SACK LUNCH & SYSTEM BLUE CLINIC

Today the corps would rehearse in the stadium (where the show will be tomorrow), so we prepared breakfast and the members could make a “sack lunch”,… a lunch package in a paper bag with all sort of goodies beside their ham/cheese or PB&J sandwiches (I will do a separate post on PB&J later).

After the corps had left for the stadium we would pack & clean and leave too. Dinner would be served at the stadium. These days Blue Devils organized a System Blue clinic for marching band kids. An intense training programme for these youngsters, who eventually got to play with the hornline and drumline.
The stadium is really spectacular. A very good venue for a drumcorps show!

I walked through the area around the stadium a bit and checked out some of the local stores. That came in handy because I needed a new (extra) memory card.
I got to see quite a bit of the afternoon rehearsal as well. Exciting stuff going on on the field! Have to get into and see their show a bit more though to fully get what is going on.

When it was almost time for dinner we were in for a surprise. Clouds had started to fill the sky shortly before dinner and we knew they had predicted early evening rain, but right when literally EVERYTHING was out on the table waiting for the members to come from the stadium, things started being blown from the table. It took less than 5 minutes to move everything inside the loading area of the stadium, set up the tables again and serve our Taco Salad dinner. Great teamwork!! Only seconds after we were inside a pretty intense rainstorm hit the area.

This made me think of 2010 when the show was cancelled halfway down the program because of a Tornado-warning. Back then sirens went off throughout Minneapolis. Phantom had just entered the field and was taken off. All the spectators had to gather in the restrooms, and all the members of the participating corps were brought together in the same area we were now having dinner in. A cool gathering, but pretty scary weather outside. Fortunately today’s storm only lasted a good hour.

The evening block today didn’t even have much of a delay, opening with the System Blue clinic activities. The hornline (with addition of extra trumpets, trombones, sousaphones, and even flutes, clarinets and a baritone saxophone!) played John Meehan’s “Autumn”. The drumline played through a number of exercises.
Back at the housing site now. A little party going on in The Nest (our staffbus). These first few nights I am sleeping on a mattress in the school though.


Tomorrow is the big day… all World Class corps will get together in competition for the first time. BD haven’t been up against Crown, Cadets, Bluecoats, Madison Scouts or Cavaliers yet. Should be an exciting event!
Goodnight everyone!

Enjoy,
HK