Leaderboard

I just want say, as a member of a high school marching band currently, that football games are definitely not just about the football team where I live (Texas). Honestly, Fall is more about marching season than football season, though my school has been getting better the past couple years, so my school is getting more pumped about football lately. Every Friday night, we go to the games. No matter if they're home or away games. We always play stand tunes and pep music in the stands and then about halfway through second quarter we leave the stands to get ready for halftime. Performing on the field during halftime with all those people, even when we're at away games, is such an amazing feeling. It prepares us for what it's like to perform in front of large crowds, which we wouldn't get to experience before our first contest if we only did our competition show during rehearsals. Plus, it's such an awesome feeling when you just performed your heart out and you look up in the stands at an away game and half the stadium is standing and cheering for you. It's even cooler at home games because almost everyone stands and cheers, and it's so cool because they're all doing that for us. If all we did for halftime was pep stuff, they wouldn't be cheering for us but for the football team. What would even be the point? We already do all that pep stuff when we're in the stands anyway. This was mainly just me rambling and I can't believe I finally made my account to post in this stupid topic, but whatever.

Some random thoughts... - There is a very large percentage of high school marching bands in this country who do not compete at all and therefore whatever they play for halftime is whatever they play for halftime. Playing "artsy fartsy fru-fru" shows (or whatever hyperbolic reference one can think of) is not really an issue IMO - There is also a percentage of high schools in this country who don't even have marching bands, whether it's because the size of the school can't support it, or there is lack of interest, or the programs were eliminated due to budget cuts, etc. This whole halftime thing is obviously not an issue here either because there is no band - Of the bands across the country who do compete, only a small percentage of them are "BOA bands," and by that I mean the ones who dedicate focusing their season around BOA regionals and/or Grand Nationals events. Even when you factor in the other bands who do compete in BOA but only to fill out their schedule and try and give their students a different kind of educational experience, and the non-BOA bands who emulate those top BOA bands when it comes to show design, it is absolutely impossible to state with any reasonable degree of accuracy how many of those shows being performed (which are different year to year, let's not forget) would fall under the "AFFF" type of shows mentioned above. Many of those shows are exciting and entertaining and filled with life and vitality and have appeal to folks watching the football games as well as competition audiences - Let's also acknowledge that the opposite can also be true whereby there are many shows designed specifically for the football crowd which can be boring and stale and as unappealing as any AFFF show, whether it's due to poor design or lackluster performance or just complete apathy from the crowd, most of whom aren't paying attention or are off taking a leak or buying hot dogs Point is, there are so many variables here, it's impossible to describe with authority that only one thing is happening at these halftimes across the country. And even if one focuses on the AFFF teams, it stands to reason that we're talking about a very distinct minority - As to that minority, if fans at these football games are complaining to the principals and superintendents about it, and the band directors decide to ignore those complaints, then I can see why people would have a problem with that. If you take a job at one of these high schools, even if your competitive resume is strong, you still have a responsibility to put time and effort into the football side of the equation, complete with energetic rah-rah music for the stands during the game, touchdown or victory music, perhaps playing the school's alma mater before and after the game, and of course the national anthem. But if fans aren't complaining, and they are generally OK with what these bands are doing, and the principals are OK with what these bands are doing, and the superintendents are OK with what these bands are doing, then frankly who are we to complain when we're nowhere near being involved? - In regards to the nitpicky often-times pedantic "letter of the law" stuff (which some people like to focus on by demanding that others cite their sources and quote chapter and verse), I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that I can't imagine there is anything stated in any high school football federation or league rulebook that bands are even required to perform at halftime in the first place. I'd be perfectly happy to admit if I'm wrong on that. But I further can't imagine that these rulebooks would then go on to dictate what types of shows the bands are required to perform, not to mention dictating what the band's purpose for even being there is supposed to be. That kind of thing (issues of roles and expectations) is established by each individual school, and I say again, if the fans and principals and superintendents are OK with it, then really...who the eff cares?!?!

In the end, no matter our disputes, agreements, etc... its ALWAYS about the performers that we fans/ staff/ alums/ parents, etc appreciate with the all these performers efforts and their dedication, no matter the placements/ shows.

We play 3 quarters of stand music and drum beats to support the team and cheerleaders and fans (3rd quarter we are off after half-time for snacks). What is wrong with doing our one and only field show for 8 minutes at half-time? The cheerleaders practice their hearts out to perform their best, the team practices to play as well as they can. Yet you think it OK for the band to perform a half-baked show of the lamest music, set to the lamest drill possible, with the cheesiest drum beats, with almost no rehearsal, as the best representation of the instrumental music department at games. Sorry, in our moment to shine, I would want us to put our best foot forward.

Last time I checked the high school experience was about them. I lately choose not to respond two some of these discussions for many reasons but I felt at least in my own opinion that were losing sight of the fact the high school experience is about the students experience. With all that said I'm looking at the broader picture .Personally to think that the band program is there merely to entertain and be a byproduct for any other program is the very reason in my opinion that there's been such a low regard from decades gone by of not only band programs but the students involved. I do believe there is a variety of all types of bands which is a good thing if one program chooses to be nothing more than a Chopin that's great if another program chooses to be highly competitive and their students enjoy that then that's equally that's great Not getting into the debate just throwing my two cents out there thanks

well ok

Stu, of course, being the Michael Bay of high school band show design...

What you call rambling I call thoughtful and insightful and so well written. Your English teachers past and present must love reading your work!

That is what we do in the stands. Where it belongs, IMO. Most bands I have ever experienced do much the same in my area. In the stands we play tunes for the cheerleaders who have choreographed dance routines to our tunes. We do special drum cadences, etc. Halftime we do our one field show. Nothing wring with that, IMO. The band is still learning the show, so its not like we have time to spend learning two of them.

I don't know of any band (BOA or otherwise) who believes that ALL bands should do as they do when it comes to their approach to competition in the circuit of their choosing, or in designing their shows/uniforms, or budgeting for their programs, etc. I can't think of a single band director who has the time or energy to worry about any other program other than their own when it comes to that stuff. When it comes to competition, however, no matter which circuit, there will always be individual bands who spend more, push the boundaries more, etc. and I say more power to them if they have the means and resources with which to do so. Besides, it's their activity, too!

http://ukfannetwork.org/watch/DCUK/live.php

So last night I closely watched the crowd during the halftime performances for my school and the opponent. The opponent played Shake it Off for the drill team and 1,000 Airplanes on the Roof for their contest show. Crowd applauded about equally for those two. Our band played The Final Countdown for the drill team and New World Symphony for the contest show. Crowd applauded about equally for those two. Band parents probably more than most, I must admit. Nobody fell asleep during the halftime that I could see. Then the football teams came back out and everyone went back into pep band mode and all was fine. Mike

Nope; critique is reserved for Bobby L. Collins!!!

I wish you luck on trying to keep this updated! I tried it two offseasons ago, did not turn out very well

There is a video "out there" with a 3 second shot of my son right after he finished his last competitive performance. The range of emotions, from absolute joy to the realization that 7 years of marching drum corps was over... That's one of the moments I'll never forget from 2017.