan over Christmas. He went right for my drum pad. Brian tried to teach him a thing or two.

I keep telling him he's going to be a lead soprano for Vanguard, but maybe drums are the way to go. :)

Regardless, he has no chance...he's going to follow in his uncles' footsteps!