Can bandsmen/women handle their beer?

[choirmaster]

Last weekend I made my first visit to the All England Masters and really enjoyed the contest. However, my sole disappointment came when I was being driven from The Corn Exchange.
Just up from The Corn Exchange were probably 50/60 bandsmen and women who decided that the road was actually a beer garden for competitors and anyone who dared to drive down the road were a major inconvenience. The driver of the car sounded the horn only to be greeted by the behaviour of something nearing that of a football holigan. What these people would not have known is that the driver of the car was actually an off duty policewoman who took some persuading not to get out of the car and arrest one person in particular.
I suppose what I'm getting at, is that we are representing a movement who's public perception is not always good. We need to represent the band movement in a positive light. Banging and kicking the car of Joe Public will not help. Can you imagine the bad publicity we would have had if the 'copper' had actually arrested one of these people? Maybe, if you can't handle a few pints you should keep yourself in the pub where you can't be seen.

 

[Lauradoll]

Oh so if we drink we need to stay in pubs? It was a lovely day and people wanted to take their drinks into the street. So what? Lighten up!

 

[Brian Bowen]

Choirmaster makes a valid point. On my last visit to the Masters there was similar rowdyism by a group outside the Corn Exchange. Had I not known it was a group of bandsmen from the contest I could easily have mistaken it for a National Front rally. Such behaviour is menacing and ugly to passers-by, very selfish, and a disaster for the image of brass banding. By all means celebrate, but please be considerate to others and try to act more responsibly (maturely) with alcohol.

 

[BoozyBTrom]

I was stood in the crowd you had to drive through and have to say that you are over reacting slightly.

I remember the car horn being sounded only to be greeted with cheers and then people moving out of the way.
There were 3 off duty policemen in the crowd. Enjoying the sunshine and beer with the rest of us.

If what you saw was close to the behaviour of hooligans I dont think you've been to the same football matches I have.

If we were causing a problem then the police who were floating round all day could have mooved us on but they were happy to chat to us.

It was a good day and no harm done.

 

[Lauradoll]

1) Loadsa cars got through, as well as coaches. The mood outside the pub was very high spirited and people were having a good time.

2) I think you're over reacting. No property was damaged, no-one got run over and at the end of the day, crowds of people make noise. No one was abusive and there was a police presence there as well. If it was that bad wouldn't people have been arrested? None were. Funny that.

3) Is rowdyism a word?

4) Some people can't handle people enjoying themselves.

 

[Brian Bowen]

3) Is rowdyism a word?

Yes! See The Chambers Dictionary (mine's a 1993 edition): noisy and disorderly, or having a tendency to behave so. My Webster's dictionary says: coarse or boisterous in behavior.

4) Some people can't handle people enjoying themselves.

You seem to misunderstand what is being said here. I don't think anyone is trying to censor folks having fun, but unfortunately too much alcohol induces boorish behaviour in a few. Would you not agree?

 

[Lauradoll]

I know then....lets ban alcohol at all brass band contests then, it would be a shame if people were to actually enjoy themselves! Lets see how many spectators would go then. :shock:

I know people can enjoy themselves without alcohol but it's wrong to say that bandspersons can't handle their drink. If you got 50/60 off duty firemen/ doctors/ rugby players/ any other cross section of people in society, gave them beer and sunshine, I'm sure the outcome would be quite similar.

 

[Sellers_Bird]

another person who cant hack other people having a great time... i was proudly one of those *hooligans* outside the pub enjoying my beer and the sunshine after 2weeks of hard rehearsals. maybe if u can't handle others having a good time u should stay at home next year? jus a thought?

 

[Brian Bowen]

Ladies, please read back over the thread. Who says -- or even implies -- they cannot handle people enjoying themselves? And who says alcohol should be banned? On the other hand, if alcohol is essential for folks to enjoy themselves, that's pretty sad.

