350 drumming event. Saturday 24th Oct.

Hi everyone,
If you want to make some noise this Saturday 24th Oct to voice concerns over arguably the biggest natural phenomenon we will ever experience (WHOA! climate change baby!) and the lack of action on behalf of the powers-that-be, then there is a 350.org event at the West End markets, 11-1pm.

350 drums and 350 frisbees is their goal - 350 cause that is the agreed safe upper limit for CO2 in our atmosphere (in parts per million).

It's a pretty ambitious goal and a pretty awesome cause, so I'm heading along. It would be great to have some rhythmically knowledgeable folks there, such as yourselves, to make 350 drums sound less like this and more like this or this or this, especially if you support the cause.

Here is the event page:
http://www.350.org/node/5431
and here is a video on the 350 project, a massive global project:


Hope to see peeps there. Volume up, CO2 down!
Will

Tomorrow's class cancelled

Based on the poll on the Blog, I have decided to cancel tomorrow's class :-(

Firstly, you all deserve a little break after two great performances in two weeks!

From a more practical point of view, for those who haven't heard yet, my two-week old trailer has been written off by the insurance company after a neighbor accidently hit the accelerator instead of the break when she was trying to reverse close to where my trailer was parked. I am of course trying to get a new trailer asap but this might take weeks. I will need some help in the next few weeks I think to transport instruments :-(

Enjoy your Thursday evening - can I suggest you put on a CD with Brazilian music to stay in the mood...

Claire's House Warming

Hi Sambistas!

I'm throwing a house warming party on Saturday 7th November from 3pm and it would be great if you could join me! There'll be a BBQ so bring whatever meat and alcohol you want to consume and I'll provide the rest. Partners and kids are welcome as well as musical instruments!

My new place is in Wynnum and because it's not a brilliant idea to post addresses on the internet, I will send you my proper address when you RSVP claire.petersen@brisamba.com .

Hope you can make it!

Cheers,

Claire

P.S. There is plenty of space if anyone needs to stay overnight (but you might be on the floor).

Thank you for today

Thank you all for yet another great performance today. To me, it sounded really good. It was fun, having to start and stop so often, and I saw a lot of people laughing because of it. Of course, we all wanted to play more at the end, unfortunately that was not possible because of the programming on the stages nearby, as we're a little bit loud...

Thanks to Elwin for doing a great job as a referee - this turned out to be really important as the inflatable pitch was so high I couldn't always see what was going on.

Regarding Thursday, I'll put on a little vote to the right of this page.

Thanks again all!

Details for Sunday's Multicultural Festival

Here are the details for Sunday's gig at the Multicultural Festival:

• Location: Roma Street Parklands, inflatable soccer pitch
• Time: performance 2.15pm - 2.35pm, please be there 1.30pm as we may need to discuss a few things
• Dress code: white pants, Mangueira shirt, no hat. Elwin, could you please dress in black?
• Parking only available for Dale and myself (access through gate 13 via Parkland Crescent)

Thursday we'll rehearse our cues again. Remember, don't get distracted by the game too much, keep an eye on me. Also remember to have lots of fun, this will be controlled chaos and I think we're going to have a good laugh!

Parading

One of the things that was clear last Sunday was that we still have some way to go in how we parade. Fair enough, we didn't even know we were parading until 2 minutes before time, and on the second occasion they even changed plans while we were mid way on the field, but I know we can do better.

And yes, the pace of walking has a lot to do with this.

Any suggestions and ideas on how we could practice this would be appreciated!

What was I doing in Melbourne on Saturday?

What can I say?

This picture says it all! I hope you all had a great time, I know the crowd really appreciated it and I've already been asked if we want to join the Orange Army again this Saturday! Thank you all for making this possible on such short notice!

