If you've ever been to high school football games, you know how exciting it can get. You'd know this especially if you were ever a part of the band at said games. The cheerleaders' shrill yelling doesn't always do well to make the audience excited. This is where the band comes in. When 100 or so people are cheering the same thing together, it's almost futile to resist joining in.
When you're in the band, cheering, then you don't even care half the time what's happening in the game, as long as your home team's winning.
Then the first half ends.
You know what happens after that, yes?
This is when the band proudly takes the field, marching with spunk to opening set. The announcer calls, "For your halftime entertainment, this is the ___insert school name here___ Marching ___insert mascot here___!!"
The drum majors wave their arms and start the show, as everyone in the band takes a deep breath.
Then it begins.
The audience then is treated to a high-energy, loud performance. Brass instruments blast out sound, woodwinds aren't heard, and the drum-liners beat their instruments intensely, making everyone wish they'd joined percussion when they had the chance back in middle school.
Shapes are formed by the bodies on the field, creating interesting visuals. Feet march in time to the music.
All the movement and sound blend together to create a great form of entertainment that cannot be challenged by anything at the time. The only thing band members are thinking about is where to go next, and what to play next. They get in the special "zone" that is created by using their brain more than average human beings.
In a sense, they become super-humans.
Well, perhaps not.
Then, before you know it, halftime is over. The band returns to the stands, and things continue on as they were before, & everyone resumes their hoping for the team they love to win.
~Remica
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Marching Band Shows
There's nothing I love better than a good marching band show. I'm sure you'd already guessed that, though. ;)
Anyways, if you know marching band, you know that there are many different types of shows. Some are alright; they carry a tune that you might find yourself whistling down the hallway, but you forget the tune after the season's over. Some shows are very boring. Shows that are named things like "The Color ____", "The Number _____", or something vague like "Away". When you hear one of those titles, you really have no clue where they could be going in the show with it. Like if a show was "The Color Green", they could be talking about grass, going eco-friendly, kiwis, life in general, slime, or maybe even mold. Who knows?
Anyways, the point is, no one wants to hear their directer announce the theme as being one of those lame themes.
Now, I haven't talked about a special kind of show. That's right, the EPIC kind. This breed of band shows is the kind every band kid dreams of. These shows have names like "The Phoenix", "Medieval Wars", etc. These are themes you can really get into, the music is awesome, and the shirts look absolutely great. EPIC themes are the ones you can brag about to band geeks from other schools and feel proud.
Here's what you don't want to happen when talking to a band geek from another school:
You: "Hey, your show was really cool! What was it called again? Adventure to.."
Them: "'Adventure to Earth's Core'! I don't remember what yours was.."
You: *pointing to shirt* "'Dark'. It's really... dark."
Them: "Yeah.. I'd assume so.."
You: "Well it sounds cool!" *tries to think of the melody*
Them: "Yeah I'm sure it does.."
*awkward pause*
You: *cough* "Uh, see ya round."
Them: "Yeah, probably not."
Totally suckish, right?
Here's what you want to happen when talking to a band geek from another school:
You: "Hey, your show was really cool! What was it called again? Adventure to.."
Them: "'Adventure to Earth's Core'! But yours was way better. It was 'Techno-Jungle', right?"
You: *pointing to shirt* "Yeah, it's really awesome to play!"
Them: "Yeah, I'd assume so!"
You: *Sings the melody*
Them: "I wish I could see it again!" *starts humming the melody too*
You: "Oh dang, I've got to go! See ya round?"
Them: "Yeah, I'm sure!"
This is why a good show is so important. So if there are any band directors out there reading this, please know that we band kids will have a much more fulfilling and exciting experience if you choose a theme of the EPIC breed!
~Remica
Anyways, if you know marching band, you know that there are many different types of shows. Some are alright; they carry a tune that you might find yourself whistling down the hallway, but you forget the tune after the season's over. Some shows are very boring. Shows that are named things like "The Color ____", "The Number _____", or something vague like "Away". When you hear one of those titles, you really have no clue where they could be going in the show with it. Like if a show was "The Color Green", they could be talking about grass, going eco-friendly, kiwis, life in general, slime, or maybe even mold. Who knows?
Anyways, the point is, no one wants to hear their directer announce the theme as being one of those lame themes.
Now, I haven't talked about a special kind of show. That's right, the EPIC kind. This breed of band shows is the kind every band kid dreams of. These shows have names like "The Phoenix", "Medieval Wars", etc. These are themes you can really get into, the music is awesome, and the shirts look absolutely great. EPIC themes are the ones you can brag about to band geeks from other schools and feel proud.
Here's what you don't want to happen when talking to a band geek from another school:
You: "Hey, your show was really cool! What was it called again? Adventure to.."
