How did it go?

Yesterday saw a few of the bands with our members out for the first time this season? how did it go then? Was all that effort during the Winter worth it? could you see the fruition of all your work Or was it a bit of a bummer?.
I have heard the odd tail of a couple but how about it straight from the horses mouth as it were.
I know that the Boghall youngsters had a great day, but not the details rumour has it that a certain member on here was not too happy with his bands MSR? come on guys give us all the gen. we are desperate for news?

well i tell ya where the feck do the rspba get there feckin judges from we played absaloutley amazing at dunbar and we had loads of people come up to us saying the sound we had was great for us being in grade 4 and yet we finished 2nd last CHEATED IS NOT THE ANSWER HERE!!!!

Yer not judged on sound....yer judged how you played and performed as a band...sound has it's place, but it won't win you a contest.

we played amazing im being serious here when i say we should have made the top 10 we defo would not have won and i knew it was going to be denny in 1st then 2nd perth or the other way around but the performance we gave yesterday was worthy of a top 10 spot the rspba placing us dead last is just adding insult to injury the guys dont have a clue honestly

Did you hear the rest of the grade Dave? Most bands will have been working hard over the winter and improved on last year. None of us can comment on our place unless you have heard all your up against of have some reliable feedback from spectators. Sorry you finished so low but be proud you went out and played and its a run out before the major. Take some cred in the fact you believe you played well and work on what the judges say. The judges are very well respected in their field and they have gave you roughly same positions. Don't be disheartened, Keep your chin up and be even more determined to go out and improve on that position at the next contest.

I would like to say congrats to Robbie, Iain and Gordy. Well Done Guys, Lets hope the success continues xx

You play with Dunfermline?

Well the piping judge (Iain McLellan) put you down as last and the drumming judge marked you down as second last (Alastair Aitken).

Was that 'thee' Iain McLellan (Strathclyde Polis)?

They both marked you right down there, that sort of says something to me.

Maybe the other bands have improved far more that your band has. Maybe you made some blooters on the day that you personally didn't hear? What does the sheet say? You don't mention.

Maybe it's now time to start picking up the toys you've thrown out the cot and start putting them together in good order for the next competition.....?

Stop greetin' .... learn from the mistakes .... and realise that in competition there's going to be a loser. On this occasion it was you. Make sure it's not next time.

i knew the piping had gone bad i heard that when we where playing but the drumming was perfect and i swear down dead it was perfect its pure ballocks thats what it is

OK so you admit the piping was Dog's Doo Dahs, and yet in an earlier post you think you should have got in the top ten????

Maybe it's time for mummy to tell you that you need to start trying to get through the day without wearing nappies......

Dave a bit of advice:-

being a good bandsman doesn't mean winning every contest. Instead, you become a good bandsman faster by learning how to accept defeat gracefully. Trying to change the facts or make excuses isn't going to get you anywhere. When you have lost, accept that fact. Show your a good bandsman by congratulating the winning band. The spotlight may not be on you, but someone has to loose the contest it is just unfortunate it was you this time.
Don't put the blame on the judges. Frustration is part and parcel of competing. Use your head rather than your emotions and be even more determined next time you take to the circle.

Excellent advice from those before me, You are not the only one to ever come away from a competition assuming that judges were all Biased, blind, deaf and born out of wedlock? but thats all part and parcel of growing up in a band? there will be other occasions, and plenty more where you feel as you do today?
As the guys say you learn from it, and instead of muttering, try to get some positives from it, if all the judges marked you down? then maybe they were right and you were wrong, think back and read what they say it might just help.

Well done to Iain and Gordy. Anyone know any results for Gourock yesterday???

@Ron, yes it was " Thee " Iain, but sure what wud he know lol. ( jk )

Fiona is right Dave, time to stop greetin' 'n get stuck in and try to improve....think of the bands that aren't out. Hitting the starting line in itself is a great achievement m8, good luck fer yer next outting.

@Fiona, thanks we too had some short comings...but the difference is we know and accepted the judges placings....knowing what needs addressed is the next level of competing.

First run out with a new band and new PM not having played together prior to Banbridge ( in competition ) was indeed a learning curve for everyone no matter what level they are at, all bands set up differently...the next contest should see a big improvement now we all have had the first one under pressure outa the road..........Dave, even after 40 yrs of piping I'm still picking up wee tips......you never stop m8, it's a long hard road wi ups 'n downs. Getting over yer downs is part 'n parcel of the learning curve.

First outing beside the river Bann, Banbridge.

2nd 3B....2 1st's in piping, 2nd ensemble, 3rd drumming.

BTW, Fiona...that's the new Andante bass.

its the drumming im more worried about i was the lead drummer for the day and we had a couple of people who werent competing helping us out and they sadi we where sounding great and when we where in the circle playing i even said we sounded great and we came 2nd last for it and there was no mistakes and its just confusing for me when this sort of thing happens wich is why im getting so frustrated.

sorry everyone if you think ive been moaning but im just tottaly confused with the way it all wrks now adays

Take that as a no then.

Cheers Fee. The RSPBA are not very quick off the mark at posting the results.

It's not just nowadays Dave, nor is it just to do with pipe bands.

Some days you win and some days you lose. When you lose, you just have to try and work out why and improve so much that it doesn't happen again.

There are lots of things in life that won't go your way, you just have to be gracious in defeat and then think to yourself, "I'm gonna make sure it never happens again"......

Tough shit for you today, make sure it's someone elses tough shit tomorrow.

thanks true blue ive took in everything you have said

The drumming judge finds "Drummer Dave" hiding up a tree!!!!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newsvideo/weirdnewsvideo/7691259/Mother-bear-rescues-cub-stuck-in-tree.html

I'm not going to comment on any other bands performance except my own. I never saw the whole grade (spent too much time in the beer tent) so it'd be unfair.

As a band, we felt our March set went well and this obviously paid off - as we got second place. In our MSR however, myself and the PM were actually embarrased to say that was us. We never had a chance to practise it before hand (we were one of the last bands on the Med and one of the first on the MSR.. not much time) and we both felt we played absolutely sh*t. Not to mention I had a tenor drummer with me who wasnt ready to play but i never noticed he was there until we had halted at the line - this got me a bit nearvous! Anyway, we played absolutely sh*t in our views, and then we won the MSR event - go figure!

So, it was a good day for a band result. 2nd overall in the Med and 1st in the MSR - no bad for the first comp. As a drumcore though - i'll be having a few words with them tonight!!!

For my first ever comp as LD though, nae tae bad!!

stormy wrote:The drumming judge finds "Drummer Dave" hiding up a tree!!!!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newsvideo/weirdnewsvideo/7691259/Mother-bear-rescues-cub-stuck-in-tree.html

and this guy thinks hes really funny honestly lets be serious here av had more laughs watching paint dry

Dave, meet Stormy. Stormy, meet Dave.

hahahahaha