I just marched in the Macy’s thanksgiving parade AMA

was all the preparation worth it? I mean, was it fun?

Oh it was amazing. There were people all lined up cheering you on taking photos videos little kids in apartments I couldn’t stop smiling kinda restored some faith in humanity at how nice these random people were

I was one of those people lined up cheering you on!!

Thank you!

Blue Springs Missouri? How did you all raise money to attend?

Macy’s partially covered as they invited us we also had the school district help and we each had to pay 2500~ USD

What? Why was it so expensive? I could plan a couple of days in NYC for myself for less than half of that. Was your hotel $500 a night or something? And your airfare $1000?

Were staying for 5 days

Meals included I fucking hope

2 meals a day they let you explore around Times Square little Italy etc for lunch

Did any of your families come along too? Like separately but you're meeting up?

No my family didn’t come it was simply to expensive

Ah! They must miss you today but at the same time I'm sure it was really fun watching for you on tv! Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy NYC!!!

They do and so do I. Thank you mate

My wife was in the blue springs color guard back in the day and always says the Blue Springs band is one of the best marching bands out there. I think they went to Obamas inauguration when she was there. Or some other major event.

Yes we did inaugurate Obama this is our third Macy’s day parade we’ve also beaten broken arrow in grand nats a feat that few other band accomplish and we’ve marched in the tournament of roses parade

Say what now? I've travelled from Europe to NYC many times and stayed for more than a week each time in midtown and have never paid that much.

Broadway show, luxury meals etc. Drives it up

Did they give you a plan of action if you had to use the bathroom?

Nope. There was no where to go piss on the route if you wanted to go to the bathroom you just had to do it in your pants or wait

Did you bring enough money to get your fill of New York pizza for a while?

Man I’ve had so much Italian I’m seeing goombas

Hahahah nice. When I visited NYC for a band trip a while back, I spent something like $80 on just pizza. What instrument are you on?

Percussion though I marched the sign because front ensemble doesn’t march

Ah yup I know that feel. I did pit for drum corps so I always ended up doing the banner for parades as well.

What corps?

I marched vibes for Gold back in 2014. They're based in SoCal

Neat! Vibes are the best imo we can actually play chords and have them ring

Oh yeah they're definitely my favorite instrument to play for the same reasons. Unfortunately, in the pro percussion world there's more money with drumset gigs, so that's what I play more these days. I'm getting my own set of vibes for Xmas tho so hopefully I'll be playing them more often

Might I recommend the YV-2700

I like this kid

Thanks!

Momma mia

Not a fan of that musical must be said

How many steps did you take?

7040

Less than I expected, but more than I'm willing to take today

I don’t know if I did my math right 2.5 miles is 4400 yards times (8/5 8 to 5 step sizes) is 7040

Was it cold?

Once you started marching not really if you’ve ever played hockey it was like that. But waiting was really cold

Do you get any water during the parade? Also, when you're done do you get to watch the rest of the parade, or do you have to do something else?

No we get no water. We took a photo in front of the national post office and left because we are so fucking tired (we woke up at 2:00)

What needed to be done so early? Or is it to get in line and wait?

NBC needs to get camera angles and closing down streets in NYC is hell during the day so it’s easiest at night

I was just there for the first time ever! You did great! Also how does it work? Do you volunteer or do you need to be part of an organization that applies?

Macy’s hand selects the bands that go and Golden Regiment happened to be one of them

Is that you I saw?

Maybe

What kind of direction to they give you for marching in the parade? Are there people at certain spots telling you to wait or go depending on what's happening further up?

We had 2 Macy’s people with us telling us what to do and we had the police telling us to move faster and where to go. We also had all our staff memebers with us

How is your band so amazing? Like seriously, getting anywhere near BA at a competition as a 3a school blows my mind

We beat broken arrow last year. If I told you how we were so good I’d have to kill you

Win win for me. Tell your secrets

Band orgies

Texas sized 10-4. Thank you for this information. How are you going to kill me

I think waterboarding whilst drawing and quartering but first you need to give you balls a tug tit fucker!

How strict are they on marching? Can you skip or leisurely stroll? Is power-walking frowned upon?

We had to march 8/5 steps all the way 7040 to be exact

Next year be the rebel you were born to be. To hell with marching....moonwalk the whole route.

*Calendar: 2020 November 28th To do: 1. Moonwalk the parade 2. Get crucified by the band director

Dr. A would have your head.

