Wandering Where We’ll Be

Well, January 20th (Inauguration Day) is now within the 10-day weather forecasting window, so I just checked the forecast for D.C.  It’s looking good with a high of 38 degrees, sunny and 0% chance of precipitation.  I sure hope that holds; that’s downright balmy compared to our current 14 degrees in Minnesota.  But, any forecast 10 days out is bound to change, so I’m not getting my hopes up too high.  In any case, we’re packing many layers and warm gear to be ready for any weather scenario.

Am I bringing a drum to play?  Silly question, maybe.  But, I am NOT bringing a drum to play.  New York City’s GLBT band (Big Apple Corps) has awesome marching percussion (as well as being a FINE marching ensemble), so they are providing most of the percussion instruments that we’ll be playing.  The drum I’ll be playing is a Pearl Championship series FFX snare drum with a Remo White Max high-tension head. Photo  NY’s BAC will also be providing the carrier.  I’ll bring drum sticks, spare sticks, stick bag, drummer’s gloves, snap-on lyre, flip folder and my music.  While I have the tunes memorized, I still want to have my music available at least for rehearsals for situations where the director says, “Let’s take it from measure 33.”  Plus, who knows, my nerves might kick in, and I’ll blank out.  I hope not, but I’d rather be prepared for anything!

OK, on another topic, Dan will be formally assisting the band during our practices and performance in D.C.  On January 28th, LGBA put out the call for volunteers — often referred to as “Band Aides” — and Dan signed up.  Along with carrying a rainbow flag as part of our field shows in Chicago for the 2006 Gay Games VII, he also was a Band Aide.  According to LGBA, in this role, he will be providing all types of assistance, including registration, uniform distribution, taking attendance, guiding folks to rehearsal locations, lunch distribution, marking the rehearsal line up, carrying equipment, loading equipment, moving supplies, rehearsal room set-up, picking up lunches, errands, etc.  We’re not certain, yet, what this means in terms of where Dan will be during the actual parade, but we are expecting to receive more details early this week via email from LGBA.

Then, I need to clarify a reference I made in an earlier post about tempo changes during the parade and, specifically, in the arrangement of Ode to Joy that we’ll be playing.  I found out the other day that we will NOT be making any tempo changes in any song or while marching to a cadence.  We are required to keep a consistent tempo of 112 beats per minute at all times.  This is per parade organizers.  And, this tempo is actually slower than the 132 and 148 at which I’ve been practicing the sped up sections of Ode to Joy.  So, I’ll have to do some practicing of Ode.. with just a metronome instead of the sound file.  I was telling Dan yesterday that playing and marching to Ode.. to the sound file several times never fails to cause me to break a sweat!

Peace,
Tim

My partner, Dan, has become more and more involved with the Minnesota Freedom Band and the LGBA national group over the years that I’ve been a member.  The first time I recall him performing with us was when the MFB hosted the national group and we marched in Superior, Wisconsin for their Pride parade and, then, at the State Fair.  Dan was in the colorguard, which twirls colored flags in choreographed routines to the music being played by the band.  He has also marched with the MFB in Minneapolis Pride parades and Holidazzle parades, wearing a variety of “hats,” including colorguard, sleigh bell player and, recently, tri-tom player.  He marched with “Team Band” on Soldier and Wrigley fields for Gay Games VII in Chicago, carrying one of the rainbow flags.  And, this past October, Dan was in the colorguard for LGBA’s performance in NYC’s Halloween Village Parade.  This parade probably represented the most involved role he has played.  Colorguard organizers sent a training video that taught the routines to all five of the songs we would play in the parade.  Dan played the video on our laptop and learned and practiced the routines using a broom to simulate a flag — first, in our office/music room and, then, out in our back yard, where he had plenty of room to twirl and didn’t have to worry about knocking stuff over or off the walls!  Dan also helped out the MFB’s percussion section in November, playing tympani and accessories, when our numbers dwindled to just a couple for our most recent indoor concert.  The section could not have successfully pulled off the pieces we did without his help; THANKS, DAN!

So, we tried to register him to be a member of the colorguard but, alas, the available slots filled before we could get him in.  But, we’ll both still be traveling to DC.  Given the high cost of flights, we’ll be driving out to DC.  The 20th lands on a Tuesday, and I have Monday, the 19th off for MLK Day.  So, that gives us the weekend to drive out in time for my first rehearsal on Sunday, from 1 pm to 6 pm.  Then, I’ll take Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday off from work to allow time to travel home.   We’ll be staying in Fairfax, Virginia, at a hotel just 5 miles from a Metro train stop.  So, we’ll be able to park at the train station and take the train into DC for rehearsals and the parade.

Other Details

All participants in the parade will, not surprisingly, undergo a background check by the U.S. Secret Service.

The 2009 inaugural parade will begin at the steps of the U.S. Capitol Building and proceed along Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House.  The route is about 2 miles in length.

We will be marching using a 28″ stride, which is mandated by the government to allow as many bands as possible to pass the reviewing stand.  This stride is longer than most bands use.  Typically, a stride of “8 steps to 5 yards” is used.  When I do the calculation for comparison, this would be a stride of 22.5 inches.

Tim

It’s daylight savings time so everyone has lost an hour of sleep and it’s a dreary day; perfect for laying down on a sofa, turning off the lights and watching an old movie with hot chocolate and a huge warm ... [Continue reading this entry]