PS: Jason - have a good look at the picture. Look at everyone's pants - looks great doesn't it? Look at everyones bare head - also looks great doesn't it. All the same, one might say 'uniform'. Very professional. Oh wait, someone is standing out...... ;-)

Details for Sunday @ SunCorp

Please check this post for updates at least Saturday & Sunday morning

Car parking

There are 6 x car park spots in radio Lollypop’s car park for Remko, Trailer, Dale, Patty, and Claire.

This car park is directly opposite the stadium at the Inform building, 67 Castlemaine street. A volunteer will open the gates to let you guys in. do NOT enter without the event staff being present....THIS HAS TO HAPPEN....

All vehicles must be at entry gate at 2.30pm....to be admitted.

Entry, Accreditation and Game Tickets

All drummers will receive their accreditation and game tickets at the one time. This time will be at 2.40pm at the radio lollypop car park. Each drummer will receive 2 tickets to match. (The six with the Orange Army will be given 3 or 4 tickets to ensure we have room for your drums and yourselves. You will be sitting in three groups of two about 2 to 3 metres from each other).

All drummers will enter stadium via security control gate and be escorted by an event staff member to Band Room.

Band Room

Chaperone will direct you to our event room (the Band Room)...where your group can leave drums and gear. This event room will still be used by my staff. Valuables can be left in lockable lockers in the room.

From here your game tickets will be processed by scanning. You will be shown the only route for movement from Room to Field, Room to Plazas and Room to their game seats. This will be tightly monitored. We CANNOT have people wandering around back stage...particularly with Foxsports and ourselves producing live football and live television....Security WILL enforce. Can’t stress this enough.

Room will be locked during game...so all drummers are either in their game day seats or with you in Orange Army bay during the match. If they wish to leave after their halftime performance that is okay.

Performances

North Plaza ( Paddington end) Remko's group 3.26pm to 3.36pm

South Plaza (Milton Station end) Jason's group 3.26pm to 3.36pm

Field of Play all 3.47pm to 3.51pm

Orange Army: Remko, Fernando, Jason, Mike, Angus, Martinho, Elwin, Patty/Miki 4.06pm to 4.45pm

Halftime (Field of Play) all 4.57pm to 5.00pm

Orange Army: Remko, Fernando, Jason, Mike, Angus, Martinho 5.06pm to 5.45pm

Please note we will inform all drummers of their route for entering and leaving everywhere on Sunday.

Foot wear

Please ensure that all drummers have closed in footwear...no thongs, no football boots!!

Rider

Water will be supplied for all performances. Limited Soft drinks and sandwiches will be available for both drummers and event staff and volunteers. We will all share.

Friends

Please note that if they are going to give their tickets to friends then we can arrange for these to be picked up by their friends/family from the South Plaza ticket gates......at the ROAR members window. No friends/family will be permitted back stage. We have accreditations for the performers ONLY. WE will not be discussing on the day who gets in and who doesn’t. There will be envelopes for you to place tickets in for friends/family etc.

Exiting venue

When the drummers wish to leave they MUST return to Band Room and retrieve their drums and leave via the ring road under the stadium and out through the security control gate they first entered the stadium through and then onto Castlemaine Street.

Roar gig this Sunday

Great news, the gig in SunCorp Stadium this Sunday 11 October for Queensland Roar has been confirmed. Some details yet to follow, but what I know so far:

• starting 3.15pm with some pre-match entertainment, both on the plazas and on the field
• up to 6 of us to join the "Orange Army" to see how we can contribute to the atmosphere. Don't worry you can all be there in the crowd, just for the moment they want to limit this to 6 percussionists as it's a bit of an experiment (we're talking about doing this on a regular basis based on the outcome)
• On field performance during break
• Two match tickets for everyone (that's you plus one guest)
  
• I'll try to get Roar shirts - looks like this is now confirmed as well.
  
• Performers room with water, soft drinks and hopefully some sandwiches

Sounds good? More details to follow. If you haven't yet registered for this gig please send me an email asap. Attendance this Thursday pretty much mandatory (free class).

