Brass Bands. A target for hooligans?

[sudcornet]

Does anyone else suffer as we do? We have had an ongoing problem with vandals/hooligans for a while now. Around five past nine on most rehearsal nights we get an unnerving bang (no, not from the shedbuilders) as some missile or other hits either a window or door. Occasionally we've quickly run out in the hope of catching the offender(s) but to no avail. In the past some of the player's cars, parked opposite, have been vandalised. Luckily, most of the bandroom windows are protected by mesh, so, until last week we've had no real danger of injury. Last week, right on cue at 9.05 a brick hit the window and this time the mesh wasn't sufficient. A shower of glass flew in to the band room, narrowly missing our beloved shedsters. A few players ran out, and after a neighbourhood search one of the perps was cornered, the police contacted and a couple of brave players left covering our prisoner. Meanwhile our young offender's gang mates had found themselves a vehicle and returned to do a drive-by shooting with an air gun. (Poor shots thank God). Aren't youngsters playful these days? The next rehearsal was uneventful, until we went out to our cars to find one with a window smashed and petrol poured in. (Thankfully not ignited.) Sadly it looks like we are going to have to find new rehearsal facilities as these idiots just aren't going to stop. Looks like the end to well over a hundred years of brass bands in Rothwell. (The "Temps" have already moved out of Dodge.) Does anyone else get problems like this? And, has anyone found a way to deal with them?

Sud.

 

[sparkling_quavers]

At my last band some kids used to hang around outside sometimes. One rehearsal someone kicked a football at the window and one of the blokes went and ran after them. He caught them and the kid starting mouthing off saying his dad was a policeman. The bloke from our band asked for his PC number and said he would love to talk to his dad as he was a local policeman too. That shut him up hehe!

 

[Euph-Bari]

We do get this occasionally - a few cars get broke into and windows smashed - just the other night we had a load of "kids" (14 probs) banging and shouting through the windlw

our bandroom is behind a load of buildings and a school . there is no ligting in the car park - and were there is ligting there aint much space for cars! (easy targets!) so its a dash at the begining to get there!

 

[Di B]

Never heard of anything that bad! That is awful!

Only things I can suggest may not help much but will at least make you smile!

Maybe start up a training band? Force feed them beer and teach them rude songs and they will be your next principal players!

Put them inside the timps and then play timpani solos all night?

Tie them up and then let a bass trombone player play pp in their ears?


Seriously though, they either have a hard life at home (ie no one has taught them consideration for themselves and others) or they need kicking for once to understand they can't do anything they want or they are just bored. I guess if you can find out the reason as to why (if they are likely to tell you which from what you have said I guess not) they are doing what they are you have more of a chance of resolving the issue.

Not a lot of help I know - but I am female... and a euph player... so what did you expect? :wink:

 

[Euph-Bari]

We do get this occasionally - a few cars get broke into and windows smashed - just the other night we had a load of "kids" (14 probs) banging and shouting through the windlw

our bandroom is behind a load of buildings and a school . there is no ligting in the car park - and were there is ligting there aint much space for cars! (easy targets!) so its a dash at the begining to get there!

and we've occasionally got heglged(?!?!) at concerts
once did one in a park with my junior band and there was some idiots throwing abuse and things (mabey twigs)
was funny in the end our trombone player- she went mental and started chasing them around the park! and did they run!!!

 

[Big Twigge]

(mabey twigges)

I remember that, was a bit sore the next day! hahaha

 

[Euph-Bari]

I never can spoell on here

 

[tewkeshorn]

Oooh, really red sky outside at the mo!

Anyway, our bandrooms in the middle of an MoD site and we have to be security checked to even drive onsite so luckily we don't have this problem as if anyone managed to get onsite theyre probably going to be targetting something other than the band (plus theres some tanks and things a few yards away if anyone causes a nuisance!)

 

[Morghoven]

Unfortunately this does seem to be a problem. We've been forced to abandon our bandroom (although the library and some of the percussion still lives there), and have been rehearsing in a church hall a couple of miles down the road since early summer. We were all fed up with things being thrown at the bandroom and the like (including a concrete block coming through the air vent resulting in a player having to go to hospital I believe)...cars vandalised...attempts to stop us getting out by jamming the doors shut with sticks...driving a scooter straight at the wall of the bandroom...one night we smelt burning - we think they were trying to set the place on fire with us all in it, but we weren't quite sure - and enough was enough, so we moved out. The hunt for a new bandroom continues!

It is a very sorry state of affairs when peaceful, law-abiding types (yes guys, I do mean us!) can't pursue a hobby without being attacked by some mindless yobs with nothing better to do than cause trouble.

I'll stop ranting now.