Them: "'Adventure to Earth's Core'! I don't remember what yours was.."
You: *pointing to shirt* "'Dark'. It's really... dark."
Them: "Yeah.. I'd assume so.."
You: "Well it sounds cool!" *tries to think of the melody*
Them: "Yeah I'm sure it does.."
*awkward pause*
You: *cough* "Uh, see ya round."
Them: "Yeah, probably not."
Totally suckish, right?
Here's what you want to happen when talking to a band geek from another school:
You: "Hey, your show was really cool! What was it called again? Adventure to.."
Them: "'Adventure to Earth's Core'! But yours was way better. It was 'Techno-Jungle', right?"
You: *pointing to shirt* "Yeah, it's really awesome to play!"
Them: "Yeah, I'd assume so!"
You: *Sings the melody*
Them: "I wish I could see it again!" *starts humming the melody too*
You: "Oh dang, I've got to go! See ya round?"
Them: "Yeah, I'm sure!"
This is why a good show is so important. So if there are any band directors out there reading this, please know that we band kids will have a much more fulfilling and exciting experience if you choose a theme of the EPIC breed!
~Remica
Saturday, July 16, 2011
To Save the Vibes
~A Short Story~
There once was a girl named Rachelle. She was in the front ensemble for her marching band. She loved playing the mallet instruments, and her absolute favorite was the vibraphone.
One day during band camp, the band members were disturbed to hear tornado sirens while they were marching the field. "TORNADO!!!!" yelled the loud guy of the band. Everyone immediately took off towards the school building nearby, screaming crazily as the wind picked up. Trumpets flailed their arms, flutes squealed, and drumliners puffed as they ran awkwardly inside. Pit members abandoned the large instruments to save themselves and ran inside, holding triangles, cymbals, shakers, etc.
The count of the students began as they huddled in the innermost room of the building. Drum major Todd Belington called out everyone's name in alphabetical order, feeling relieved as each of the band members responded. However, not everyone had made it back...
"Rachelle Shlerple... Rachelle?" Talking stopped as people looked around.
"Where is she??" fretted one of Rachelle's closest friends, Kandice Estert. "I need to go out and find her!" Kandice heroically stood up and swung open the room's doors.
"I'm coming too!"
"And me!" Two of her other close friends, Emily and Erisha stood up next to Kandice. Nodding to each other, they all ran out the door.
What they found when they got to the outside door and looked out astounded them. Rachelle was trying to pull the vibraphone inside to save it! However, the wind kept pushing her from side to side, forcing her to make very slow progress in her expedition to the door. Erisha pushed on the door to open it, but the wind was blowing at it fiercely, keeping it shut. Kandice and Emily joined in, but it was impossible. Rachelle was still rather far away; she was just now making it to the sidewalk leading to the door.
The girls on the inside watched helplessly and grew frantic as a funnel cloud began to form in the sky. They started to heave themselves at the door, desperately trying to save their friend's life. When they finally realized that they could do no more, they began to scream at Rachelle at the top of their lungs, hoping she would hear them.
"Ditch the vibes!"
"Run for your life!"
"Come on! Run faster!"
Their yelling was lost in the wind, however, for all Rachelle could hear was the continual gusts roaring past her ears. She turned the corner of the sidewalk to see her friends at the door, jumping and waving like maniacs. Gripping her vibraphone with strong hands, Rachelle squeezed her eyes shut and ran with all her might. She faintly heard voices yelling at her through the gales..
Erisha, Kandice, and Emily suddenly stopped screaming as they stared at the sky in horror. Backing down the hallway slowly, they were caught between saving Rachelle and saving themselves. A tornado was lowering itself to the ground, right on the football field they'd been on only 15 minutes before. Kandice whimpered. Emily froze, eyes wide. Erisha gasped and held her breath.
Rachelle felt almost triumphant, as she was nearing the door. Her friends weren't jumping around anymore. Maybe that was a good thing. She smiled, but then the smile was torn off her face as her feet were carried away from beneath her. Clenching her jaw shut as tight as it could ever be, Rachelle held onto the vibes as her legs flailed towards the sky.
Emily, Erisha, and Kandice continued to back away in terror. Before they took off running, they saw what they feared: The vibraphone lifted up and was carried away into the tornado, taking Rachelle with it. The three girls wailed and ran as fast as they could back to the safe room. No other band kids were lost in the storm that day, luckily, and Rachelle was remembered forever.
THE END.
There once was a girl named Rachelle. She was in the front ensemble for her marching band. She loved playing the mallet instruments, and her absolute favorite was the vibraphone.