Surdos for sale

Five Surdos of various sizes 18" and 22". Assorted samba instrument for sale. New and used earplugs for sale as well .

Make an offer !

Contact Brian or Denis.

Instruments next two weeks

Hi all, I will need your help this Thursday and the week after with instrument transport.

I have bought a new car that will be delivered on Friday, but it won't fit the instruments. I decided I no longer will put up with all the damage that is being done to my car because of ongoing instrument transport, so instead of buying a Wagon I bought a car with a tow bar, and I will get a trailer for all instruments (so no longer necessary for anyone to take surdos home!).

It will take a few weeks for the trailer to be completed, so in the meantime I hope you can help out by taking home some of the instruments, in particular surdos! Thank you!

Tomorrows festivities!

Hey everyone,

Reminder about tomorrow.

Where: 53 Vernon Tce, Newstead. Our building is the red brick Mactaggarts woolstore right next to the Teneriffe Citycat terminal/ bus stop. Please go around the back of the building to where the river is, and look for us in the pool/BBQ area out the back of the building. I have to buzz you in so call out to me!

Parking: There's parking on the streets and also in a big 3 storey carpark building beside our building, if you turn into its driveway just drive directly down toward the river and there's visitor parking there too.

When: 12pm, Saturday 12th September (TOMORROW!)

BYO: Meat, salads, alcohol. I will supply a few loaves of bread, chips and soft drinks. Also BYO instruments!! We will play pagode =)



If you need helf or have questions, please call me on 0402 373 669.

See you tomorrow!
Reni

Multicultural Festival 2009

I just had some discussions with the organisation for the Multicultural Festival (Roma Street parklands) and it is pretty much agreed we would take part in this in a weird and wonderful and original way. Approx 2pm, 18 October.

If you like to get involved, put it in your diary now :-)

Survey

In my never ending quest for improvements in the Samba School, I will send you each a short survey in the next few days with a few basic questions.

I'd really appreciate it if you could take a few minutes to email me back the completed form.

Thanks
Remko

Brasil Independence Day/ Adios Ereni!

Hello lovely sambistas,

I remember someone making a suggestion about having a shindig to celebrate Brasil telling the Portuguese to get lost in 1822, who's still up for that? I am departing for Spain on September 20, so it would be nice to make it a little farewell party as well *choking back tears*.

For a little change of scenery (unless you all want to have it at Orleigh Park in West End or somewhere else) I'd like to invite you all to my place in Teneriffe- we have a great BBQ and pool area overlooking the river.

Saturday September 12
12pm onwards
53 Vernon Terrace, Newstead
BYO food and alcohol, some nibblies and soft drinks provided (BBQ available)
As there is only enough seating for 6-8 people, please bring your own seating or a blanket to spread over the grass.

Please rsvp asap!

Reni

C&K Kindy Gig

To those lucky enough.
The gig this Sunday is at the C&K West End, Kindergarten.
This is half way along Corbett Street in West End.
The event is from 10 - 12 noon, and we play at about 11.40.
There is a lot a of coffee and even more cake, so feel free to arrive early and stuff your face. Please let Remko or myself know if you can play.

Workshop

Hey Brian,

Keen to do Samba workshop.

Are you going to post details?

Another 'big' gig coming up!

Well, we have played big gigs before:

• We played at the Gold Coast Indy, several times
• We lead the Australia day parade
• We lead the Pride parade a few times
• We played for 40,000 people in SunCorp stadium
• We did a segment on 'Toast TV', broadcast nationally

... so we have enough experience for the next gig:

• Sunday 23 August, about 11:45am
• Angus son's Kindy, somewhere in West End (to be confirmed)

I'd like to get a smallish group together for this one, as to not damage those little ear drums, please email me if you'd like to be involved, and I will let you know if we can fit it in!

Sounds like fun!

Nice video from Brian's excellent blog