The Great Mardi Gras Tuba Thread...

I know there is a line in an old Mardi Gras tune that says "the big bass drum lead the big parade..." but what they don't mention is that the big bass horn, the tuba was right there with him. While at the Galveston Mardi Gras I made photos of many tuba players. If you visit my facebook page you will find an album of tuba player photos. I know that seems a bit like stalking, making pictures of unsuspecting tuba players but at least I aint stalking you. Besides maybe I after I have passed on into that great second line parade in the sky somebody will take a look at the pictures, but together an exhibition call it great art and my heirs will not have to walk anymore. I certainty won't be walking at that time in my career. 

This first guy is a member of an ensemble from Oregon call Love Bomb Go-Go. Pretty quirky group with costumes and dancing as well as traditional parade marching style.  I'll have a blog post on them later. 

Rest of these guys are high school tuba players and I am sorry I did not identify all the bands

Lost his mouthpiece but as you can see he's still pretty happy. Makes me recall fondly old Panther Stadium with the old wooden bleachers where it was pretty common for a tuba player to drop his mouthpiece through all the way to the ground. 

Yeah, we all looked like this at one time. 

That changes though as we grow into the horn. I know I'm still growing and compared to the skinny trombone player this tuba player is a grown ass man.  

Yes dear, girls can surely honk too. 

Looking proud, looking sharp. Doing right by us! 

No son, the man is not from Jupiter. It's the brand of his instrument. 

Trying to get to the front of the band to give them beads to a flute player. Trumpet player probably already gave her some.  

Big horn, big emotions to go with it. 

Bring it boys. 

Honking on that thing. 

This float passed a couple of times and had a little brass band that included three guys with matching silver upright tubas. Never heard them play a note. 

I am so jealous of the hair. 

I guess LM is the school logo but I remeber the good old days when tuba players smoked L&M cigs. 

Guy in the middle looks like he's taking a solo. 

Cool lids. 

Tuba player gets ready to leap a tall building. We can all do that. 

On an interesting side note an internet person claiming to be a high school tuba player apparently looked at an old blog post from 2006 on the subject of my tuba and sent me a message that we might could get together on a deal for me to sell it to him. One minute later he sent a message that said I see it's not for sale. Nine minutes later he sent another message and  offered $750 plus shipping which is probably not too bad a price. I know on occasion I have made people wish that me and my tuba would go away but it's not going anywhere today and in fact there is a project in the works. As I said earlier, that's another blog post.