TubeNet

Back in 1980, I travelled twice a week (and more for concerts etc.) from London to Bristol, which was 110 miles each way, door to door. I did that for 2 years.

That was for the Sun Life Stanshawe Band and worth every mile!

Mind you in those days, I could get off work earlier and traffic was a fraction of what's around today. They also had a clubroom with snooker tables for before & after rehearsals.

http://charley.myphotoalbum.com/view_ph ... y&id=sun1b

CB

hehe... probably got you all beat...

Dubuque's about 175 miles away from my residence on the north side of Chicago. And yes, I make the round trip (350 miles total) on nights that don't have rehearsals or concerts the next day (puts me home around 2am).

And no, my car doesn't have cruise control... (there's actually a few people in the orchestra that do this as well)

Sigh...The things us aspiring professionals will go through for a gig.

Jim Langenberg

Back in the 80's we traveled 80 miles each way to play a 5-night gig in a bar called "The Red Fox"in Brewton,Alabama.We needed the work but the main reason we liked to play there was the wonderful audience.Those folks genuinely enjoyed our music and appreciated us trucking it up there from Mobile to play for them.The managers were very good to us and after moving our equipment we carpooled up in one car and worked there as long as we could.The drive was worth it.
Last August we rented a 4 by 8 foot trailer and drove from L.A.(Lower Alabama)to Caseville,Michigan to play thier "Cheeseburger in Caseville"music festival.We played three times in four days and they put us up on a boat in the harbor.Big fun.They invited us back for next year and we're going.
Tubatooter1940

Weekly Community Band Practice - 2 miles.
Every other week gig at local German club - 10 miles.
Weekly Dixie rehearsal - 5 feet (in my living room).
Gigs a couple of times a week - usually no more than 20 miles but have been known to go up to 7,000 miles for tours in Germany and England.

To the Barracks -- about 1.6 miles.

To gigs? Just got back from an overnight trip to St. Louis. If the rumors are true and we go to Japan next spring, that trip alone will add up to... oh, maybe two months' worth of our regular trips.

My quartet meets somewhere in the middle - around 50 miles for three of us, 5 for the other. I drive 100 miles to get to wind ensemble rehearsal (once a week for four weeks before a gig) and the same 100 miles for TubaChristmas. My big band rehearses about 5 miles from my house, but gigs about 50 miles away. My jazz combo does not rehearse but averages 60 miles drive for a job (most weekends, when the big band is not gigging). I can practise my bagpipes in the woods behind my house.

The good/ bad thing about living in NM is everything is spread out, but easy to get to.

Brass Quintet- 3 Feet (my house)
Tuba Quartet- 2 miles
Jazz Ensemble- 15 miles
Community Band- 65 miles
National Guard Band- 220 miles

The Loudoun Symphonic Winds rehearses about 30 miles from my house, but it's only a couple of miles from my office.

I have played in many, many groups that required up to a 45-minute commute. For a year, I lived in San Antonio but continued to play in the Austin Community Symphony, which required a 100-mile one-way commute.

Traffic is so bad in the area I'm in now that commutes are either 45 minutes or less, or two hours or more, it seems. But our conductor lives on the other side of the metro area, and I'm sure spends two hours each way.

Rick "who lives in the country and pays the price for it at the pump" Denney

I drive about 5 miles in rush hour LA traffic for my one regular rehearsal. It takes me 20-40 minutes, depending on of major crime and traffic conditions. I always see beautiful women while driving and can dive with all my windows open in the winter. I come within inches of death every time I get into my car, but right now, it's worth it.

It is extremely hazardous to dive out your open window while driving, even if it is due to seeing beautiful women. It is, however, an understandable response.

Richmond Concert Band - 17 miles
(this is the 'better' band http://www.rcband.org )

Henrico Community Band - 8 miles

TubaChristmas Richmond - 23 miles

TubaChristmas NYC ~ 350 miles

TubaChristmas Kennedy Center ~ 110 miles

Birmingham Community Concert Band - every Tuesday night - 5 miles

Montevallo Community Band - every Thursday night - 40 miles

UAB Community Wind Symphony - one Sunday/month - 5 miles

TubaChristmas - once a year - 100 miles (Huntsville)

How long has it been since you've posted on TubeNet, Ken? Weeelll, that's too long!!!

community band- 15 miles

church "orchestra"- 6 miles

annoying my teenage daughter while practicing- 0 miles

cave surveying- 240 miles SCREW THE TUBA PLAYING WHEN A CAVING WEEKEND COMES ALONG! (though I have been known to take an alto horn along and pass it around the campfire.)