Posted 8:05 PM by Deemer

Hello? 

*knocking on video display*     Is this thing still on?  Come on! I know you're out there, I can see you reading.  =)

To those of you that are returning, welcome back.  To those who've never left, for pete's sake, get a hobby or something -- it's just not healthy to be online all the time!

Scott & I welcome you back to another great season of SI.  We're hoping to make this year's offerring as bland & mediocre as the last several.  We're second best & darn proud of it, mister.

Enjoy what's left of the summer, get ready for the new season & we'll see you online!

Tim & Scott
The SI Guys

Posted 8:43 PM by Deemer

Close of the season 

As the season comes to a close Scott & I would like to again thank everyone for visiting our site. We look forward to providing coverage of local, related activities during the MB off-season including Winterguard & Percussion competitions.

As you move from MB into Concert season; parents & staff - please continue to support the kids in their musical endeavors and students - please continue to work hard & enjoy the music!

Thanks,
Tim & Scott
The SI Guys

Posted 9:41 PM by Deemer

Talk Like A Pirate Day - 9/19 

Talk Like A Pirate Day - 9/19

Arrrr! Ahoy, you scarvy bilge rat! Yar be visitin' we site if'n ya knows what's good for ye. 'Av a sip of me grog and play me a tune on ye hornpipe. Aye, me thinks ye has had too much grog already.

Stop by again, matey, when your ship can stay in dock a bit longer.

Posted 8:03 PM by Scottman

Disgruntled listener 

I feel like complaining today. Instead of bellyaching about a marching band oriented topic, I thought I would discuss something else.





You probably recognize the photo above. If not, it is the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci. It is one of the most recognizable paintings in the history of mankind. You'll probably also noticed that it has been compressed. I removed sections of it and made it smaller so it would fit better in this blog. Art lovers may argue that taking out sections of it ruins the image. No matter how insignificant the size of the deleted portion, all of it is required to make this painting great.

I agree. I altered the image to prove a point about music. People who know me will tell you that I listen to music A LOT. In fact, I am almost always near a radio or something that produces music. I even sleep with the radio on. Occasionally I'll hear a song on the radio that I really like. When that happens, I'll usually go out and buy a copy of the CD. More and more often I have discovered songs that are played on the radio are shortened versions of the original. This drives me nuts! Why can't the radio stations play complete versions of songs?! That probably doesn't bother most people, but it really gets on my nerves because it changes the songs. Just like the painting is changed above. Sure, we know it is the Mona Lisa, but it isn't the same as the original.

Quite frankly, I am surprised that more people are not up in arms about the butchering of music. People are quick to point out when a song is not the original version or that elements of a song are sampled or copied from something else, but for some reason they don't seem to mind if a song is cut up.

Maybe people don't notice stuff like that.

What a surprise.

Posted 8:01 PM by Deemer

SI Community: You decide... 

Well - we had quite a 'par-tay' on the message board last night (8/31-9/1 for those of you reading this sometime after). We were hoppin' back and forth between numerous threads until several of us (by "us" of course I mean "me") got dizzy and had to lie down for a while with a cold towel on their head.

After regaining consciousness and hoppin' back into the frey; the topic of a Chat Room was brought up by a few of the 'par-tay-ers' that it would have been easier than refreshing the message board to see 'new messages' every 10 seconds =)

Well - that's too bad. Okay, just kidding. I've been testing out one that's part of our hosting service. It's not IRC or anything, but it's better than a poke in the eye. I'll post the Test Chat Room URL here and you can let me know via email whether or not you like it or if it holds up...

Posted 9:07 PM by Scottman

WILL SOMEONE PLEASE PICK UP SOUTHEASTERN INDIANA BANDS!!!

The season is more than two weeks away and I have already started getting email messages from people asking why the massive Simply Instrumental Corporation snubs southeastern Indiana bands. Despite me trying to explain that we are not a large corporation, or even a small limited liability corporation for that matter, people think that Tim and I have something against Columbus District bands.

We don't.

I for one think it is time for someone to step up and create a web site that covers the Columbus District. We will even share information with them. All they would need is to spend 40-50 hours a week during marching season on the site and a couple thousand dollars for expenses. What? None of you want to volunteer? Come on!! If Tim and I can do it, so can you! Most of you are not old and senile like Tim and me. Oh yeah, if you do choose to do a marching band site like SI, don't be married to someone who is/was not a bando. People who have never marched don't understand the fascination and think you are insane if you spend every Saturday in September and October going to shows and seeing the same bands every week. Just ask my wife.

Anyway, if you feel up to the challenge to take on the bands of the Columbus District, good luck! Let us know what we can do to help.

Posted 3:58 PM by Scottman

You are probably asking yourself, "why don't Scott and Tim change the photos on the SI main page?" The answer is we haven't been to any events for us to take new ones. Not that there haven't been any new events, it is just that Tim and I have not been motivated enough to get out and do anything. We are both old and lazy, so get off our backs!!

That's about to change, though, because Vincennes Lincoln is hosting the Pre-Season Marching Band Spectacular on August 23. It will be a good opportunity for us to get out of the house and give our families some peace. We are going to get up there early so if you have been wanting an opportunity to tell us that you are sick of our sub-par photography, that will be a good time. You'll be able to spot us pretty easily. We'll be walking around aimlessly looking like we can't find our car.

If it is sunny, you might want to wear glasses when you approach me because the glare off of my bald head will be blinding.

Posted 11:09 AM by Deemer

Got that "post-camp-pre-season-schools-starting-I'm-too-old-for-this-stuff" blues. So, I'm taking my kids to the zoo & museum (astrology show) so I can feel REALLY old remembering how I saw the same animals & stars when I was their age.

Until then, enjoy this little ditty:

http://www.orangegray.com/butch01.htm

Posted 10:11 PM by Scottman

Because certain directors have not sent us anything regarding their shows, I am resorting to getting the information second hand. That means searching web sites and asking members of the bands, band parents, and anyone else willing to divulge the super secret information. I am not really surprised by this. Despite our popularity, I think some directors really don’t care for us. Who can blame them? Tim and I have all but ruined the marching band activity by publicizing it to the Internet, which we all know is inherently evil.

I am considering putting in “filler” band profile information for the programs where the directors refuse to send us anything. Imagine what people will think when they log on to their favorite band’s profile page and find out that they are marching six members and three of them are drum majors, or all of the contests they attend are on the west coast.

How do the following shows titles sound as fillers?

Ode to Toothpaste
Great Moments in Dry Cleaning
Dial Tone Extravaganza
Bowel Sounds
Ten Minutes of Silence

Of course, I doubt that many people will notice – unless I put it on the message board – a dozen or so times.

Posted 2:32 PM by Scottman

Hey! Tim fixed the JavaScript error that I caused. Evidently it wasn't that tough for him to knock out, but I am still in for a fist beating for screwing up. So if you see me at a show with black eyes, missing teeth or other signs of trauma, you'll know that I paid my penalty for my lack of programming skills.

Below is a photo my wife took of me the day I got out of the hospital after Tim beat me senseless for not putting ketchup on his hamburger at the District show.