In regards to drums etc. I have been playing drums since I was 13 that is bordering on 21 years. I can honestly say I can keep a beat, but Sunday night, at times, it was terribly hard to hear what was going on in the later portion of the first half. Owen handed me a bass drum. (I was in the far side of 136 to try and help foster chants-to no avail) I have been in the Barra for a little over 2 years and never once played a drum, just sang, etc. I made it into the Drum Circle and then helped folks get back into the sections. When I got back into the sections it was very hard to find space as others had said, and a couple of folks (which I mentioned in another thread) were basically there for...what? I do not know. I was asked by one of them to get out of their way and I simply kept on playing. I would occasionally stop (and I noticed both Srdan and Jay shoot me a look) but it was because I couldn't hear what others were doing and when you have 5 + drummers going if you can't catch the beat that's happening it's best to wait it out, other wise, you risk throwing the whole bunch off. Anyhow, I will say this, I can sit behind my kit at home and play for 2+ hours, but holding a bass drum and wailing on it for 2 hours is hard ********ing work, harder than I had recently imagined and this is coming from a guy who has played pretty much his whole life. So, with that, my respect for you drummers just increased 10 fold, and I already had respect for you guys simply for being drummers. So Srdan, if you wanna call them out I'll back 'em up but only with my left arm as my right is suffering from Tyrannasaurus Rex syndrome.
if it was from me, it was prolly thank you look since I think we overuse drums way too much even in drumhappy countries there's less drums and 10 times more people and they're hardly constant. It's hard to throw voice over our sections with drums coming in quickly, them things are loud. I know it's hard, I had a blister on my hand for 2 months one time I forgot a glove, I can't imagine what guys that do it every week do... have steel hands or something
Just an idea, don't know if it's necc. feasible; would it be possible to have some sort of "drum risers" in the stands? Give the drummers space to themselves, have them evenly distributed throughout the section?
My last post on the subject. Because the Barra is family and has a very strong committment to loyalty we can push each other to not only be the best supporters club in the country but the best that we can be as a group. The fact that people reacted with so much passion in this thread is a positive for our group.
Agreed, it's good that on every other board people are in awe of atmosphere but we weren't happy cos it wasn't over the standard hehe
I think the real problem is that every one's definition of "Fan" is different. The easiest way to solve this is to have more supporters groups. I hereby officially announce the creation of the newest Hardest Core DC United Hardcore Fan Club. We will drink, sing, bounce and chant. Booing an old coach wearing an opposing teams jersey is OK. Waving a flag is OK as long as its big enough to block the view of another, lesser, group's view. My new group name? The People's Front of Judea. Mostly we hate the Judean People's Front.
Dude, now you know why I usually go with a cowbell! The heaviest thing I've ever brought in is the minitom (no, not a miniature clone of Grillmaster, though that would be very amusing, too).
Two points. The first, which I was trying to make yesterday, is that some people don't want to be pushed. I already belong to one family that ostracizes those that somehow aren't good enough; I don't need to belong to another. Second, you can't sell tickets to hundreds of strangers and expect them to act like the rest of the "family." I don't think the BB needs to make a choice here (between selling a lot of tickets and having everyone go all out) - hundreds of strangers aren't going to show up every game, but hopefully some will come back and the nucleus will continue to grow.
For the record, I'm watching the tape of this game for the first time. While the silences are present while we all get on the same page, and some of the songs are quieter than others, some are louder and clearer than I've ever heard them. Wings of an eagle, for instance, was clear as a bell around the 16th.
Wow. Can we post testimonials on the new Barra website? --No need to pick a side here in this spat. But I think both Patricia and Jay's PASSION are what the Barra Brava are all about. DEATH or GLORY isnt just a slogan kids its how a LOT of us really feel with this team. I think/hope the players on our team really do understand just how much they mean to so many people.
Very good points. I think a game like Sunday's, while not as great as some hoped for, is gonna be great in the long run. Some first-timers will come back for a few games next year, others will become hooked, the tailgate will strengthen people's love of the whole experience and the BB culture will thrive. And as you point out, this culture is based on being a supporters group of course, but also on openness and having a fun time. I do think however that it might prove necessary now and then to have the kind of message Jay posted just to make sure the group as a whole doesn't start taking it too easy, which can happen after managing to establish a pretty solid reputation. A reminder about non-stop support to the team may be called for at times. So yeah, great discussion as far as I'm concerned, I'm just even more sorr we have to wait so long before doing this all over again!
When I first started coming to tailgates there was far more singing and drumming out in Lot 8 even before the game. I think that it is a good primer for the newbies before they get inside the stadium.
from message board of top A-league group (since game was on espn they can see it) Victory2006 GGA-BWB - Proud Victorian Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Melbourne Posts: 8,520 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Impressed with La Barra Brava. They look awesome. Lot's of great banners and flags. Shame we'll never get the space for banners like they do. All the empty space will be sold off for sponsors.
Having tried to play just a hand drum on more than one occaision, I have to agree with Pints. Props to all our drummers!!! Keeping time, knowing the songs, and playing loud enough to be heard above the voices is WORK. These guys amaze me. We all give what we can, in different ways, both in Lot 8 and in the sections. I backed off singing about 1/2 time, I heard and felt my voice going. My voice is STILL trashed, I sound like the coach, "Lou", from Major League. Courtney's son, Nik, exemplifies Barra heart. Sunday, he sang for most of the game. It was only his 3rd or 4th game, yet he gives it all. Yes, we had our highs and lows on Sunday, and so did our side. On any given night, I challenge any supporter's club in the US to out rock us! We kick it harder, longer, and prouder, yall. Mark
we're extremely lucky to have so much empty banner space. we need to make some big ones to hang off mezz next to the clock (ala beer cup one) srdan, are you making some permanent ones in the offseason? whatever happened to those huge d and c you made while back, can we hang those? i'll try to make a few hand painted ones...
What about banners covering the empty seats in the upper deck? I think this would work for some of the giant banners that have been made in the past as overheads.
Only problem with that is treking all the way back up to the upper deck after the game. I'm usually looking for a piggy back ride to Lot 8
My voice has yet to really return as well, though my shirtless, RUM-guzzling Sunday might have something to do with that too. Oh well, it was worth it, but I haven't found any pics or video of my drunken antics yet :-(
I'm sure I'll get you sometime next year. By the way, if you ever come up to some games next year and you're still in Carolina, don't feel the need to pull those crazy drives. I'm sure Sunday games had a lot to with your driving schedule, but for Saturday games you can totally crash at my house and drive back on Sunday. Glad to help out a fellow Carolina man. UNCG Spartan Alum here.