Fernando's 'official' farewell dinner!

As you all know, the samba school will enter a tough period when Fernando leaves for Brazil late May. Fernando has been a very dedicated member of the samba school, playing pretty much each gig and most rehearsals. Besides that he also is a great friend of most people in the samba school.

So, I was not going to let him go without organising something special. And a couple of weeks ago, an opportunity presented itself when I received an email from a new Brazilian restaurant in Bardon. This is an authentic Brazilian BBQ 'Churrasco' restaurant, and they needed a small bateria to play during their opening last week. Which six of us did. Instead of payment, I negotiated a number of food vouchers, as I could not think of a better place to have Fernando's official farewell dinner!

When: Friday night 14 May, 7pm
Where: Mundo Churrasco, 63 Macgregor Tce, Bardon

Could you please let me know by email asap if you want to join this special event? If you want to bring someone, please let me know as well of course.

Fortunately, this won't be the last we've seen of Fernando: we got two more gigs later in May, at SunCorp the next day on the 15th and in the Power House on Tuesday 18 May. Our first gig without Fernando will be at Sunnybank State Highschool, Friday 28 May.

Pagode in a Vietnamese restaurant by Aussie Sambistas ?

I'm organizing a get together of the Primavera sambistas at a good Vietnamese restaurant , in Darra, for Fernando . The tentative plan is:

Next weekend on Sunday May 2nd @ 7:00PM
At KIM KHANH - B.Y.O. Vietnamese & Chinese Restaurant
67 Cardiff Road DARRA - At the round about
tel. 3375 3014

Please let me know on thursday rehearsal of the number so I can do the booking.

If the condition is right, the owner may let us dine at the more private table upstairs and play Pagode to our heart content. ... Well, bring your musical instrument and play if we feel like it.

Fernando is on a mission to taste as much Chinese and Vietnamese food before heading home to Brazil. Please note: This is not a farewell party for Fernando, just pure lust for food. Remko will organize another official one later.

ABC Radio 612 interview with Reds' Coach

On the radio interview this afternoon, the Reds' coach Ewen McKenzie has mentioned how a bunch of drummers..."with real big drums" have incited the most vocal Qld rugby crowd. He compared last night atmosphere with the State of Origin. ..... Well played guys !. Wish I was there .

The interview was about building up a Reds culture and how the crowd is increasingly vocal and supportive to the team and its style of playing. ...... then I drove under the Inner City Bypass tunnel and couldn't hear what else he said about us with all the static on the AM radio ! :-{

[edit by Remko: here's a page on the ABC website with some of the interviews. I couldn't hear the reference above but you can clearly hear the drums in the background on some of the interviews]

Pandeiro vs Cavaco

Details for Friday's gig @ SunCorp

Thanks to all of you who have replied to my emails, we currently have 12 people confirmed, with maybe one or two more.  It's going to be a big one, with at least 30,000 visitors!

• Where: SunCorp Stadium (Reds vs Stormers)
• 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 one of the plazas - to be confirmed. Some breaks in between 'sets'. I have again requested NOT to play on both sides of the stadium
• 7.15pm - ready to play in stadium
• 7.30pm - kick-off, play during 1st and 2nd half

• Dress code - use Reds shirts from Saturday, please wear black pants. I'll have a few spares for those that weren't there last week. At the end, please take your shirt home for use in the next game
• 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 (I stuffed that up last time)
• Rehearsals next few weeks will be free for all! Those people not playing on Friday can buy me and other performers a beer ;-)

Remember - no rehearsal this Thursday 22 April!

I look forward to seeing you again this Friday!

Denis	Caixa
Remko	Repinique
Josh	Repinique
Darren	S1
Mike	S1
Elwin	S2
Helen	S2
Fernando	S3
Warren	S3
Cedric	S3
Miki	Shaker
Pri	Shaker/tamborim
Gail	Shaker
Art	Shaker/tamborim

Any questions, let me know!

Rehearsal this week 22 April cancelled

I am very sorry (again!) but because of an incredibly busy week, I think it's best to cancel this Thursday's rehearsal. 

• On Wednesday night, some of us have a small but important gig (only 6 players) 'for the benefit of all of us' - more about that 'benefit' very soon!
• On Friday night, we have another big Reds game at SunCorp (they expect over 30,000 visitors that night). As always, this will be a long night.

