Reading Central Band
Reading Central Band
Tour of Canada 2007
Reading Central Band – Tour
of Canada 2007
Reading Central Band were privileged to conduct an Easter tour of Canada from 30th March to 9th April 2007.
Below is a tour diary by Karen Smith along with tour photographs. Karen had the unfortunate pleasure of being the only lady in the band during the trip.
Arrived at Reading Central at 08:20 (that was a bit early for a 10:30 departure! Keen or what!)
Luggage tags to be distributed … instruments to be labelled, bandsmen arriving gradually all patiently waiting to see if everybody turned up…. they did – eventually! Instruments loaded on to the van for transportation to Heathrow (must improve this checking system!)
Prayers with Major Robert at 10:15 – band and other hangers on – keen to see us leave! All then moved outside to wait for the coach – did you book it Colin? Unveiling of the ‘Reading Central Band Invasion of Canada 07’ crew by Mark, Warwick, Adam, Jonathan and James– all in their specially designed t-shirts! Well done lads!
Richard arrives with the coach and it’s all aboard!
Arrive at Heathrow Terminal 4 with loads of time to spare! Instruments, gear and luggage all to be checked in. Get into booking parties (it’s now turning into a school outing!) All checked in…. a few prayers said as the instruments tumbled off the conveyor belt! Of course the tubas had a ‘special’ check-in point!
Everyone to their own devices now…. Shopping, eating, duty-free, you name it!
14:30 – time to board – at last! Still everyone present!
Flight eventually takes off (somewhat delayed!) All members of the band were randomly scattered throughout the aircraft… that was a shame, we could have had a singing practice! Not much activity at first except for David (Moulton) who appeared to be paying a personal visit to each member of the band … or was he a member of the cabin crew? 5 hours later after eating, sleeping etc, David decided that he was bored with the band and had chosen one of the lady passengers to talk to!
On landing the Captain thanked everyone for travelling with British Airways and wished Colin Crosby ‘A Happy 94th Birthday!’
Arrived at Toronto airport at 18:20 (Canadian time). All the luggage, instruments and members of the band had arrived – amazing! The checking off of instruments was much improved – what a system!
Waited for the transport to the Holiday Inn Express …… and waited. Did anybody book it? Eventually arrived at hotel and everyone to their own devices!
Quite a few ate at ‘Kelseys’ where a coke drinking (free refills) competition took place with the lads! Warwick receiving a ‘complimentary’ glass by some means as a souvenir.
Back to hotel and to bed. Geoff – why did you book a 05:00 wake up call?
Depart from hotel to travel to Woodstock – all present and correct! Introduced the daily ‘on board’ devotions led by Jonathan. After about 45 minutes the coach driver – Richard (who was a fount of all knowledge, bearing a strong resemblance to a member of the RCB) said that we were stopping for lunch! Most of the band ventured into ‘Tim Horton’s – after a short break all (not quite) returned to the coach to resume the journey! No-one realised until we had actually set off that not all were present and correct – Sheila realised that Stuart and Margaret were not on the coach…. There’s the first line of the band song – ‘were you there when the Webbies missed the coach?’
Arrived at Woodstock – set up then time to chill! – Hey why don’t we all go to Walmart?
Short rehearsal, then tea …. tea was followed by speeches from the Member of Parliament, the Mayor, the Corps Officer, Uncle Tom Cobley and all …. With one predominant theme of cows and the famous ‘Woodstock Cow’ at this point we hadn’t see one single cow in Woodstock!
Evening concert – went very well, good congregation who thought the band were great, especially Dan’s very confident ‘solo’ note in the wrong place! This was the first rendition of ‘The Canadian’ where the congregation all stood up for the Canadian National Anthem. Meet and greet in the interval was very well received.
Think the pranksters must have been jet-lagged as this was a fairly uneventful ‘April Fools Day’!!!
Excellent Sunday morning meeting led by Colonel Cliff, solo piano feature from David Moulton …. Apparently the Woodstock CSM had jumped in and changed the programme – April fool?
Afternoon concert with Jubilee Brass.
Woodstock
Saturday 31st March and Sunday 1st April
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On to the shopping mall at Waterloo for ‘free-time!’ Colin insists on a new protocol whenever instructions are being given – everyone must ‘sit down’ (this became the usual chant when anyone stood up ‘sit down!’). Arrive at the church in Burlington for rehearsal followed by tea at the SA Hall.
Dan Robson (aka Peter Kay) assumes a new role providing the on-tour commentary, very knowledgeable on the Mennonites and their buggies!
Back to the church to change/play basketball (bet you boys didn’t know you were going to be in soooo much trouble with the band serg?) Concert to packed church at 7.30, once again very well received and off to billets.
Burlington
Monday 2nd April
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BM Paul and Colonel Cliff had a radio interview at 2.45 followed by band playing at the County Courthouse for the civic reception with the Mayor, each member of the band was introduced to the Mayor and we all got another badge to add to our collection. Played a couple of marches – ‘Neath the Flag’ and ‘Stand to Arms’ – now who chose those marches! Marched back to the hall with police escort. Look at the photos – what a fine bunch! Tea at the hall followed by concert at 7.30 to a packed hall once again and on to billets for an early night!!! Tomorrow we travel to Ottawa!
Some interesting billeting experiences in Simcoe where billets were doubled up and in 3’s – say no more!
