Maria is safe

For all of you that might be worried about Maria - she is safe, on the West coast of the South Island.

Bloody earthquakes!

Many thanks!

Many thanks to all that played at a rather hot afternoon yesterday in SunCorp stadium. Thanks very much for your understanding, we now have seen with our own eyes what a mess the floods caused within the stadium. I hope that we soon have a real dressing room again - with airco!

I assume next time we won't have to be there that far in advance as we won't have to rehearse the 'north-south' thing. Also, I will ask if we can a bit more rhythms instead of just 'we-are-red', although I really start to like the variation that we developed throughout the second half.

So thank you!

Update: I received a phone call late this afternoon from the organisation, with sincere apologies for the problems we experienced with drinking water. We weren't the only ones that didn't get the water, it looks like only the players on the field were looked after. They have promised this won't happen again. They also told me they were very happy with what we did. And they agreed next time more rhythms, and less 'we are red'!

Idea for a red chant twist on maracatu

After the Maracatu break L R L R L R R L R just play the first beat of each phrase and shout WE ARE RED!

So instead of this:
|.......|.......|.......|.......|.......
R...LRLRR...LRLRR...LRLRL.R.L.R.LR.R.L.R

Play this:
|.......|.......|.......|.......|.......
R.......R.......R.......L.R.L.R.LR.R.L.R
WE......ARE.....RED

The nice thing is that the WE ARE RED is stadium slow

Details for Sunday's Reds game (20 Feb)

Last minute updates:

• Meet no later than 2pm (preferably 1.45pm already) at the NORTHERN car entrance at Castlemaine street. Until now we always met at the SOUTHERN entrance but this has changed due to floods.
• It's going to be hot. So, sunscreen and a hat would be a good idea. Also forget about jeans, shorts sounds much better in this weather!
• If you have a Reds top, please wear it.

SunCorp stadium inside is still very much a mess as a result of the floods so everything is a bit slower this time.

Players for Sunday:

Team NORTH
Denis - Caixa
Josh - repinique
Brian - 2nd surdo
Elwin - 3rd surdo
Florian - shaker
Paul Dennis - alfaia

Team SOUTH
Paul Caplat - Caixa
Byron - 2nd surdo
Gail - 3rd surdo
Darren - 1st surdo
Florent - shaker
Miki - Shaker


Remko - repinique

Peter

We will play:

• before the game on the South plaza. 1 hour with breaks
• When the team runs onto the field. This will be a special performance, where we'll have two teams, one on the north and one on the south side. We'll rehearse this  on Sunday before the game in the stadium. Listen to it here.
• During the game, on level 5 in our own section. We will play on the side where the Reds run to, switching at half time. We will call the "WE ARE RED" chant. Listen to it here (not sure who was playing agogo ...).

If you have a Reds shirt, please bring on the day. If you don't have one you'll be given one.

Timing:

• 1.45pm-2pm - be at SunCorp Stadium (northern car entrance on Castlemaine street). You will all get a headset for the special 'north - south' feature, this will take some time so please be on time.
• 2.15pm - Rehearsal starts (on level 5). The arrangement I made takes 1 minute but we may have to do this a few times to get it right. I was happy with the rehearsal on Thursday!
• 3.15pm - start playing outside (timing to be confirmed)
• Move inside and set up both on North and South side
• Kick off: 4.40pm
• Play during game when cued. 
• At half time we switch sides
• Finish about 6.10pm

I do realise that's a lot of time. I have already negotiated on this to minimise the time, however two factors are at play:

• Flooding at Suncorp - lots of uncertainty re parking etc, still to be resolved, so let's play it safe
• We have to rehearse the special 'north-south' arrangement. 

For the next game it will all be much less time consuming. I appreciate your cooperation this time (as always).

Finally:

• sorry - I have no guest tickets. Rugby games are a lot more popular than Roar games and they try to sell every last ticket.
• sorry - no parking available, due to flood damage. Not even for me it looks like...
• Make sure you bring sunscreen and a hat for outside

Cheers

Remko

Facebook page for Samba School

For those of you that are on Facebook, there's now a Brisbane Samba School page. If you 'like' this page, you'll get noted of important messages. I intend to put a message there whenever a new important message appears on the blog.

For clarity, the blog will remain the main source of communication. Facebook just will give you the extra alert when something important has been posted.

