Just curious, was anyone in a marching band or drum corp in high-school or college? Or anyone have a child in marching band? I was in the colorguard in my high school and then I marched in college for almost 4 years. I miss it so much-I hope once my girls get older to volunteer at our high school.

By Marg on Monday, February 2, 2004 - 01:50 pm:

I held the banner (for the school) one year.

I enjoyed it, but Nov and Dec was toooo cold for me to do it!

By Cat on Monday, February 2, 2004 - 02:47 pm:

I was in marching band all through Jr. High and High School, was drum major in 8th grade and as a senior, and then was in the Drum and Bugle Corp during basic training and in tech school (was drum major again) while in the Air Force. I love it! We kind of had our own little world. "The Band Nerds." Yep, that was me, and I'm proud of it! lol

By Bellajoe on Monday, February 2, 2004 - 02:55 pm:

Yep, i started playing trumpet in 3rd or 4th grade. . Was in band in middle school and concert, marching band, orchestra, and jazz band in High School. It was alot of fun! We sort of had our own little world too, Cat. Except we weren't band nerds, we were 'band fags'! Lovely huh? Actually noone was called a 'band fag' unless they were walking the high school halls singing or humming a tune that we were learning in band!

By Kolbysmom on Monday, February 2, 2004 - 03:05 pm:

I was in band from 5th grade-Senior. We didn't have a marching band because our school was so small(250 kids). I played the flute and piccalo. I do miss band a lot. We were all VERY close. We weren't considered nerds though. We were the cool kids lol.

By Dana on Monday, February 2, 2004 - 04:21 pm:

LOVED IT! Played flute from 7th-12th grade. We had the COOLEST band! Our band director was a FAMU grad, so ALL of our routines were funky. I have been spoiled. I can't stand bands that just stand and play. I like that movin' and grovin' style marching.

It was fun to watch the videos of our half times. Everyone would be doing half time stuff walking around and doing whatever, but as soon as we entered the field EVERYONE, both team sides, were still and watching.

I miss it so much. I also miss that DD will probably not have a band in the same standard as our band.

By Fraggle on Monday, February 2, 2004 - 04:37 pm:

Dana, I know what you mean about having a fun band. My college band was amazing-300 members and we had music from broadway shows to hit movie soundtracks. We never really stayed still for very long. Our football team was not very good, so more people stayed in the stands during half-time than during the game just to see the band. We even did a post-game show when we were at home since there were so many fans. I might just have to watch the video from my senior year tonight.

In high school we were known as the "band geeks" or bandos. So sad that some of us had to have such negative names. I guess it bothered me in high school, but not too much since I actually chose my college based on which college had the best marching band in New England.

By Bellajoe on Monday, February 2, 2004 - 04:55 pm:

Dana, our band sounds alot like yours was. Ours wasn't a 'marching band' it was a 'swing band'. We barely ever stood still while playing. We were doing kicks and and moving our horns back and forth and stuff like that. We even did "Aquarious" (sp?) where the drummers rolled onto their bass drums and onto their heads and played that way...upside down. THey made a sort of pyramid with their drums with the cymbal player standing on top. Everyone LOVED it. Especially the other bands. We only did that one for band festivals. Ahhh the memories !!

By Dawnk777 on Monday, February 2, 2004 - 07:53 pm:

Windjammers Drum and Bugle Corps from 6th grade to 8th grade. I loved it and hated it all at the same time! I got some wonderful experiences though and saw places I never would have otherwise. It was a lot of work, though.

Band from 5th grade through high school. It drove me nuts that my fellow band-mates couldn't always march as nice as the drum corps had, though! I'm spoiled for life and sloppy marching in a parade DRIVES ME CRAZY!

By Dawnk777 on Monday, February 2, 2004 - 07:58 pm:

Played soprano bugle in the drum corps and started out on cornet in 5th grade and switched to French horn in high school.

Band was like my favorite thing in high school. Definitely a band geek. So, was my husband. He played clarinet and saxophone in band. In fact, when we were in middle school, we were even in the same band class, but we really didn't know each other. I vaguely remember a red-haired saxophone player when I was in 7th grade and he would have been in 8th grade. Isn't that weird?

We are totally raising band geek children, too. DD14 plays clarinet and DD11 plays flute!

By Dana on Monday, February 2, 2004 - 08:34 pm:

Fraggle and Bellajoe, don't you wish they were ALL like that! Bands are pretty boring to me if they don't don the fun stuff.

What years were you members? Our band (well the school itself) was doing the cool stuff back in the 70's (the song "Back Stabbers" was a huge band routine hit) but I was just in grade school then. Same director was there when I graduated in 1980. He quit soon after. It was such a shame because the school didn't hire someone who could match his abilitis and style. Just the boring stand while the moved every once in a while.

I haven't seen a "good" band in years. Let me know the next time you see one on national tv show so I can turn it on.

By Fraggle on Monday, February 2, 2004 - 10:24 pm:

I marched in the late 80's and graduated college in "93. I don't rememeber anything from High School-we did a lot of boring stand around stuff. In college some shows that I remember were Robin Hood (the music from the movie with Kevin Costner), Little Mermaid (sounds corny but it was actually a lot of fun), Les Miserables, Batman (some members actually dressed up as Batman, Catwoman, the penguin, the joker and had a mock battle on the field).

Dana, right around Labor Day they broadcast the DCI (Drum Corp International) championships on PBS. Definitely worth watching. You can also check DCI's website and see if any drum corps are ever performing in your area. I am actually going to order a video called "Blast" that was aired on PBS. It got really good reviews on Amazon. I had asked for it for Christmas but didn't get it so I think I will just get it for myself !