Band Competitions.

Recently, I've taken to attending Kennedy's band competitions. I've been to band concerts before, but the competitions are surprisingly very much different. For one thing, they're a lot more epic than just band concerts. When it's marching band, it's more interesting, and even comparable to show choir competitions.

Having never been to a competition before, I decided to tag along with my friend, who is a Kennedy band alum. She also felt that she needed to assist me in learning proper, "band competition etiquette."

There are definitely significant differences when it comes to football half-time shows, and what I saw at my first competition. When the band plays, there is complete silence, unless you are applauding a soloist, or a particularly awesome choreography bit. You do not stand up in the middle of a show. That is frowned upon. And you also applaud other schools, even though they are not your school. Whereas in football, it wouldn't be strange for you to hear someone booing the other team. In marching band, it would be.

My band alum friend also told me stories of her years of being in marching band.
During one particular competition, a school had a Mission Impossible theme. They had a briefcase as a prop that showed up, and then disappeared a few times among the students within the choreography. At the last note of the performance, a saxophone held up the briefcase in the middle of the mass of students. Finishing the note, he sprinted to the opposite corner, soon followed by the entire band chasing him off the field. They disappeared behind the bleachers on the other side, and received a standing ovation.
You would have assumed that they stopped once they weren't seen anymore behind the stands, but to everyone's surprise, they reappeared clear on the other end, still sprinting after the briefcase. This caused everyone in the stands to roll in laughter.

Overall, I learned that half-time shows at football games do not live up to the awesomeness of the performances of an actual competition.

Also, this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZtCZOiZ-cg