I appreciate it if you all 'like' that page (you should have received a suggestion - let me know if not). If over 25 people 'like' it Facebook will enable some extra handy features.

And ... tell your friends that might be interested too!

Oficina de Maracatu with Walter Franca

02:35 Late for rehearsal, the kid is under pressure from the maestro, Walter . A great performance from the kids.

Workshop for primary school children with Walter Franca - Maracatu school Estrela Brilhante, Recife.

Thanks & well done!

To those who played today, well done! I'm very proud of you. Not just because you nailed the maracatu rhythms (thanks to Paul Denis), also because of your stamina in the blistering heat! Great stuff!

Thank you
Remko

Reds Fan Day

OK, so tomorrow we'll play during the REDs fan day! I haven't received the details about where I can park the trailer yet, but you can all park wherever they get the fans to park - huge parking facilities. I guess follow the signs.

What: St.George Reds Fan Day
When: Saturday, February 12 from 11am-1pm
Where: Ballymore - 231 Butterfield St.  Entrance off Clyde Road

Schedule
10:15am Remko arrives & parks trailer
10:30am samba school arrives
10:50 ready to play at the entrance
11:00 - 11:20 we'll play at the entrance where fans enter
11:20 - 11:55 we'll do some roaming (and we'll have a break or two)
11:55 - 12:20 break for us while other things are going on
12:20 - 1:00 some more roaming

We'll be given red shirts, please wear jeans if you can.

The following people have confirmed (there may be more, I forgot to save my list...):

Remko

Josh

Patty

Miki

Peter

Brian

Paul C

Leesa

Siobhann

Gail

See you then!
Remko

Samba d'Amour by Paul Mindy

Paul Mindy, great pandeiro player with a nice small group:


Samba
Uploaded by kaiijin. - Explore more music videos.

No Roar game tomorrow

Unfortunately we won't be playing during the Roar game tomorrow - due to the floods certain sections of the stadium are still not usable so they had to rearrange things and it became too hard.

HOWEVER - I do have plenty of tickets for the game. Please call me if you like a few!

REDS Fan Day this Saturday 12 February

We have been asked to perform during the REDS Fan Day this Saturday 12 February, as a precursor to our involvement during the 8 home games this season. We might also do a try out of a routine I thought of that we'll be doing at the start of each game.

Where: Ballymore stadium
When: Sat 12 Feb 10:30am - 1:00pm
General parking available

We'd play several sessions between 11:00am and 11:55am, then have a break (sausage sizzle! Jumping castle!) and play again between 12:20pm and 1:00pm

Could you please let me know if you can play that day - much appreciated.

ALSO - Could EVERYONE let me know asap if you still have a Reds shirt / bandana, and bring this (preferably washed) on Thursday?

Hi Sambistas & Brazilian Music Enthusiasts,

Details attached and below for a Brazilian music session hitting town this Friday night!
Get down if you can!

For those that missed last years' heavy xmas session,
it's your chance again to get down to some true school Brazilian flavours,
for the first QUE SAUDADE edition of 2011!!!

Friday 11th February

Malagueta+Hello Australia+Cutucada apresenta

'o verdadeiro espirito brasileiro'
QUE SAUDADE!
Dance floor sounds from the colourful streets of Brazil.

samba . gafieira . samba rock . pagode . forro music & dancing all night long!

feat
MALAGUETA (Live samba, pagode & forro group)
Djs Pepe Sol & Paprika spinning authentic brazilian beats (samba, gafieira, samba rock, forro, brazilian soul)

Intro Dance class with Angelo Salgado & Groove Brazil dance studio. 9pm-10pm

9pm-3am. Brazilian beer, Cocktails & Comidas de Boteco (freshly cooked Brazilian bar snacks!)
entry:$5 before 10pm - $10 after

Continuing the 2nd Friday of every month!

Casablanca Cellar bar
cnr Petrie trc & Caxton st Paddington
(2 min walk from Roma st Station/10 min walk from Queen st Mall)

* Listen to Que Saudade Vol1 mix by DJ's Pepe Sol & Paprika here (a rare selection of Brazilian beats & pieces for your ears)

www.malagueta.com.au
www.myspace.com/malagueta10
www.groovebrazil.com.au
www.helloaustralia.com.br
find Malagueta & Que Saudade on FACEBOOK

Denis goes shopping