Interview with California Marching Band Student Director Thomas Gartner Regarding San Francisco Giants World Series Parade

by TwistNHook on Nov 8, 2010 7:00 PM PST in General

Well, then! The San Francisco Giants are the Champions of the World (he exclaimed through gritted teeth). But one of the best part of that whole situation is that the World Series Championship Parade was led by the one, the only, the best damn band in the land, the California Marching Band.

Well, we went back to the source on this: California Marching Band Student Director Thomas Gartner. We spoke with him previously regarding his role at the StuD. He was kind enough to answer some of our questions about the Cal Band's role at the World Series Championship parade. After the jump, see his answers to our questions. Many thanks to Mr. Gartner for his help with this. Feel free to donate to the band to help them continue to be as unquestionably awesome as they always are.

For some, Go Giants. And, for all, GO BEARS!

1. Was it difficult getting time off from academic responsibilities for the band members? How accommodating is the university with regards to sanctioned band activities?(Big Game week must be rather tough.)

Many of us (including myself) were excused from midterms to attend this event. Usually a great deal of notice is required before professors will allow missing class for a sporting event, but I think most professors realized that this is a once-in-a-lifetime event, and many were very lenient about us missing class. The Giants called us on Monday, and we had around 90 people organized and ready Wednesday morning. I thought the whole thing went pretty well for slapping a parade together in two days.

2. How early did you have to bus over?

We left Berkeley at 8:30am, and got to the parade staging area (at Montgomery and Washington streets) around 9:15. The parade started at 11am

3. What did you do after you reached the end of the parade route?

The parade organizers herded us into an area just in front of the stage where they held the post-parade rally at city hall. We got essentially front-row seats for the rally, and were probably only 100 feet away from Aubrey Huff when he pulled the rally thong out of his pants.

4. What songs did you play?

All the Journey we could muster. Don't Stop Believing and Lights were mainstays

6. Did you meet any of the players?

I didn't, although many of our members did. I did get to meet the broadcasting crew, however, as their cars were just behind us in the parade route.

7. Did you get to touch the World Series Trophy?

I wish- although we saw it from only a few feet away.

8. How did the band select who would go in the parade block?

We took everyone who was available to go- the Giants sent us two buses, and we were able to almost fill them.

9. Any special continuities for this specific Parade?

Well the trumpets have a "Brian Wilson" continuity, where they throw a pitch, and then cross their arms in imitation of the move that Brian Wilson makes when he closes out games. I think it was a hit.

10. What interested you personally in being a part of this parade?

I've been a Giants fan for as long as I can remember, and the fact that the Giants hadn't won since the fifties made this a can't-miss event for me. I would have considered skipping my midterm even if my professor hadn't given his blessing.

11. Any cool photos?

We were on the berkeley.edu home page for a couple of days after the parade, as well as this cool aerial shot:

148998_10100163191779173_1213342_55460446_595472_n_medium

via sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net

12. Wasn't the reason the Cal band was invited was that San Francisco Giants Vice President Larry Baer is a Cal alum?

I think that had a lot to do with it- word on the street is that a lot of people in the Giants organization are Golden Bears.

13. Were any band members who might root for a rival of the Giants and therefore not really care for the team forced to come and play in their parade anyway, or could they skip out if they had philosophical objections?

All fans of unnamed rival teams were waterboarded and forced to renounce all allegiance to their former rooting interest. All are happy Giants fans now...

15. What was the crowd reaction for you? Did any fans of schools not as cool as Cal heckle you?

The crowd was INCREDIBLE. I think that most of them had no idea who we were, but they definitely responded to our energy, and the yelling and screaming was electric. I will always remember marching through falling confetti as 1million+ screamed along with us. It was indescribable.

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Comments

I was there

and it was awesome.

I’m not too embarrassed to admit that I knew it was the Cal Band as soon as I heard the first drum cadence. I jumped up, saw white feathers, and confirmed to my friend what my heart already knew: Cal Band Great.