One day during band camp, the band members were disturbed to hear tornado sirens while they were marching the field. "TORNADO!!!!" yelled the loud guy of the band. Everyone immediately took off towards the school building nearby, screaming crazily as the wind picked up. Trumpets flailed their arms, flutes squealed, and drumliners puffed as they ran awkwardly inside. Pit members abandoned the large instruments to save themselves and ran inside, holding triangles, cymbals, shakers, etc.
The count of the students began as they huddled in the innermost room of the building. Drum major Todd Belington called out everyone's name in alphabetical order, feeling relieved as each of the band members responded. However, not everyone had made it back...
"Rachelle Shlerple... Rachelle?" Talking stopped as people looked around.
"Where is she??" fretted one of Rachelle's closest friends, Kandice Estert. "I need to go out and find her!" Kandice heroically stood up and swung open the room's doors.
"I'm coming too!"
"And me!" Two of her other close friends, Emily and Erisha stood up next to Kandice. Nodding to each other, they all ran out the door.
What they found when they got to the outside door and looked out astounded them. Rachelle was trying to pull the vibraphone inside to save it! However, the wind kept pushing her from side to side, forcing her to make very slow progress in her expedition to the door. Erisha pushed on the door to open it, but the wind was blowing at it fiercely, keeping it shut. Kandice and Emily joined in, but it was impossible. Rachelle was still rather far away; she was just now making it to the sidewalk leading to the door.
The girls on the inside watched helplessly and grew frantic as a funnel cloud began to form in the sky. They started to heave themselves at the door, desperately trying to save their friend's life. When they finally realized that they could do no more, they began to scream at Rachelle at the top of their lungs, hoping she would hear them.
"Ditch the vibes!"
"Run for your life!"
"Come on! Run faster!"
Their yelling was lost in the wind, however, for all Rachelle could hear was the continual gusts roaring past her ears. She turned the corner of the sidewalk to see her friends at the door, jumping and waving like maniacs. Gripping her vibraphone with strong hands, Rachelle squeezed her eyes shut and ran with all her might. She faintly heard voices yelling at her through the gales..
Erisha, Kandice, and Emily suddenly stopped screaming as they stared at the sky in horror. Backing down the hallway slowly, they were caught between saving Rachelle and saving themselves. A tornado was lowering itself to the ground, right on the football field they'd been on only 15 minutes before. Kandice whimpered. Emily froze, eyes wide. Erisha gasped and held her breath.
Rachelle felt almost triumphant, as she was nearing the door. Her friends weren't jumping around anymore. Maybe that was a good thing. She smiled, but then the smile was torn off her face as her feet were carried away from beneath her. Clenching her jaw shut as tight as it could ever be, Rachelle held onto the vibes as her legs flailed towards the sky.
Emily, Erisha, and Kandice continued to back away in terror. Before they took off running, they saw what they feared: The vibraphone lifted up and was carried away into the tornado, taking Rachelle with it. The three girls wailed and ran as fast as they could back to the safe room. No other band kids were lost in the storm that day, luckily, and Rachelle was remembered forever.
THE END.
~Remica
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
What NOT to do before/at a band competition
Before you go to a competition, you should think well to read this and refrain from doing the following things:
1. Break up with your significant other.
Susa Fonia and her boyfriend Brad Pittman (He used to go by Pittman, but it was hard for many drum line members to remember so he just goes by Pitt) were doing just fine until Pitt met Clara Nettle. Pitt soon dumped Susa, who was devastated and cried uncontrollably for minutes. Then, the next day, when their band stepped off for a parade, Susa went crazy and began to flail her arms while screaming like a banshee. She swung her sousaphone around crazily. People did fly.
2. Slap an enemy.
This causes wars.
3. Slap a friend.
This creates enemies.
4. Feed your snail.
Bad for stoplights and band competitions alike.
5. Drink two large cans of a popular energy drink.
There typically are no bathrooms on the buses or the football fields.
Don't do these things, and you will surely be emotionally and physically stable, and have a more successful experience at your next band competition!
~Remica
(post number one!)
1. Break up with your significant other.
Susa Fonia and her boyfriend Brad Pittman (He used to go by Pittman, but it was hard for many drum line members to remember so he just goes by Pitt) were doing just fine until Pitt met Clara Nettle. Pitt soon dumped Susa, who was devastated and cried uncontrollably for minutes. Then, the next day, when their band stepped off for a parade, Susa went crazy and began to flail her arms while screaming like a banshee. She swung her sousaphone around crazily. People did fly.
2. Slap an enemy.
This causes wars.
3. Slap a friend.
This creates enemies.
4. Feed your snail.
Bad for stoplights and band competitions alike.
5. Drink two large cans of a popular energy drink.
There typically are no bathrooms on the buses or the football fields.
Don't do these things, and you will surely be emotionally and physically stable, and have a more successful experience at your next band competition!
~Remica
(post number one!)
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