Tips from Monobloco

A couple of good practice tips on the fundamentals from The Monobloco boys teaching some students in Glsagow.

listen for "the energy is in playing together, not simply a fast tempo"...

Instrument practice tomorrow

Tomorrow is the 3rd or 4th time that we try this: at 6.40pm, we start a dedicated instrument class. Again this week: tamborim.

From next week: advanced surdo!

After the kranski, before the pagode!

The only way a VUVUZELLA should be played.....

Futebol vs. Voetbal - if.

If, if, if we see BRA and NED get to the quarter-finals, it'd be a perfect opportunity to watch a game together somewhere, wouldn't it? And make noise.
Just suggesting.

Festa Junina in Brisbane!

The "Festa Junina" is the biggest and most popular festival in Brazil. It is also a great excuse for people to come together, dance, sing, eat and party in their special Brazilian way.

Now it is Brisbane!! Don't miss out!

Bring your Family and Friends!

When: 27/06/10 (Sunday) from 12.00pm to 6.00pm

Where: New Farm Park (click here)

Pre-Purchased Ticket: $5 (1 Free Drink)

At the Door: $5

Tickets can be pre-purchased at http://www.australiaconnection.com.au/- Suite 106, 303 Adelaide Street, Brisbane - Phone: 3166-8568

(From the June Festival website)

No gig this Saturday

Last week during the rehearsal I said there was a potential gig this Saturday at the Gold Coast. Unfortunately, we just don't have the time to rehearse for this with my friend Carlos who would have to come over from Melbourne.

However we are likely to do this next year - it's an annual event.

Cheers
Remko

Senegalese Sabar ensemble

The ancestors of Baterias? Admire the groove and the precision. And the beauty. And the non-djembeness.

Tamborim Basic Instruction

Remko, thanks for the tutorial tamborim class. I've picked up a few more tips and a better understanding of the samba rhythm. There's always something new to learn.

Things start to make sense now that we play REGULARLY with the cavaco and ....for the dancers. Gianna and her students bring the standard a notch higher. Very good arrangement and precise improvised dance choreograph . I quite enjoy the last rehearsal.

Be nice to Gianna , Remko. We want her and her students to dance with us for a long time.

Bateria Tom Maior 2009

Some inspiration for the coming thursday.

Experiment: instrument instruction

As I said yesterday, we're going to try to get a little bit more out of our weekly classes. I'm going to try to use the 20 minutes before the pagode to do dedicated instrument classes, starting next week 10 June at 6.40pm with a tamborim class.

To make this work, I'll need people attending to be there by 6.30pm to help unloading the instruments.

If this works well, I'll publish a schedule each month with the instrument classes for that month, so that you know when to come in early.

I realise this time is not suitable for everyone, however I think it's the only option at the moment. As I said, this is an experiment, so if not enough people can make it, or if it is just going to be too much for me (soft, I know), we may have to change this. But the idea is that I give people opportunity to really start working on the more difficult instruments, and that way we can lift the level of the samba school.

Comments welcome!

Rio

Secret Women's Business: GoMA

Follow up on Patty's post below with more Secret Women's Business

Art Gallery Jaunt - Brian's Angels

Here's a shot of the Angels dealing with Brian. Mikki and Maria were waiting patiently at the correct art gallery while we fooled around outside the wrong gallery!

Sunnybank State High School gig - CANCELLED

O well, it's not the best week, Sunnybank State High School has cancelled their whole Culture Snaps program this year as the kids, who actively should take part in the organisation, pretty much have done exactly nothing. So they cancelled the whole thing.

So this means, that for the first time in almost a year, we don't have a gig coming up in the next few weeks! Don't worry, they will come. I'm already talking about a possible one in the Gold Coast!

Enjoy the break!

Girls' Day Out

Next Saturday, 22nd May, some of us Samba Goddesses are having a girls' day out to see the exhibition "Hats: an anthology by Stephen Jones" at GoMA (Gallery of Modern Art, South Brisbane). Join us for a fun day!