Way to go, Cal Band. Witnessing such a spectacular, historic event was awesome…being a part of the parade must’ve felt pretty damn great!

by RemorsefulBruinBabe on Nov 8, 2010 7:41 PM PST reply actions

Um...

most of them had no idea who we were

I knew when I heard the cadence who was coming even though I couldn’t see anything at the time. For any band members that happen by, thank you so much for making it a parade, and bringing a bit of blue and gold to the black and orange.

And thanks Twist for this interview.

May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.

"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased

"Oh no, he wanted me to do that. It was intentional." - Tim Lincecum

by natteringnabob on Nov 8, 2010 8:02 PM PST reply actions

Never say we don’t do what our readers want!

CGB's Jimmy Carter

www.CaliforniaGoldenBlogs.com

by TwistNHook on Nov 8, 2010 8:03 PM PST up reply actions

CAL Band Great!

Congratulations and well done Bears!

by rollonyoubearsdad on Nov 8, 2010 8:27 PM PST reply actions

All fans of unnamed rival teams were waterboarded and forced to renounce all allegiance to their former rooting interest. All are happy Giants fans now…

Hahaha.

I find this especially funny, because I know for a fact that Bob, the Cal Band Director is actually a DODGER fan.

LOS ANGELES ANGELS . . . ANAHEIM DUCKS . . . CALIFORNIA GOLDEN BEARS

by AndyHogan14 on Nov 8, 2010 9:13 PM PST reply actions

bob can suck it. he didnt even think that penis vaginersson was funny

Remember, the enemy's end zone is DOWN!

by GoldBlooded on Nov 8, 2010 9:14 PM PST up reply actions

Don’t you think it was more that he didn’t think TwistNHook was funny?

How ya gonna keep 'em down on the farm, after they've seen Berkeley?

by CalBear81 on Nov 8, 2010 9:25 PM PST up reply actions

He did tell TwistNHook to “grow up” – so rec’d!

by LeonPowe on Nov 8, 2010 9:36 PM PST up reply actions

He must be a truly classy individual and a gentleman to have such discriminating taste and keen sense of character.

by atomsareenough on Nov 9, 2010 9:31 AM PST up reply actions

he’s a dodgers fan because his older brother liked the giants growing up. he’s a dodgers fan out of spite.

Remember, the enemy's end zone is DOWN!

by GoldBlooded on Nov 9, 2010 8:21 PM PST up reply actions

Hmm. That’s curious and unusual. Hopefully by now he gets a bit more from it than that.

by atomsareenough on Nov 9, 2010 9:14 PM PST up reply actions

That’s OK, but I was a Rangers fan out of spite!

CGB's Jimmy Carter

www.CaliforniaGoldenBlogs.com

by TwistNHook on Nov 9, 2010 9:49 PM PST up reply actions

<Don’t say spite don’t say spite>

Spite?

<that’s it! I’m out of here>

by LeonPowe on Nov 9, 2010 9:58 PM PST up reply actions

very cool

this site has the BEST stories!

by No.8 on Nov 8, 2010 9:40 PM PST reply actions 3 recs

Cal Band Student Director Great!

I’ve been a Giants fan for as long as I can remember, and the fact that the Giants hadn’t won since the fifties made this a can’t-miss event for me. I would have considered skipping my midterm even if my professor hadn’t given his blessing.

From one lifelong Giants fan to another: I tip my Giants cap to you in salute.

And Go Bears!

Yes, I am an Old Blue. Now get off my lawn.

by Ohio Bear on Nov 8, 2010 10:01 PM PST reply actions

I didn't realize that the Cal Band would be in the parade

or I would have ditched work :-(

Oh well, next parade down Colorado Blvd. I’ll be there for that one God willing.

by HelloBowlesHall on Nov 8, 2010 10:56 PM PST reply actions

by Brass-billed on Nov 9, 2010 10:51 PM PST reply actions

We stole everything from OSU fair and square!

CGB's Jimmy Carter

www.CaliforniaGoldenBlogs.com

by TwistNHook on Nov 10, 2010 7:50 AM PST up reply actions

If you notice, there wasn’t any actual marching band music in that video.

by atomsareenough on Nov 10, 2010 12:48 PM PST up reply actions

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