Hey a fellow golden Regiment member when did you march?

That's not so bad. When I was in high school we had to march in the Fiesta Bowl parade. It was nearly 5 miles long. My trumpet weighed about 3 tons by the end; everyone felt bad for the low brass and percussion.

F thread for contras

What was your favorite float?

The Lego one.

How much preperation goes into it that you were able to see? Like, is there someone always giving countdowns and producers running around all crazy like?

The rehearsal was pretty standard for marching band that being they put a lot of faith in you to just do your job. In other words they don’t micro manage like that

What instrument do you play? How many numbers did you rehearse?

Our street show was about a minute long I think we totalled 270 hours of rehearsal this season and I play in the pit

Did you enjoy yourself? My step mom is a parade coordinator.

It was one of the greatest things I’ve ever done

Hey OP! I watched the parade this morning while dealing with an upper respiratory infection. It's a family tradition, so this is my way of bringing it home for the holidays Your school did great! The marching bands are one of my favorite things to see! What is one thing you would change about the parade if you were an organizer?

Sorry to hear that! Allow more time for marching bands and less for crappy little pop floats. If you watch marching band shows that is a whole lot more entertaining that a pop song that comes on the radio that’s lip synced. If you’d like I can pm you our show from this year and last year

It's okay. We delayed our Friendsgiving until Saturday morning. Did any of your family come out to support? And also yes please, to your marching videos! Congrats again! :)

No it was simply to expensive for them it cost 2500~ alone for me to go

Jesus. That's wildly expensive. At least it's a memorable trip that you'll have to remember for a long time! Something you can show your family someday.

Yep it is but it’s worth it

How nervous were you?

Not super nervous up until I went into the cbs broadcast area (the green area with the Macy’s star) because the float ahead of us was so loud we couldn’t hear the count off

What time did you wake up this morning?

02:00

That rehearsal time sucks.

Yes yes it does

Why did you do it?

Because I got to see Wicked in the process

Are your uniforms custom every year - or do you march that bright pink palette every year?

I loved your uniforms so much! I sent pics to all my band nerd friends. Y’all won best dressed marching band, imo. Nice job.

Our designer just trips acid and says I want that. But in all seriousness we used to march cavaliers esque uniforms now I see most of our uniforms being custom

How big is your marching band?

250-300 and that is not all the people who try out that’s just those that get accepted

Hey bud, I marched in it in 2005 with Blue Springs. I saw the uniform change and damn, Dr. A’s truly going full Willy Wonka now, ain’t he?

I’ll give you a fun after-parade story from 2005. We got back to the hotel and were given a 6 hour nap time. My room didn’t want to, and we were right next door to Dr. A. So we built a small blanket and pillow fort to pass the time. Dr. A knocked on the door and came in to see it. He grabbed a pen and the notepad and wrote “No Girls Allowed.” And left.

Funniest diss ever.

Congratulations on your performance, I’m glad to see the band doing so well still.

If Mrs Evans is there, tell her hi!

She says Hi. Why yes it is now common to whisper under our breath ‘damn you imitation gene wilder’ every time he says one more time and lies or some thing like that. Hofmoi!

Did you have Pokemon go going? Hatch the eggs?

Nope and nope

Do they let horses march in that parade? If so how many horse turds did you step in with your nice dinkles?

Yes. All the horse shit was like horse sand by the time I got to it

Was the sand all coarse, and rough, and irritating? Did it get everywhere?

Fucking like equine Tatooine

Haha okay real question: what's your favorite piece of classical music y'all are playing this year? Any real bangers crop up in the marching band game since 10 years ago?

laughs in jazz We aren’t playing any classical this year we played blue rondo al a Turk, land of male believe in our competitive show and played soak up the sun for our street marching

Why are you the way you are?

Because of a man named Clif Walker and The Madison Scouts

I was there, did you see me?

Maybe, I saw a lot of people.

What do they tell you to do in case one of the balloons gets swooped up by the wind?

We didn’t have a balloon so they told us nothing personally I think we should just surf

blue springs, missouri right? you guys kick ass - i remember watching you guys at Grand Nats back when I did HS band

Yeah Missouri when did you march and if you want I can PM you the show.

How do you get Santa Claus to participate each year? It’s a huge get.

I think Macy’s is paying the elves union for him

Oh shoot I’m doing that next year! I’m in the Centerville Jazz Band and I don’t know much about Blue Springs but I know a lot of other people really like Blue Springs. Didn’t you make finals at super regionals this year?

