### Clue: Wind instruments excel in brief tour (7,4)
### Answer: WHISTLE STOP 
 ### Explanation: Definition: brief tour
  WHISTLES(more sophisticated than the type that referees use, is the tin or penny whistle, wind instruments with a mouthpiece and finger-holes, akin to the flute or recorder) + TOP(to excel).
Answer: A tour of places, stopping only briefly at each place.  Originally descriptive of the kind of campaign political candidates made, stopping briefly at each town, especially by train, and making a speech from the platform of the train.  This together with SHOWBOAT made it look for a moment as if there were a US Presidential election theme.