2013 Marching Band Thread

[My2Cinderellas]

First game was tonight. 100 degree heat so no uniforms, just white tees and black gym shorts. They got thru the entire show, looked great for this early in the season.

It was a huge night for the kids. Our town split into 2 high schools this year, and the first game pitted the 2 teams against each other. Lots of emotions all around.

 

[Pembo]

First game for us last night - it was 85 and muggy - the kids were a sweaty mess in their full uniforms. My sophomore ds trumpet played his solo and ROCKED IT! DH & I went crazy after he played it. So proud....

 

[nuke]

No game last night. Cancelled because of thunderstorms with lightening.

 

[*Fantasia*]

It was hot and muggy for us too this past Thursday when they had their first performance. I am so glad that they weren't required to wear their band uniform. They wore their summer uniform which is navy blue shorts, their band shirt, white socks, and black shoes (no gym shoes). They would have melted out there if they wore those heavy think uniform and they have to wear those band hats too!

I don't want the cold weather to get here yet, but I sure can't wait to see them in their full band uniform! They are going to look great out there!

 

[*Fantasia*]

No game last night. Cancelled because of thunderstorms with lightening.

Awww... Sorry to hear that. Are they going to make up that game? My nephew just had their first game yesterday, but it rained and poured after the game which is good.

 

[Katy Belle]

Our first game is next week, I'm getting excited reading about your first games! Our kids will wear "warm weather uniforms" the first 2 games, which is polos and black pants. Still hot, but much better than the uniforms. We have all but about 6 uniforms completely ready to go! Yay!

Its been hot here too. At morning rehearsal on Thursday a clarinet player passed out and at evening rehearsal two Tuba players nearly passed out. DS16 was surprised at how hard they worked them, with little breaks, Friday morning. I think Mr. Band Director is getting into his usual panic mode...feeling like they haven't learned enough of it!

Have a great weekend!

 

[bittybabygrower]

Our first home game was last night... Kids brains about boiled marching from the high school across the street to the field and being at attention for a bit. The director let them do pregame without their overlays Cooled off some by half time so full uniform and my DD has two solos... And if course I cried... She was awesome!! I am sad this is her senior year!

 

[*Fantasia*]

Our first game is next week, I'm getting excited reading about your first games! Our kids will wear "warm weather uniforms" the first 2 games, which is polos and black pants. Still hot, but much better than the uniforms. We have all but about 6 uniforms completely ready to go! Yay!

Its been hot here too. At morning rehearsal on Thursday a clarinet player passed out and at evening rehearsal two Tuba players nearly passed out. DS16 was surprised at how hard they worked them, with little breaks, Friday morning. I think Mr. Band Director is getting into his usual panic mode...feeling like they haven't learned enough of it!

Have a great weekend!

Oh my!! That's terrible! I'm glad that no one had to go to the ER. My daughter (and I am sure the whole band) was complaining about how HOT it is outside when they were at the pre-camp and camp. They were there pretty much all day, but thank goodness that they do get breaks, but I don't know how often though. There was one time where I was sitting at the bleacher just watching them practice and I had my umbrella on just so I won't burn my skin. Even though they have their sunscreen on, it still hurts the skin when the sun is beaming right at them.

Good luck on their first game!

 

[momof1princess]

Oh my!! That's terrible! I'm glad that no one had to go to the ER. My daughter (and I am sure the whole band) was complaining about how HOT it is outside when they were at the pre-camp and camp. They were there pretty much all day, but thank goodness that they do get breaks, but I don't know how often though. There was one time where I was sitting at the bleacher just watching them practice and I had my umbrella on just so I won't burn my skin. Even though they have their sunscreen on, it still hurts the skin when the sun is beaming right at them.

Good luck on their first game!

It's always like that during football/marching season in Alabama. It was 95 degrees with almost 100% humidity for our first game Thursday night. We sold all of our cold bottled water before the game even started, and the cold gatorade was gone by second quarter. By the 4th quarter, all we had left in both concession stands was a few diet drinks-but the crowd was so miserable and thirsty, they bought almost all of those too. We play at home again next Friday-hope our concession supervisors have a better plan.

 

[marcyinPA]

First game for us tonight. It is low 80's but really muggy. Has rained a little today, and 30% chance of storms tonight. Hopefully the game goes on. My DS18 came home from college this weekend to see his little brother's first band performance!

Crazy practices start again this week, including every SUNDAY afternoon.

 

[lovegrumpy]

First game for us isn't intel the 12. So wish it was coming up sooner.

 

[nuke]

Awww... Sorry to hear that. Are they going to make up that game? My nephew just had their first game yesterday, but it rained and poured after the game which is good.

They made it up today but without the 1/2 time show. Too many kids had other commitments.

 

[beavismom]

Our first game was Friday night. The football team did really well, we had a few bumps in the road for the halftime show. This is a really complicated drill this year and the kids aren't given the opportunity to march on the actual field before the game so the first one is always a challenge. It was brutally hot so they were in summer uniforms. Sadly, the other band was not. I always feel so sorry for them. It can only get cooler from here, right?

