Weekend Recap: DCDD Concerts

This weekend, we marked the end of Scott’s reign as the Artistic Director of DCDD with two shows – one Friday evening, one on Saturday. Friday evening started with me zipping into the District just in time to make the 7:00PM call time. We went through some of the “rough spots” and then retired to the Green Room (also known as the basement) to finish getting dressed and get ready for the concert.

I had on the new tux, but was having a horrible time getting the dang bow-tie tied, so I enlisted the help of Papa Bear Blake to help out. But don’t think I was the only one, Miss Matty (if you’re nasty) also needed some assistance with his. But once it was tied, the coat was on, I looked damn good! Now, I need to find some more “black-tie” events to attend.

The concert Friday went off ok, but I don’t think it was our best by any stretch. I mean, we are really our own worst critic, but I doubt anyone in the audience had any complaints. I have to admit that a couple of the pieces we played I really liked. October by Eric Whitaker is one of my favorites and I’ve been lucky enough to play it with two groups in the last month (I also performed it with the Experience the Music in Indianapolis back in late March). I also really like the Hobbits movement from the Lord of the Rings Symphony.

After the concert, my friend Parag and I met up with Shawn, Verne, Larry, Mike and Carlos over at McCormick & Schmidt for dinner and drinks. Then I was off, going home to get some restful slumber to do it all over again.

Saturday started like most any other Saturday – I laid in bed and watched TV. I really had no motivation to get up so I cleaned off the TiVo and then moved to the living room to nap on the couch. I really wasn’t feeling well and I’m still fighting that darned allergy/cough thing that has been bothering me since that fateful trip to Indianapolis. I was feeling well enough to order in some Chinese, though, and after dinner, I decided it was time to start getting ready for the evening’s festivities.

I made it to the church on time (wasn’t that a song?), and got a really good warm-up – something that I haven’t been getting lately. I was able to tune my horn slides prior to everyone getting upstairs and playing as loudly as they could and was generally relaxed. Like the night before, the group did some warm-ups, hit some rough patches and then went downstairs to the Green Room. It was déjà vu all over again as I enlisted Papa Bear Blake to tie my bow-tie again, then everyone tuned and went back upstairs for the performance.

I think everyone on-stage will admit that the performance on Saturday evening was 100-times better than Friday. Not to say there weren’t hiccups, but overall it went really well. I really only have two observations (they weren’t even really complaints). Mid-way through the second half of the concert, when the temperature was the hottest, the accolades for Scott began. Now, while many people have complained about Scott over the years (and myself being one of the silent critics), he has done wonders to grow the organization. Since attending my very first rehearsal back in September 06, I’ve been very impressed at the way the organization has been run artistically (although I have wept many times in the hope to have a real theme – Festivals? What the heck is that all about?). Challenging music has been chosen, difficult passages have been worked with extreme diligence and the group is much better for it.

However, some of the gushing by the guest speakers should have, in hindsight, been curtailed or done in a more appropriate medium. Each of the speakers gave very heartfelt monologues of how Scott and/or the band had made an impression on them and how they wanted to thank Scott for making that happen. I particularly enjoyed Matty’s speech because I think it was really similar to how many people join the band – by being invited by someone you know in it already. In his case, it was Scott. But when someone in the band turns to me and goes, “oh my god, we have three more to go!” I can only imagine the consensus of the audience to be much the same.

The other observation actually made me chuckle a bit. Not an evil chuckle or anything, but one of those, “there he goes again, ha ha” chuckles. After we played the last song and the standing ovation again, instead of exiting the stage area and going downstairs, Scott makes a walk down the aisle, grabs his kid and carries him to the back of the auditorium and out the door. I’m sure it was unintentional, but it seemed to have the flair of the dramatic exits that you see in lawyer movies after they win a big case, raising their fist in the air, walking out and into the sunset.


I don’t know if Scott reads this but I do know others in DCDD do. In the event that he does, I would like to thank him and wish him the best in his future endeavors. And whatever they are, if he puts the passion and dedication that he has exhibited in the short time that I’ve known him at DCDD, I’m sure he will be successful.

Now, I need to watch the video of my final concert in KC to see how well I can criticize my final concert (and I think I did leave with a fist-punch into the air).

Congrats!

I would like to extend my congratulations to one of my closest, most dear friends. Eric A. accepted a new job last week as an Assistant Attorney General for the state of Kansas. Good luck with the new job, Eric!

The First Time “Out”

On one of the blogs I normally read (Joe. My. God.), the ‘open thread’ today was: Tell us about your first time in a gay bar. Bar name, city, and year. Since this story came up recently over dinner with Verne, Shawn and Debbie, I thought I’d post it for everyone’s snickers, ridicule and judgment. Now remember, I was a good little “straight” Baptist boy at this point and gearing up for a trip to Mexico to do mission work over my upcoming Spring Break.