 

[Lauradoll]

I don't believe you were at the said contest were you? So you were not there to witness the "national front rally" style behaviour that you claim to have seen at previous contests. I was standing by the road drinking my blue WKD, enjoying the sunshine and having a laugh with my fellow brass players. I saw no behaviour that even resembled the "national front rally", in fact quite the opposite. I am merely trying to point out the fact that perhaps Choirmaster had misjudged or even blown the situation out of all proportion. Bet you wouldn't get such disgraceful behaviour with 50/ 60 choiristers. :shock:

 

[Aidan]

to be fair it was blown out of all proportion. people exaggerate to get their point across and its happened on both sides of the argument in this thread. nuff said...
is nuff a word?

 

[Dave Euph]

to be fair it was blown out of all proportion. people exaggerate to get their point across and its happened on both sides of the argument in this thread. nuff said...
is nuff a word?

Aye I was thinking that as I was reading the thread, I wasn't there but the thought was: "They can't BOTH be right?"

I, of course love to drink after contests (sometimes during!) and I see no reason why the bandsmen/women in Cambridge couldn't celebrate/drown their sorrows after what appears to have been a very good contest.

However, it is compelling to me that the issue has been raised. I don't think choirmaster would have set up this thread if he had no truly legitimate concerns about the crowd's behaviour. I certainly don't think he'd do it to simply have a pop at brass banding.

So what we really need is the story from someone/people who were there, not in the crowd, and not in the slightest bit inconvenienced at the crowd's behavious - whether it was or wasn't questionable.

 

[choirmaster]

Oops!! Sorry, but I didn't expect to cause such a stir over this. :shock:
What I was merely pointing out is that when we represent a movement/organisation or whatever, we need to do this in a positive way. The person that was driving the car had not been to the contest and would never ever wish to; unfortunately, she was riled and I found myself having to defend the actions that caused her annoyance. I suppose I was a bit miffed that I had to do this. I can tell you that when you have one or two people hitting the roof of your car and what seems like people everywhere it can be intimidating. I'm just saying a bit more consideration sometimes wouldn't go amiss.
As regards the alcohol thing, I have no issue with it if it doesn't cause a problem for someone else. Infact, I was known to be able to sink the odd pint or twelve in my past life! :wink:

 

[akwarose]

is nuff a word?

course it is! i've ben sayin nuff for aaaaaages!!! keep up aidan!! :wink:

 

[Curiosity_Kills]

Nuff - as in the famous pixie

Fairy Nuff

Hahahahahahahahahaha

ahem .... sorry

 

[Accidental]

Sorry to get back onto topic chaps, but I do think choirmaster and Brian are making a fair point here. I'm not averse to sinking the odd pint after a contest, but I also sometimes find it embarassing when other banders (especially the ones wearing the same uniform as me :evil: ) drink too much and get rowdy. Last years areas at Stevenage were a perfect example - a bander who'd had a few was abusive to a member of the hall staff, which could have resulted in us losing the venue. Sure have fun, and have a bevvy if thats what floats your boat, but remember whatever you do "under the influence" could colour non-banders' opinions of all of us.

Blimey I'm getting boring in my old age! :lol:

 

[DublinBass]

I agree with choirmaster that some discretion should be used when drinking. So I have developed a poll question to show that (as it is most situations) 5% of the people ruin it for everybody else.

http://www.themouthpiece.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=120390#120390

 

[Humphrey]

I know then....lets ban alcohol at all brass band contests then, it would be a shame if people were to actually enjoy themselves! Lets see how many spectators would go then. :shock:

Shouldn't the spectators be spectating? :?

 

[neiltwist]

what's the age of people posting here?

And to be honest, alcohol can be 'fun', but I'm not sure if saturday afternoons in the centre of cambridge is an appropriate time or place to be 'off your face', so to speak. I'm not saying most people were drunk, but it only takes one bad egg to tarnish an image.

 

[Naomi McFadyen]

What gets me is that some people going to watch things like tennis, golf, band contests, etc, have to act and behave like football hoolagans (sp?)
I'm all for having fun of course, but when in band uniform I think that people should be setting an example, showing people respect, etc, whatever... there is a time and place for getting leathered and causing desurption (sorry, I really can't spell today).... but at a band contest? No, I dont think so...

Not being at Cambridge last week I don't know what happened exactly, but if I was there as a spectator, trying to enjoy a few drinks between bands performances, with friends, I know I wouldn't appreciate hearing or seeing any rowdy drunken people outside a pub causing trouble... that ruins my fun.


;-)