JIM MEISTER'S GERMAN BAR - STILLWATER, MN

As if a jet leg would hold me from having a bit of fun!

Last night I watched BD rehearsal in the school stadium. Quite a few Blue Devils alumni were present as well, among which my friends Jeff DeMello and Todd Tanji.

They introduced me to some other former BD people which led into some interesting conversations. And my God,… this music activity (hobby) we’re all in once again proved to be such a small world.
Got to talk about people we both know, but who I haven’t seen in years, and they only saw them a few days ago.

Met Phil McArthur, a member of the Advisory Committee to the BD Board of Directors. Turns out he also knows my friend Retha Cilliers of the Field Band Foundation in South Africa.
Well,… to make a long story short,… They invited me to join them in going to the Jim Meister’s bar in Stillwater, a few miles outside Minneapolis. What a cool place!

This bar has a long BD history, dating back to mid-70s, when the corps used to stop here first on their DCI Tour and held a camp of a few days. Stillwater used to be one of the first shows on the tour outside California. Well,.. the story goes that all (or at least most of the staff) used to go here every night after rehearsal,… but ALSO a bunch of members. Apparently this was one of the few bars in the country that also served underage clients. I doubt very much that would happen nowadays.

Had some great conversations about Jubal, about the drumcorps activity in Europe, mutual issues in corps and organizations, where this activity is going, about work, friends, family,… you name it… we probably talked about it.
The waitress was very friendly, but was freaked out by me speaking to her in German. Her knowledge of the German language didn’t go much further than the word “Oktoberfest”.

Good food, nice beer and great company. What else could one wish for on a first real night in the States with a body that says it needs some sleep?
Well,.. . it didn’t get too much sleep after all, because I was up at 6:30, ready for breakfast.

Enjoy,
HK