It was Mardi Gras Weekend 1995. I was a freshman at LSU and a friend of mine from the LSU Marching Band, Anni (pronounced AAH-nee) told me that I needed to go to New Orleans with her and her friends to “experience Mardi Gras with the locals.” (she was from Thibodaux, Louisiana). I agreed, along with 2 other guys, Brent and Justin, who were from Illinois. The next day we were off along with Anni’s friends Walker and Sharlene.

We arrived in New Orleans in time to get a good spot on the barricades at the corner of Canal and Tchoupitoulas (pronounced chop-a-TOOL-us) right where the parades turn. Walker and I were standing near each other and really did nothing but talk about T&A of people in the parade, and the girls standing near us. After a couple of Krews went by (I remember one was Endymion) we decided to go find something to eat and determine what to do next.

Walker was the one who mentioned it, “Let’s go to Oz!” I asked what Oz was, and Anni quickly responded, “It is a dance club, you wouldn’t want to go.” I was living large and told everyone that I’d like to go – to the shock of everyone. Yeah, I must have been uptight back then. We started walking to the bar and Anni told Brent and I that we all needed to go into a place on the way in order to get a drink. Unfortunately, Sharlene was only 17 and couldn’t get in so Walker and Justin stayed out with her (I later found out this was planned). After a few minutes, I left this bar with a full Hurricane and was ready to party!

We walked down to the corner of Bourbon & St. Ann and Anni told Brent and I that we needed to finish our drinks and that we’d catch up with the rest of the group. So there we stood looking around and I quickly made an observation, “Anni, there seems to be a lot of gay people around here.” She said that I was crazy, but I continued to look around and there were definitely a lot of gay people around. Anni eventually told me that we were in the gay area of New Orleans, but I asked why we were going to a dance bar in the gay part of New Orleans. “Walker is gay,” was her response.

Saying that I was shocked is an understatement. Walker was a tall, masculine guy – not the nelly, fem guys that I thought represented the gay population. Plus, we had been talking about girls not two hours before.

After a while, Walker and Justin (who was not ‘out’ at this point, although we all knew it was a matter of time – even then), came up to us and told us that Oz was charging $20 for cover and suggested we go to Bourbon Street Pub where it was free. Plus, they had strippers. Brent and I both shook our heads “no”. Anni told us that she was going in and if we didn’t want to, we could stand there on the street… together… alone. We finally relented and followed Anni, Walker and the gang into the bar.

Brent and I stood in the back while the rest of the group disappeared into the crowd of people ogling the nearly-naked men dancing on the bar. I don’t remember much, except for the guy who wandered by wearing a penis mask. After what felt like an eternity, Anni had her fill of the strippers (or Brent and I looked pathetic over in the corner), and she came and escorted us out of the bar.

That was my first time in a gay bar. It took me about 6 months to make it back to Arkansas, meet my first boyfriend, break-up with said boyfriend, and move back to Louisiana for my sophomore year of college before I’d go back again for the first time as a out gay man.

Target on My Back

Over the past couple of days, I’ve been fighting yet another bout of allergies. So tonight, I dragged myself out of bed and went down to Nordy’s to pick up my new Tuxedo for this weekend (which I look really hot in, by the way… pictures this weekend!)

Anyhow, since I was over in Alexandria, I decided to stop by “Soviet” Target – you know, where the lines are long and the shelves are empty. I picked up some staples to help with the allergies: cough syrup, Vick’s Vapor Rub and some candy. As I was checking out, the nice young lady scanned the cough syrup and the register beeped at her. I asked her what that was all about and she said, “Don’t worry, we have to card anyone buying cough syrup who looks younger than 35.” I just glared at her.

For the record, I’m 32.

Project Glass Slipper

Ok, I'm not an emotional person. I couldn't tell you the last time I cried, but the story about Project Glass Slipper at Fayetteville (Arkansas) High School made me choke up a bit. I think it is great that these counselors saw a need and have been working to make these girls dreams come true.


Honestly, I think I was so bitter with my High School experience that I barely remember my prom. I do remember I the tux I wore had a white tux jacket with black pants, and it must have rained because my "date" Summer G and I look drenched in the photo that my mother STILL has on display in the guest bedroom.

Music of Note...

I'm a big ole band geek, I think everyone knows that. I often go out on the music websites and listen to recordings of band music just to hear what is out there and hope that one day I'll be asked to make a suggestion on what I'd like to play in some concert. Trust me, I'm prepared for that question (take note, Mr. New CPSB Director). Well, as I was listening today, I found a new favorite.

Robert W. Smith has been one of my favorite composers for a long time, probably since I played Songs of Sailor and Seas with the JC Winds 5 years or so ago. Well, the piece I found today is called Northwoods: Of Might and Mettle. It is supposed to reminicent of the life of a Lumberjack...

