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COMMENT(S): Updated: Competitions cancelled at Montreal
Published: May 21, 2010
Author: piperjde | (report inappropriate content) |
| There are some surprisingly good points being made by everyone here! I tend to disagree with the way us pipe bands "perform for the public" though. I pay dues to compete against other pipe bands for one. If I want to really perform for the audience then I'll put on a concert. While I don't knock our admiring fans and the money they bring to a games, it's never been about money for me, and clearly not for anyone traveling to these games or any others. You never will make your money back, EVER!
Secondly, that we have our backs to the crowds? only half the band does, depending on where you are sitting. Should we do a marching show? Rock back and forth like Shotts? I don't think so. Most orchestras just sit down in stuffy tuxedos and play. No movement, no ambient noises, no sno-cones, and there has never been an issue with that. (Although maybe there is?) Anyway, the bands I feel provide so much of the entertainment at games, and sometimes maybe ask for too much. We want big prize money and travel money. Maybe that's an issue? Would you pay $15-20 to look at Clan tents and athletes for an entire day? Eitherway, even in hard economic times there is sponsorship money to be had. One must find the committee memebrs hungry enough to go get it! Many of these games are run by the same people for years and years, and soon they lose touch with attracting a new customer, and the old ways just don't bring in the coin like they used to. Maybe the PPBSO could kick in prize money by taking %25 of the entrie fees for all competitions for those games, and put towards the band contest, hang a big sign, get a free keg for your stewerds from the games, and maybe some sno-cone tickets to help offset the cost?
If you haven't caught on, it takes sno-cones to be successful. |
Published: May 21, 2010
Author: JimMcGillivray | (report inappropriate content) |
| Michael, we both know the handwriting has been on the wall for years now. You'll recall we talked about these issues 20 years ago. In the games environment, with the exception of massed bands, we don't give the public a very interesting show. We give them what the PPBSO membership wants, not what they want. Our system is quite flawed in this way. Yet we keep doing the same old dance and somehow expecting a different result. We spend all our time in the basement thinking about the intricacies of ensemble judging and trying to figure out whether the mid-section should face forwards or backwards, and meanwhile the house is burning down above our heads. It's only a matter of time. |
Published: May 21, 2010
Author: Lugnuts | (report inappropriate content) |
| With 6% of people dropping out of Maxville as a result of this would it not make sense for the good folks there to advance them some money to keep things going for a year? |
Published: May 20, 2010
Author: MichaelGrey | (report inappropriate content) |
| Interesting. It might be a blow to the competition circuit as it is today but is it a blow to piping and drumming in this part of the world? Not sure, though I suspect not. I mean the MacCrimmons seemed to have great luck making "piping for the ages" in the 17th and (a good part) of the 18th centuries without competitions. Maybe this is an opportunity to be seized. |
Published: May 19, 2010
Author: Tank | (report inappropriate content) |
| Seems like people aren't reading the article very acurately. The Montreal Games ARE NOT cancelled. There will be a full afternoon of great pipe band concerts. I think those that have been focusing too much on competition might find this approach very attractive and interesting. I look at bands like Metro Police who are putting a lot of effort into the concert thing. 78th Freasers did the same for a number of years with shows like Shambolica. The Montrreal Games live on; athletics and dancing competitions are still on and the band shows sound really fun. |
Published: May 18, 2010
Author: masonsapron | (report inappropriate content) |
| Bagpipermann is very wise to point this out...
It seems that the neverending quest for the Worlds has resulted in the loss of a few really good Ontario bands. eg (Windsor NRP & Hamilton Police.).
The passion for competition within Ontario has been waning in recent years, lets hope that it rekindles or we will lose more games as well.
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Published: May 18, 2010
Author: Bagpipermann | (report inappropriate content) |
| I remember years ago as a member of a grade I band that"the bands" were complaining that there were too many highland games in the circuit and that they did not want to support them all. A few years after that I started seeing sporradic attendance at the various games becoming a habit as everyone ficussed on "winning the Worlds" and ended up not competing against each other as a result. Soon after that, perhaps for unrelated reasons, bands and games started disappearing.....seems that we should be caeful what we wish for? |
Published: May 18, 2010
Author: sunnybouy | (report inappropriate content) |
| I can feel a Buckley Distillery re-union commin up!
Is Maxville, Fergus and Georgetown the only long term survivors? Brantford, now that was a games, too many have perished! |
Published: May 18, 2010
Author: MikeCole | (report inappropriate content) |
| Right on Steve. The beer tent competition, bands in togas, a day and night of great fun. What a shame! It wasn't hard to read the writing on the wall after last year's final minute funding resolution. We can only hope that it, along with Chatham, will rise from the ashes. |
Published: May 18, 2010
Author: StephenMacNeil | (report inappropriate content) |
| Maxville, Montreal, than to Dutton for solo's in the morning, McIntrye Hotel in the afternoon.....those were the days. | |
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