Dave

 

[Jo Elson]

We don't really have any trouble. Occasionally we get some kid banging on the outside wall but not very often. Maybe they heard P.C Stuart is a member of the band

 

[Naomi McFadyen]

We had a squirrel trying to get into Uni band rehearsal today if that counts?! lol :lol:

 

[leisa]

we had a cat come in our orchestra CD recording once....anyhow we dont have many trouble at stockport maybe thats cos most of the younger people play in one of the three bands!

at flixton we used to get kids openin the door and stuff but they soon shut it wen every1 turns round and glares at them!! but nuthin this bad!

 

[JohnnyEuph]

Its just a classic case of jealousy isnt it? i mean, It is an unfortunate fact that some individuals (whether it's upbringing or not) just can't stand seeing a group of people enjoying theirselves. Maybe its a kind of "Im not having any fun, why should they" syndrome.
Although it has to be said, These individuals must think that they're really smart when they decide to simultaneously **** off 25 people!
I digress... :x :x :x :evil: :evil: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :!:

(Edit: - please don't try and bypass the bleeper! Cheers, Dyl. )

 

[andyp]

We've had this for years, on and off, and the worst thing is that the kids doing it seem to be getting younger and younger, it used to be 16-18 years olds, now they're more like 10-11. Our bandroom is on the edge of some playing fields and next to a youth club. Friday nights kids like to gather and get blitzed out of their minds on whatever, that's usually when the fun starts. The two months either side of Bonfire Night are always the worst, we've had fireworks fired through the door lock on more than one occasion (just as well none of us have dicky tickers), and one attempt to start a fire behind the bandroom which we heard and put out before it could get serious. Years ago one of our guys caught one little scroat, he was lucky not to get done for assault (you wonder who's side the police are on, don't you?).
And, just to crown it, the local council are planning to build the little %$£%^ a skateboard park, right next to the bandroom. Thus attracting loads more troublemakers. What a great idea!
It has calmed down recently, one of our more senior players who lives local had a word with some of the kids who live near him, along the lines of 'look, we don't care what you're doing as long as you leave us in peace', which seems to have calmed things down a bit. Whether it'll still be bad round Bonfire Night we shall see.
Mind you, our new conductor is a police superintendent, so if any trouble happens in the future, things might be a bit different!

(insert rant about kids today, their parents not teaching them right from wrong, need a good hiding, etc. here.)

 

[Aidan]

We had a squirrel trying to get into Uni band rehearsal today if that counts?! lol :lol:

it was obviously enticed by the "sounds" geddit?





(we're playing "sounds" by the way)

 

[WhatSharp?]

We have the same problem, we rehearse in a church (which demonstrates the level of respect kids have these days) and frequently get kids as young as 8 or 9 (or conductor is the headmaster for the local junior school and knows most of them) banging on doors and causing a nuisance, recently however about 2 weeks before the area a gang of about 10 - 15 turned up and proceeded to kick all the windows in while we were rehearsing.

Still by the sounds of it we aren't the only ones. What a sad state this country is coming to.

 

[PeterBale]

We had a squirrel trying to get into Uni band rehearsal today if that counts?! lol :lol:

it was obviously enticed by the "sounds" geddit?

You're sure they weren't attracted by the nuts who were playing it :?: :wink: :lol:

 

[yorkie19]

Does anyone else suffer as we do? Sud.

Sud,

The situation in Rothwell went on for the whole time that I played with the band. Having sat inside the bandroom and listened to the 'Concerto for Brass Band and Mob of Kids' any number of times, I can understand the feelings that run through the room. However, with hindsight, I'd suggest that the band's reaction to the kids doesn't help. Chasing the kids around the precinct just winds them up even more, especially when one or two of them are being pursued and surrounded by 8 or 10 angry bandsmen (especially the likes of Jay and Vinny). The situation did calm down during the summer when Woody spoke to the Youth Club and I spoke with the Police, and maybe that's where your temporary solution lies while you are looking for a new bandroom?

Thankfully, that's one thing I don't have to contend with anymore.

Sam

-Are you going to RAH next weekend?

 

[Kari Anson]

We don't really have any trouble. Occasionally we get some kid banging on the outside wall but not very often. Maybe they heard P.C Stuart is a member of the band

That fact that Stuart our bass player is actually an INSPECTOR does help! Also Wem is a small town so the level of crime is quite minimal. Also everyone in the town is aware of the band and they're parents are likely to support us so I belive that we command a certain respect within the community.

However on carnival day we do suffer - poor Ray has coins thrown down his bell (he plays bass) and one year was unfortunate enough to have a pint of beer tipped down - glass too. What a waste of beer!! :wink:

 

[big_benthomson]

a few whit fridays ago, i got hit on back of me head with a 50p. i dunno if it was a violent attack or not, we jst mite have been that good (50p good)