 

[m&m's mom]

We had our 1st game on Friday night. Football team won.
It was 103F at game start time. There were people in the stands passing out but the band and football players were fine. Leaders did a great job keeping those kids hydrated.
It's funny the things that stand out. Our band director is super, super strict about how the kids look; no non-traditonal color hair, short hair on boys, girls performance buns only, no jewelry, no facial hair, shirt tucked in, long shorts and matching belts, pristine white shoes etc.- and that is for the warm weather uniform. Their other band uniforms have 3 pages front and back on how to wash and clean them. My mother took one look over the directions and said "Leave it to me". She picks up my DD's uniform after church on Sunday and delivers it perfect on Wednesday. She is the best cause those directions were crazy.
The band we played had their shirts not tucked in. That really stuck out to me.

 

[Katy Belle]

We had our 1st game on Friday night. Football team won.
It was 103F at game start time. There were people in the stands passing out but the band and football players were fine. Leaders did a great job keeping those kids hydrated.
It's funny the things that stand out. Our band director is super, super strict about how the kids look; no non-traditonal color hair, short hair on boys, girls performance buns only, no jewelry, no facial hair, shirt tucked in, long shorts and matching belts, pristine white shoes etc.- and that is for the warm weather uniform. Their other band uniforms have 3 pages front and back on how to wash and clean them. My mother took one look over the directions and said "Leave it to me". She picks up my DD's uniform after church on Sunday and delivers it perfect on Wednesday. She is the best cause those directions were crazy.
The band we played had their shirts not tucked out. That really stuck out to me.

I was wondering if Mr. Band Director will make our kids tuck in their shirts next week. Will be interesting to see! Our warm weather uniforms are polos and black pants. I quit making my own kids tuck in polos years ago. We don't have matching pants or belts, every kid just gets their own.

 

[beavismom]

We have a pretty strict dress code as well. I can't even imagine them letting the kids go out without their shirts tucked in. I think how the band looks really does count in how they are perceived when they go out to games and competitions though.

 

[KiminChicago]

I was so busy over the summer so I'm jumping into this thread a little late this year. DS is a junior this year and since the senior who plays clarinet dropped all music -- DS is the oldest member of the clarinet section.

Sadly DS missed band camp because we were at WDW the first week in August. DD is a dancer so we couldn't go in June due to recitals and competitions. Then she found out she made the Varsity dance team at the high school (she's a freshman so this was a huge deal!) and July was dance camps and workshops (she also got a scholarship to a dance workshop from the studio she dances at). Since they didn't announce the dates of band camp until the end of May, I had already changed the dates of our vacation twice and couldn't change them again without our points going into holding (we're DVC members). Fortunately the band director understood, and since we're a non-competition band, it didn't make much difference.

Switching from the block schedule to a period based schedule has really messed with our band. It used to be that all the band students had band block at the same time so they could all march together. Concert band, aka "Freshman Band" doesn't march, but Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble both do, and now they don't meet at the same time, so it has been a little rough. Last year's formations kept the two bands pretty separate so there wasn't a problem, but this year's are much tighter so if someone is in the wrong place at the wrong time, we could see a few collisions on the field.

I was really looking forward to our first game Friday night -- DD would have been a part of the half time show with the dance team and DS with the marching band and my nephew plays football for the opposing team, so all three of them would have been out on the same field, but the rain was so bad that it was cancelled. They ended up playing the game on Saturday, but the dance team and the marching band didn't perform. Oh well, maybe next year.

We have our first parade on Sunday, Sept. 8th, then Homecoming week starts on the 9th -- so the first half time show may be at the Homecoming game on Friday the 13th

 

[camreesmom]

Our kids marched in full uniform this past Thursday night and it was hotter than heck! It was also their first time marching on the field because of the rain. DD14 was nervous because the field doesn't have the "dots" on it like the parking lot they practice on. The band looked pretty good for their first time. We won the game but barely. Our guys were moving slow & just didn't seem to be in sync
First home game is Friday night & should be good. Hopefully the new band uniforms will be in. This will also be our only home game this month. I hate traveling for games but with DD14 in marching band & DD17 with cheer, we won't be missing any games!

 

[bittybabygrower]

We are lucky to have a practice field, it never dawned on me other schools didn't have one.

Our director is strict with dress code also, hair up off neck, we have black band shirts and red shorts to wear under the uniform and only black long sleeve and pant under armour when the weather gets cold. Shoes have to be polished, white crew socks. No nail polish, makeup can not be outrageous. No jewelry including earrings, piercings.

Our uniforms get sent out ton the cleaners every other week unless it is rainly/muddy.

Kids are not allowed to drink anything but water as our overlays are white.

Served us well when we went to Disney, no one got pulled out for improper appearance

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Preview night was supposed to be last Wednesday, but it was cancelled due to thunderstorms.

First game was Saturday afternoon, and it was an away game. Football team lost. Band played the preshow and did a good job. You can tell it's not quite done. There are props (mirrors) that aren't done yet, and there are costumes for the color guard that weren't worn.

It's their first year using props. I never really liked the idea, but I wan to see how it goes.

Friday is our first home page. Saturday, they travel to the University of Maryland for Band Day.