So, to avoid tiring myself too much and possibly a few of you as well, and because I don't want to neglect my family life too much either, I have made this decision. Don't worry, I'll still be doing plenty of free classes in the next couple of months!

Talking about Friday night, we still don't have enough people for this important gig, can I persuade anyone who has declined for that night to change their mind? Please?

To All Shekere Players, . . .

An interesting polyrhythmic arrangement for our shekere players to do solo acts in Maracatu rhythm ?



Amalgama is a Latin American percussion trio based in Brussels.

And .... an interesting clip from Michael Pluznick .

Reds Home Game - April 17th

More pictures here

Details for Saturday's gig @ SunCorp

Thanks to all of you who have replied to my emails, we currently have 13 people confirmed, with maybe a couple more. Will be a great vibe, I'm sure!

• Where: SunCorp Stadium (Reds vs Bulls)
• Timetable:
• 5.15pm I'll arrive with car & trailer, start unloading instruments
• 5.30pm you guys meet at boom gate, go to dress room for face painting
• 6.00pm - 7.00pm we play at Northern Plaza (Caxton Street end - this has changed). Some breaks in between 'sets'. I have requested NOT to play on both sides - too tiring
• 7.15pm - ready to play in stadium
• 7.30pm - kick-off, play during 1st and 2nd half

• Dress code - we'll get (new) Reds shirts, please wear black pants. This time we'll take the shirts home for use in next games
• 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 (I stuffed that up last time)
• Rehearsal this week and next week (15 and 22 April) will be free for all! Those people not playing on Saturday can buy me and other performers a beer ;-)

Erin	Caixa
Denis	Caixa
Remko	Repinique
Josh	Repinique
Darren	S1
Brian	S2
Fernando	S3
Will	S3
Warren	S3
Lynne	Shaker
Gail	Shaker
Claire	Tamborim
Pri	Tamborim

Some points that I feel I have to make, reluctantly:

• Of course, please be on time: 5.30pm sharp. Not 5.35pm, please plan ahead. As always we have to get in as a group because of security issues. 
• As you all know, no one in the samba school is required to play at gigs. If you do, fantastic, if not, that's really OK. I never put real pressure on people to play at a gig. However, once you have confirmed you play at a gig, I do expect you to be there. Of course this is because of the commitments we have as a group to the organiser, and to each other. Last minute cancellations certainly don't amuse me, and add to the level of stress during the gig, which makes it less enjoyable for everyone. Of course, legitimate reasons are OK.
• If you are playing at a gig (any gig), I expect you to be there for the full length of the gig, and not walk out in the middle of the event, unless agreed with me. Certainly not without discussing this with me. I feel such behaviour really lets the team down.

I look forward to playing again this Saturday, it has been too long already! And, there's more gigs coming up soon, as you know!

I will confirm who plays what instrument later this week by editing this post.

Any questions, let me know!

Heads up - upcoming gigs

Just a quick heads up about some exciting gigs in the next couple of months:

• Fri 30 April, 9pm - Queen Street Mall, to assist Dorian in her exciting Music Video Mash Up project and do the count down for the launch
• Tue 18 May, evening - Power house. Yes that's right, the Power house (turbine hall), home of our first ever gig and still one of the best places in Brisbane for us to perform. This will be for the awards ceremony for Dorian's project.
• Fri 28 May, evening - Sunnybank State Highschool, remember the great gig last year? Also Helen is teaching here, she joined us after seeing us last year!
• a couple more currently under negotiation, more info soon!

No need to confirm to me just yet, but maybe write it in your diary already!

No class tonight 8 April

Very very sorry, but I have been sick since Tuesday and, although I'm starting to get better, just not well enough for work or Samba tonight. Hope to see you next week!

Turma do Pagode

An interesting video clip from Turma do Pagode ( Sao Paulo, formed in 2006 ).

.

Upcoming gigs at SunCorp

Hi all

Following our success at Suncorp Stadium a few weeks ago we have been asked to play for the next 3 home games of the Reds!

The dates are:

• Saturday 17 April, 7.30pm
• Friday 23 April, 7.30pm
• Saturday 15 May, 7.30pm (this will be Fernando's last gig!!!!!!)

The times above are kick off times, so we would be playing some time before that.

Could you please let me know by email if you'd like to play on any/all of these? I hope to have all of you there, as always!

Cheers
Remko

PS: if we can do all gigs we'll have free rehearsals for over a month!