Bandimal's Lair

Check out some of my favorite marching bands:

Ossining High School Marching Band

The Marching Indians

I started my marching career as an eighth grader, one of eleven students in my class who were advanced to the high school band. I fell in love with it.

1987 Season -- Sub-Frosh (8th Grader)

  • Can't Turn You Loose -- Otis Redding
  • Flamingo Lips -- arr. Jay Dawson
  • Doggin' Around -- Herschel Evans and Edgar Battle

    1988 Season -- Freshman Year

  • Winter Olympics (1988 Theme) -- Kurt Bestor
  • Drum Machine
  • ????

    1989 Season -- Sophomore Year -- Squad Leader

  • Over and Over (Again) -- Robert James Byrd
  • Put On A Happy Face (from Bye Bye, Birdie)-- Charles Strouse
  • Lazy River -- Hoagland "Hoagy" Carmichael

    1990 Season -- Junior Year -- Squad Leader & Asst. Section Leader

  • ??? Anybody remember this one? My guess is that it was a show tune of some sort. Please e-mail me if you know it.
  • St. Louis Blues March -- W.C. Handy
  • Sing, Sing, Sing -- Benny Goodman

    1991 Season -- Senior Year -- Section Leader

  • Caravan -- Duke Ellington
  • At the Hop! -- Arthur Singer, John Madara, and David White
  • The Civil War (TV) suite -- Ashokan Farewell, Battle Hymn of the Republic

    University of Delaware

     The Pride of Delaware Fightin' Blue Hen Marching Band

    This was my band during the 1992 and 1993 seasons. I loved the 1993 uniforms that Mark Alexander (then-Assistant Director) designed himself.

    1992 Season -- Freshman Year
    Show 1:

  • Malaga
  • South Rampart Street Parade -- Ray Bauduc and Bob Haggart
  • 1812 Overture -- Petr Ilych Tchaikovsky
    Show 2:
  • Taboo
  • It Don't Mean a Thing (if it Ain't Got that Swing)
  • National Emblem March
    Supershow included all pieces listed above.

    1993 Season -- Sophomore Year
    Show 1:

  • Strike Up the Band -- March -- George Gershwin
  • "Hands Across the Sea" March -- John Philip Sousa
  • When a Man Loves a Woman
    Show 2 "Andrew Lloyd Webber":
  • St. Louis Blues March -- W.C. Handy
  • Jesus Christ Superstar suite
  • Phantom of the Opera suite
    Show 3 "Farewell":
  • Jurassic Park suite -- John Williams
  • Georgia on my Mind -- Hoagy Carmichael
  • Auld Lang Syne -- traditional Scottish
    Supershow included Shows 1 & 2 combined.

    University of New Mexico

     The Spirit of New Mexico Lobo Marching Band

    I was on exchange to UNM during the 1994 season so I marched with this band. Glen Adsit was their new marching band director that year. Although the football team didn't do too well, the band was GREAT!

    1994 Season -- Junior Year
    Show 1 "Beatlemania":

    • Can't Buy Me Love
    • Day Tripper
    • When I'm Sixty-Four
    • Hey Jude

    Show 2 "West Side Story":
    • Prologue/Something's Coming
    • Mambo
    • Officer Krupke
    • Somewhere

    Show 3 "Elvis Is In The House":
    • Burnin' Love
    • Jailhouse Rock/Rock Around the Clock/Shake Rattle & Roll
    • I Can't Help Falling in Love With You

    REASONS YOU KNOW YOU'VE BEEN IN MARCHING BAND TOO LONG

  • In July you get itchy to go back to Boot -- oops, Band Camp.
  • You get angry at the networks for preempting field shows with "X's Super-Dooper Halftime Report"
  • You dream of being in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade or Disneyworld's Christmas Parade or maybe even the Tournament of Roses Parade...
  • ... and it really doesn't matter that you'd be faceless in a crowd.
  • When you start walking, you always start with your left foot. Always.
  • A car passes and you fall in step with the bass beat.
  • You go back to your high school as an alumna, and end up marching in the Memorial Day parade.
  • You memorize your music in a week, then your drill, then other people's music, then other people's drill...
  • ... and you end up knowing their music and their marks better than them.
  • You're singing to yourself and you realize you're out of step...
  • ... so even though you're not in uniform, you do a hop-step anyway, just because.
  • People call you "Drill Sergeant" with fear and respect -- and you've never been in the military.
  • You've been in Marching Band for more than half of your entire academic career.
  • Your Internet nickname is "Bandimal".
  • When you're bored you drum cadences with your fingers.
  • You know the importance of the 22-1/2 inch step...
  • ... and you also can hold a spirited debate over its merits and drawbacks
  • You think you march better than the ROTC cadets.
  • You talk incessantly about marching band, and you haven't actually been in a band for four five six seven years.
  • Last but not least: The Band Director knows you on a first name basis, and you play the flute.

    Other Noteworthy* Marching & Precision Groups

    Disclaimer: "Noteworthy" is by my personal definition and should not be construed as an official, unofficial, valid, invalid, honorific, detracting (--insert your own term here--) or otherwise flame-worthy commentary. I just like them.

    Drum Corps International

    Grambling State University

    Southern University

    The United States Marine Corps Silent Drill Team

    The United States Naval Academy Drum & Bugle Corps

    The United States Navy Silent Drill Team

    University of Michigan Marching Band

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