Yes twice once in St. Louis and once at indy we placed 2nd and 3rd respectively

Is Santa Claus real?

Yes he is and he’s a wonderful person

What did you do in the parade?

I held a letter

When they have to pause the parade for a big song and dance number for TV, what does everyone do if they are behind that?

Wait silently. There’s a dead zone around 6~ blocks behind the staging area

Would you watch it on TV if you weren't in it?

I mean we’d have it on but i don’t watch it a lot

How did you get picked to march in the parade?

That’s above my pay grad sorry. All I know is that Macy’s invited us

Hijacking your answer to say that the school applies to go to Macy’s, and then the parade organizers send out invitations from that list

Source: My HS marched in Macy’s last year, I was still there when the selection process was happening

Oh thanks mate! TIL

Oh, I was at a party in an apartment on the parade route and saw your group go by! QUESTION: We could tell there must have been someone super super famous on a floor above us because all the marchers would look up and start screaming and getting really really excited. It was at 72nd street, not that that probably means anything to you. Any idea who it was?

No idea 72nd street is still on center park west right? So still nice housing?

Do the celebrities ride on their float the entire route or do they jump on their float right before it arrives at Macy's?

Entire route although while waiting I won Rock Paper Scissors against miss America

What happened to the Caviler style uniforms you used to wear?

Lindsey Vento is what happened. Personally I prefer old Madison Scouts uniforms tbh

Was the wind a factor at all?

Not for us because we didn’t have Ballons and shit

Do you just play the same thing throughout the whole 2.5 miles over and over?

Yeah there was a little staging area where NBC broadcasts where we played a 1 minute street show otherwise we just played the cadence and soak up the sun

How true to reality are the cheers and applauses to each performance in front of Macy’s?

It’s more of marching in the street than in front of the Macy’s store to be frankly honest the nbc show was just icing on the cake

Shit, you got a participation booklet? Back in 2004, all we got was a commercial that cut off our performance.

We got a pin

So does your band just show up and get in line? Do the different groups mingle at all?

We mingled with MLK marching band and I won Rock Paper Scissors against miss America

How do you feel about your uniforms? Those capes are awesome but I assume not everyone is a fan of hot pink.

I love our uniforms the running joke is that our show designer just trips acid and she the designs our shows

how is da lucas oil stadium? my school is going to grand nats for the first time next year :D

Lucas oil is gigantic I recommend when you get on the field don’t do anything and just look around and take it all in for a moment. See you there!

Oh shit that was today?

Better than sex It’s exhilarating while it’s happening and once your done you go ‘oh fuck’ and fall asleep

Why do you feel like this is a fun thing?

Because band kids are crazy

How disappointed were you when you realized that Guy Fieri's restaurant had closed?

I was devastated

Do they hate on you and be jealous ness of your March ness?

Who is they?

Don’t ask me things only you can know

Yes?

Did you drink plenty of water?

Hydrate or die-drate

Hey I just wanna say that your schools colors were so cool. How did you get invited?

Thanks! Our band applied and Macy’s invited us

Why?

Because I got to stay in New York for 5 days and see Wicked. It was a big vacation

What was the process like to be able to be in the parade? I always wondered how the marching bands were selected!

Banda apply and Macy’s selects from that list

How does it feel to have completed the experience that you'll spend the rest of your life talking about to everyone else's annoyance and chagrin?

When you say it like that I feel like I live on the upper east side

Do you believe that the balloons should have been up or no?

I don’t think they should’ve been I saw how hard they struggled. Also we would’ve gotten more airtime if they were down

On TV we only really get to see the part in front of the store. Are there other performance areas? If so how many?

No but we do play while marching

Was it fun?

Greatest thing I’ve done in my life

Did you have fun? Happy Thanksgiving!

It was one of the greatest things I’ve ever done

Why..?

Because it was a vacation in New York for 5 days

Idk if it’s cause I’m from up there or cause I think parades are dumb but why would you want to spend a day walking around with a giant balloon in high winds? So much better things to do.

I walked around with a marching band... also there are literally millions of people cheering for you

Which one?

The parade themed around the American holiday commonly known as thanksgiving that is sponsored by the Macy’s department store

You marched in a parade, ok. Thank you. Aren't you with your family after the parade?

No my family is all the way back in blue springs

is it as boring and uninteresting as it is on tv?

No it was one of the greatest things I’ve ever done