Simcoe
Tuesday 3rd April
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Wednesday 4 April 2007
Early start…. Coach left Simcoe SA Hall at 07:45 stopping at the local funeral home (the meeting point) in Jarvis at 08:00 to pick up the rest of the band.
Most bandsmen looking worse for wear this morning due to lack of sleep / lack of beds etc, etc!
It was decided that it would be a good idea to see if the driver had any interesting videos to watch on the journey to Ottawa! Dan found ‘The Amish’ – it was very educational and interesting (not!) Allowed to stop for a 15 minute ‘water break’. After more searching Dan came up with a ‘Scooby Doo’ film. The long journey to Ottawa saw the introduction of the new band song ….. ‘Were you there?’ all 35 verses! (a verse for each member of the band).
Arrived in Woodroffe, Ottawa at 15:30 – set up and rehearsal followed by tea and then concert at 19:30. Back to billets for what should be another early night – apparently have to be at the hall at 08:00 tomorrow!!!
Thursday 5 April 2007
It’s snowing! Set off for Parliament Hill by coach ‘serenaded’ by a newly formed brass group at the back of the coach!
Assembled on the steps outside the Parliament building in band formation…. I hope we are in the centre for those photos, was the chorus! Paul and Col Cliff are whisked off for another interview this time for TV we think – or was it a home video? Returned shortly after the interview to start playing – we are a bit cold now! The Parliament building was empty, but never mind we had our enthusiastic ‘groupies’ ‘wags’ and some interested listeners /photographers.
Back to the hall for coffee and change of uniform, load up the instruments…. (the same people are in the loading party AGAIN!!!)
Left Woodroffe for Peterborough, stopping at …… Tim Horton’s, with the option of ‘Wendy’s’ for lunch. Tour guide was subdued today – sorry… we just didn’t want to go to the Maple Syrup Factory!
Woodroffe and the Parliament Building Ottawa
4th & 5th April
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But all was not lost we were joined just outside Peterborough by Stan and Doug who told us about the local area. Tea at Peterborough, then concert at 19:30 to a packed hall, band once again very well received.
A much needed lie-in – didn’t have to be at the hall until 10:00 for the morning meeting. Nigel decided to special with Peterborough Songsters (we didn’t know that the Songster Leader had asked him!). This meeting was led by the Corps with RCB participating. Lunch at Peterborough before departing for Etobicoke.
Peterborough Temple
5 & 6th April
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Arrived in Etobicoke in time for rehearsal and tea before concert at 7.00pm.
Today it is very cold and it’s snowing. Withdrawal symptoms are now kicking in …. We haven’t been to Tim’s! - It’s Les’s birthday today!
Etobicoke
6th April
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Most of the band arrived back at the hall at Etobicoke at 08:45 to depart for Toronto….. the Bandmaster and Band Sergeant eventually graced us with their presence at 09:25! And were given the silent treatment by the band for at least…… 20 seconds!!!
Off to Toronto – dropping the ‘shoppers’ off at the Eaton Centre and the more fearless, daring members of the party went up the CN Tower – great view across Toronto, standing on the glass floor was nowhere near as exciting as it was supposed to be!
Departed from Toronto at 1:45pm to travel (in the snow) to Barrie for the evening festival. The highlight of this concert probably wasn’t the ‘elite’ bands rendition of Star Lake III on different instruments!
By the way, has anybody seen Bernard’s passport?
Easter Sunday meeting at Barrie followed by lunch at the hall. James’s 18th birthday was celebrated in style by being thrown in the snow (and by now there was quite a lot of it!)
After some hanging around….. the afternoon ‘final’ concert of the tour started at 2.00pm. (In the time to spare after lunch the jokers were bored and swapped Paul’s (BM) harps for the famous ‘Woodstock Cows’ …. Of course he hadn’t noticed even though Andy was playing ‘Daisy, Daisy’ on his cornet in the band room – small clue! Then a certain 2nd Baritone player (who had trouble weighing the flag) ruined the prank by giving the game away!!!
Barrie Youth Band assisted some members of RCB in playing the march Montreal Citadel at the end of the meeting.
Load instruments on to the van for the last time …… all present and correct! Still no passport – Bernard we hope you like it in Canada?
Saturday 7th April and Sunday
8th April
Toronto and Barrie
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All set to leave Barrie at 09:00 for a 3 hour journey to Niagara Falls. All a bit subdued on the coach this morning as the tour is nearly over. Also a couple of injuries from the previous night’s tobogganing escapades by our younger bandsmen! Well you will have all the fun!
The visit to Niagara Falls was certainly one of the highlights for those who haven’t seen them before. Had some time to look around … take lots of photos, pay one last visit to Tim Horton’s before having lunch in the revolving Skylon Restaurant – the journey in the glass fronted lift on the outside of the tower was a somewhat nerve-wracking experience for some.
After lunch – coach journey to the airport …. During this journey Dave and Dan presented their ‘tour awards’ for each member of the band!
All checked in at the airport and time to relax before the flight (even Bernard was allowed to travel – thanks to the nice lady in immigration…. They didn’t want you in Canada then Bernard?
Flight home was somewhat uneventful, all a bit sleepy although the flight crew seemed to know that Colin had another birthday and was announced that he is now 96! (he aged 2 years on the 10 day tour!)
Arrived at Heathrow just after 08:00 on Tuesday morning. Said our goodbyes to Marc, Dave and Dan. Back to Reading Central and normality after a great time of fellowship and spiritual fulfilment on this excellent tour of Canada!
Looking forward to the next one!
Karen Smith
April 2007
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