May the Force Be With You

What an intense week of rehearsal it has been. Our early summer set is starting to take shape and it is a ton of fun. I still get chills when I sing some of the Hyannis Sound standards knowing that I'm not in the audience this summer, I'm in the group. I have to admit too that singing with the guys will most definitely push your musical ability to the next level as well. I can't wait to see what it's like to go back to Plymouth for the first time this summer and sing for my hometown friends and family.

Yesterday started out like most rehearsal days but ended quite different. We practiced all day and then got ready for a barbecue we were having to meet all of our new neighbors. Some prepared by lighting the grill and prepping the backyard. Others found that defeating Imperial Forces and using Jedi techniques to bring balance to the force were what they needed to get ready for the cook out. Others decided that hitting a grand slam over the green monster was a viable option.


Matty and Tim are shown fighting Darth Vader, and Doug and Andy are shown playing a friendly game of MVP Baseball. That reminds me, we watched 6 Star Wars Movies in 6 Days. But don't think for a second that just because we have 2 TV's simultaneously playing video games and watched all of the Star Wars Movies in a row that we are...Gasp...geeks. We're still cool.

But beyond nerdiness...the cook out was a lot of fun. We have such a neat neighborhood, I really like where we live. I cooked everything on the grill and word on the street is that I make a really good cheeseburger. I don't remember what street it was though. We sang some tunes for the neighbors and called it a night with more video games.

This weekend promises to be a great one. We have a few gigs including our first public performance on Saturday night in Woods Hole at Illumination Weekend. We are singing at 8:15pm in Lillie Auditorium. Also, this is the weekend that us new guys get to meet a bunch of the Hyannis Sound Alumni, so that should be exciting.

But until then, it is time to get my groove on, afternoon rehearsal style.

Delicious!

What a great day. Who would have thought that Memorial Day would be sunny, warm, and RAIN FREE! It was beautiful so after a great day of rehearsal we went outside to play some wiffleball. This time the game was much closer but Paul and team still managed to turn out a win.

We were pleasantly suprised by our friends from Plymouth and they brought us a Memorial Day BBQ! I manned the grill with the help of Tim and we cooked up some burgers, dogs, chicken, steak, and sausage. You'd think that the good times stopped there. Oh. No.


The girls made us the most delicious after-dinner feast of strawberries, cake, and cookies! It was amazing! We stuffed our faces full of good food and rewarded the producers of our meal with some harmony. Thanks so much girls, the pasta salad still tasted awesome for breakfast this morning.


Micah was overwhelmed by the offerings

Time for rehearsal. All I can say is if we keep up this pace the weekly shows will be outta control!

It's a long way to the top if you wanna rock and roll...

It's been six days since we moved in and we've been singing for five days now, and I can't believe my eyes. Already it's been an incredible experience, and I'm told that this is nothing compared to what lies ahead for the summer.

I'm rooming with fellow new guy Andy. He's great. He's a lot of fun and we goof around a ton. Right now he's sleeping past the alarm with his pillow over his head. I'll make sure he's up for rehearsal though, because that's what friends are for.


Can you find Andy in this picture?!

That reminds me, rehearsal is crazy! 6 hours a day minimum. Typically it has been 10-12, 1-3, and 4-6 daily. I'm starting to lose my voice and my allergies are strait up out of control, but we are rolling along. Yesterday we performed 5 songs, and 2 of them are brand new to the summer. Also, 2 of the new guys (Andy and Matty) had solos, so we are definitely rising up to the challenge.

By the way, congrats to Steph on graduating from Sacred Heart (minutes away from Plymouth, might I add)! We had a blast singing for everyone and it was really neat to get out there in front of an audience for the first time. I'm told we will be singing for people a few times this summer?!

I'm also really glad and mad that the weather we had that was bad is gone. (I rhymed 4 words in that sentence). I LOVE the nice sunny weather, but I also don't like it for a few reasons. One reason is that my allergies are just being crazy. The other reason is that we play wiffleball on breaks and Paul absolutely schools me every time I'm pitching to him. But I contest that it's still spring training.

Well it is time to prepare for a full day of practice. We are starting 3 new songs today, I think they will be crowd pleasers. Enjoy your Memorial Day! Have a burger for me and be sure to thank your Servicemen!

The beginning!

Hi there! Welcome to my blog. I'll be taking time out regularly here to jot down all my experiences as a first-year member of the Hyannis Sound! I'll try to live up to the reputation Paul has for his blog from last summer :-)

Let me start with a little introduction. My name is Robbie and I'm from Plymouth. I live about as close to the cape as you can get without living on it. I go to Plymouth State University in New Hampshire (not Massachusetts) where it's really cold and snows a lot. I sing in a group there called Vocal Order.

I've been a fan of Hyannis Sound since I first saw them at an MASC conference in 1999. Since then I've been going to shows and listening to the CD's and now I'm actually in the group! I have to admit it's a dream come true and I'm thoroughly excited to be here!

Other pertinent facts: My current favorite food is Crunch Taco Hamburger Helper, my favorite movie is the Goonies, and I'm a huge Red Sox fan.

I'll also be posting pictures periodically from all of my adventures, so be sure to stop by often. I guess that's the deal for now, I'll be back soon to talk about my first few days. See you all this summer!


Here are the new guys grabbing dinner with Tim and Coop the first night. Left side front to back: Doug, Robbie, Matty Right Side: Andy, Tim, Cooper.