Hi Loyal Viewers
Did you manage to join us on the live broadcast of the Street March? It was thrilling stuff. We had marching girls, impromptu interviews with some luminaries of Australian Banding – including Brisbane Excelsior’s President, the Chairman of the Federation of Australasian Brass Bands, The MD of St Mary’s Band Club, the MD of Hawthorn Band as well as a host of other special guests.
Standing up close and personal with the bands as they stepped off there was a pretty clear difference in sound between bands the like marching, and those that just (barely) tolerate marching. Some of the A Grade bands that don’t really enjoy it had a worse sound than a couple of the D Grade bands that give it a red hot go.
There was some excellent drum majoring – a special mention must go to Ross Moloney of Brisbane Excelsior who managed to do 24 mace twirls while stepping off with his band – these were twirls across both hands. Chris Lee, Drum Major of Darebin band gets the award for probably the highest mace throw and catch.
I have no idea who is going to win. I don’t even really know the rules. I do know it was great weather, and a fun spectacle with a very large crowd turning out. The funny thing about brass bands is that they seem to hate marching in competition, but love marching on civic occasions – like ANZAC Day. I think it’s important Brass Bands keep up their marching…otherwise I’m pretty sure councils around Australia would stop funding them and the whole movement would be in trouble!
Stick around later this afternoon for the Open A Grade Concert Bands, starting at about 1:20pm local (Perth) time.
