Welcome to the part of the site that no one really understands, including us. This totally factual account of a show day from the standpoint of a SI staffer is a little thing we like to call Contest Journal.
In the version of Contest Journal, Tim and I made our annual trip to Alumni Stadium in Jasper for the ISSMA District show. District is the first round of qualifications for the state championships. Bands always manage to kick their shows up a notch at District, so Tim and I decided to do the same for our photos. To accomplish this we knew that we had to be mentally sharp and able to concentrate 100% on our photography. The music that we listened to was a crucial part of our mental preparation. Fortunately we had the perfect music - Dr. Love’s timeless classic, Mr. Snuggles.
Despite forecasts to the contrary, it started raining soon after we arrived at the show. Because of the rain, there was a slight delay during Class D. We could sense the tension growing in the crowd with each passing minute. After all, who wants to sit in the rain and look at an empty field? We knew that we must do something to entertain the audience during the break.
Tim decided to lighten the mood with an a cappella rendition of the Gene Kelly favorite, Singin' In The Rain, complete with choreography. He put his camera down, grabbed his umbrella, trotted out to the track in front of the 50-yard line, and broke into song and dance. Anyone lucky enough to have seen Tim perform will tell you that from the first note he had the crowd in the palm of his hand. Unfortunately Tim got so wrapped up in the cheers and squeals from the ladies in the audience that he started stripping in the middle of the song.
In this photo staffers Jermaine Williams (of Springs Valley) and Amy Neukam (of Northeast Dubois) were a little frightened, a little amused, but totally entranced by the burlesque portion of Tim’s act.
It was raining harder than ever by the time Tim started to expose his sequined hot pink thong, but the contest manager quickly grabbed the microphone, declared the sky was sunny and that the contest would resume immediately.
One of the best things I enjoy about marching band contests is that I often learn things about our world, and beyond. Perry Central’s show taught me that in addition to being the largest planet in the solar system, Jupiter has four feet!
Former Castle director Tom Dean won the annual band staff march-off that pits area band directors against each other in a no holds barred exhibition of marching prowess. Tom showed that he could not only march perfect 8-to-5 steps, but he could also do it at 180 beats per minute with both hands tied behind his back.
What a great show! We took a bunch of photos, hung out with our friends, and had a few laughs to boot. We can’t wait to do it again next week!
