The Time Warp

Send In The Clowns

If My Friends Could See Me Now

BRFB Warm Up For Parade &quot;Blazing River Freedom Band&quot;

Blazing River Freedom Band Plays At Pride Gate

Star Trek- Through The Generations- Part I

Themes From  West Side Story

Seasons Of Love From  Rent

The Blazing River Freedom Band was formed in September 2003 (then named the Cleveland Lesbian Gay Allies Concert Marching Band) by Brandyn J. Metzko, a musical transplant from San Francisco. After months of recruiting to no avail, the band had decided to hang up its triangle in December of 2003. Fortunately, at the LGBA’s urging, the band resumed rehearsals in February 2004 and shortly began to grow.

In April of 2004, the CLGACMB played its first gig at the DiverCity Arts Show at Bounce Nightclub in Cleveland. The show was seen by hundreds of people from around the Cleveland area and word of mouth sparked much more interest within the community. Throughout the months of May and June in 2004, The CLGACMB continued to recruit new members, culminating with a performance in the Cleveland Pride Parade with their sister band from Cincinatti. This was the first time in Cleveland’s history that there was a band in the annual Pride Parade. Also in June of that year, five of the members of the CLGACMB joined the Queen City Rainbow Band to play Chicago Pride, marking the band’s first venture outside its home city. In July, the band joined the BASSically TREBLEmakers of Rochester, New York to play Rochester Pride. Membership continued to grow throughout the summer months. By September the band had twenty members. Four members of the band and one support member traveled to Fort Lauderdale, Florida in November 2004 for the annual LGBA Conference. It was a major performing experience for all involved-- the concert was conducted by the legendary Alfred Reed. December 2004 brought about a milestone for the CLGACMB. The first sit-down concert, which featured selections from the holiday season, was performed at the lovely Archwood United Church of Christ in Cleveland.

Throughout 2005, the CLGACMB continued to grow. The band performed three concerts that year, as well as performing at the Berea Animal Shelter Pet Parade. Members of the band also performed in pride parades in Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, and Rochester. The band also found its current rehearsal and performance home, the Franklin Circle Christian Church. 
October 2005 brought about another performance that the band would continue annually, the John T. Carey Memorial AIDS Walk. The band has provided entertainment for this event every year since 2005. In November 2005 the band became a full member of the LGBA and traveled to Palm Springs, California for the annual conference. Four concerts were performed in the 2005-2006 season as well as marching performances in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Rochester. 

The CLGACMB hosted the LGBA in April 2006 for their Mid-Year Meetings and invited the LGBA board to perform in the spring gala concert, Stage and Silver Screen. The band also performed a holiday concert during the month of December, as well as various pride parades throughout the Midwest in June. Members of the group also ventured to Chicago to perform with LGBA at Gay Games 2006.
2007 brought many changes to the band. The group’s founding member and director moved to San Francisco. The remaining members of the band quickly regrouped, and the band hosted their first invitational event with member bands from the LGBA. In March, the band officially changed the name of the performing ensemble to the Blazing River Freedom Band. This was both to be more inclusive of everyone, as well as ease in name recognition. The LGBA was thrilled with the new name change, as the group’s prior name was the longest acronym in the organization.

In 2007, the band performed three concerts at FCCC in Cleveland. They also performed at pride parades in Cleveland, Columbus, Lansing, and Indianapolis. The band was also invited to play for the American Veterans for Equal Rights conference that was held in Cleveland that year. In October, six members of the BRFB traveled to St Louis for the LGBA annual conference. 

In 2008, the band performed two concerts at FCCC, as well as at pride parades in Chicago, Cleveland, and Indianapolis. The band was invited to play in a summer concert series at Halloran Park in Cleveland to commemorate the opening of a new gazebo. Members of the BRFB traveled to NYC to march in the Greenwich Village Halloween Parade for the LGBA annual conference.

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