This is a musical depiction of the day of a lumberjack in the late 1800s during the great logging drives in Wisconsin. The work begins with "Daylight in the Swamp," a mysterious setting reminiscent of the early morning conditions. It then transitions to "Waking the Camp" and develops to "Felling the Trees," a very dynamic segment. "The Ice Breaks" and "On the River" draw the composition to a serious conclusion.

I especially like the last 2 minutes or so. It almost makes me wish I were a woodwind!

Making a Bad Situation Worse

What can make having to go to the hospital with a 6in spray can of body spray up your bum worse? Having the doctors and nurses videotape it and post it on YouTube, of course! It seems that in the Philippines, a guy went out drinking and had a one-night stand and through some course of events that he does not recall, the spray can was inserted into his rectum and became stuck.

Now, the doctors and nurses who performed the “rescue mission” could possibly lose their license because they videotaped it and posted it for the world to see. Now, I admit, the medical staff was in the wrong on this one with making/posting the video, as well as hooting and hollering and cheering on the surgery. But come on, you have this happen to you and you don’t deserve some ridicule?

Craig's List Loonies!!!

Last week I read a story about someone playing a “joke” on this guy up in Oregon. Evidently, while he was out of town, someone posted an ad on Craig’s List saying that he had to leave town suddenly and to come take whatever you could carry off. Why would they do this? Evidently a “Whiskey Tango” couple stole a horse saddle and wanted to cover it up. As trashy as they may seem, you have to admit, the plan was a good one!

The part that really disturbs me is that the guy showed up to his house, stopping people and telling them that it was a mistake, people just showed him the ad and took off. At least the cops are saying that they will prosecute anyone who does not return what they took. Good luck with that!

But evidently this is not the first time this has happened. It seems it happened about a year ago in Tacoma (what is it about the Pacific NW?). A lady evicted her sister from a house she rented out and evidently the sister got revenge by posting an ad that the house was abandoned and to come and salvage what you could. Sadly, the police didn’t get involved in this case because they claim it was a civil issue due to the “sibling rivalry”. Yeah, right!

Same ole, Same ole.... how true it is...

Junk in the Trunk

No, I'm not referring to my "back with a crack"! I wanted to open up some discussion of what is in the truck of your car.

Me?
1. French Horn
2. Mellophone
3. Lawn Chairs (2)
4. Umbrella
5. Music Bag
6. Emergency Kit
7. Blanket

So what's in your trunk?

My Apologies....

Holy Cow! I can’t believe that its been a week and a half since I made my last post. Where did the time go? Ok, I make a promise to do better going forward. But, wow, its been a very busy since I got back from Indianapolis and I’ll be putting together some postings on all of it.

I came back from Indianapolis and Monday was a blur. Work has been crazy and finally the new guy starts on Monday so hopefully that will help down a bit. I’ve been working to get the DCDD Marching band plans together for this coming year. Also, I went to Kansas City last weekend to see the old gang and to see MAFB’s concert and then this weekend I’ve been in North Carolina to see Jinx and Cory and to go to Gold rehearsal.

So I have photos of all this, many stories to tell… just give me a few days to write.

F|_|cking Obama?

Ok, I don't think its any big secret that I'm a Hillary supporter. But I also realize that if she is not the nominee, I'll be the first to stand up and mark my ballot for Barak Obama over John McCain.

But what REALLY cheezes me off is how divided people are about this campaign. We won't be able to do anything until we stand united and vote the Democrats back in office to make the changes this country needs. So back off, stop with the bull, let people vote and get on with it without slashing everyone else to pieces.

This crap has got to stop!!!

Nostalgia

Last night, while fighting off an allergy attack, I took 2 Benadryl and was asleep by 6PM. So what happens? I’m up at 3:30AM – wide awake – and trying to find something on TV.

While I was out of town this weekend, the TiVo recorded the movie Jeffrey off of Logo. I remember that being one of my favorite movies during my “coming out” years. For those of you who have not seen it, it is about a guy who gives up sex because its just too complicated – then meets his Mr. Right. Chaos ensues because Mr. Right is HIV+ and that complicates things even more. Eventually, Jeffrey’s friend Darius dies from complications and teaches him that you need to live for today and deal with tomorrow when it happens.

I’m probably guilty of romanticizing the “early years” but it really made me miss the old days. You know, the days when anything was possible, before life took over? I don’t know why I’ve been feeling like this a lot lately. I recently found some old CD’s and downloaded a song called “Sunshine After The Rain” by Berri. The memories started flooding back and I remembered dancing to that song at Oz in New Orleans back in 1995-6.

Oh the warm fuzzies that nostalgia can bring.