The exhibition is the result of a collaboration between London’s Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) and one of the world’s foremost milliners, Stephen Jones. Exploring the fascinating world of millinery, the exhibition presents more than 250 hats and iconic headpieces from the V&A’s extensive collection and Jones’s own archive.

The plan is:
> Meet at GoMA entrance 11 am next Saturday 22nd.
> See the exhibition
> Maybe make a hat
> Have late lunch together afterwards at the cafe on-site

Admission is free.

Even if you are not a girl but would like to explore your feminimime side, you are welcome to come along. Just expect to be treated like a little brother. :)

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you are coming, allow for the fact that traffic will be very heavy in South Brisbane next weekend, as Paniyiri Festival is on. You may want to use public transport.

Reds Last Game 2010

Notice how hard Gail and Patty want "to be seen" ?

More photos here

Meat!

Further to tonight's dinner can I recommend the following shirt:

Details for Saturday's gig @ SunCorp

I trust everyone had a great night tonight! So let's play with Fernando one more time tomorrow @ SunCorp! It's going to be a big one again, with at least 30,000 visitors!

• Where: SunCorp Stadium (Reds vs Wanckers)
• Timetable:
• 5.15pm I'll arrive with car & trailer, start unloading instruments
• 5.30pm you guys meet at boom gate, go to dress room
• 6.00pm - 7.00pm we play at North plaza. Some breaks in between 'sets'. 
• 7.15pm - ready to play in stadium
• 7.30pm - kick-off, play during 1st and 2nd half

• Dress code - use Reds shirts from last time, please wear black pants. I'll still have a few spares for those that weren't there last few times. At the end, you can keep your shirt.
• No car parking unfortunately except for me and the trailer. The Reds does not have the arrangement with the car park opposite the stadium like Roar, unfortunately.
• This time, no tickets available for guests, unfortunately. If anyone really needs one let me know though
• In case of rain we will seek shelter to protect instruments and fragile sambistas.
• In case of a win, we hang around until the team leaves the field.
• Rehearsals next few weeks will be free for all! Those people not playing on Saturday can buy me and other performers a beer ;-)

Security procedure - please read:

Because the organisation forgot to block off the seats, we'll play in the North East tunnel (well really in between the tunnel and the field. Because this is an emergency exit, please note the following:

1. The seats must stay in the formation provided. They CANNOT queue across the full width of the tunnel and must not hinder entry and exit for other suppliers.
2. They must stay OFF the grass. Once they are in the tunnel they cannot wander onto the grass at all.
3. All band members must stay with their instruments at all times. (From the Stadium: In the unlikely need to evacuate the venue the tunnel forms part of evacuation path so these need to be clear if in this mode. There will not be time to find the owner of musical equipment if left attended and obstacles of this nature can be deadly when thousands are trying to evacuate). Note from Remko: in case of an evacuation also grab your chair, I think!

Patty	Agogo
Will	Caixa
Denis	Caixa
Miki	Ganza
Sarah	Ganza
Remko	Repinique
Josh	Repinique
Darren	S1
Mike	S1
Brian	S2
Gail	S2
Fernando	S3
Warren	S3
Elwin	S3
Maria	Tamborim
Pri	Tamborim

Powerhouse gig Tuesday 18 May CANCELLED

I received a call from Dorian last night: negotiations with the Powerhouse and Brisbane City Council have been difficult and only yesterday Council indicated they just want a 'drum roll' during the presentation on Tuesday.

As I think it is ridiculous to get a full Samba School to the Powerhouse just to do a drum roll, and Dorian agrees, we have cancelled the Samba School appearance.

I am very disappointed, not only because we like playing there but also because this was to be Fernando's last performance. Fortunately we still play at Suncorp on Saturday! And of course there's the Churrasco tomorrow!

Fernando's farewell dinner!

Just confirming, everything has been booked for this Friday.
We start at 6pm.


Mundo Churrasco
Address: 63 Macgregor Tce, Bardon.

See you there!

Unlimited beautiful meat, $7.50 caipirinhas!