Bob Jones wraps up band camp
MADISON- Bob Jones band avoided the rain and extreme heat for one more day Tuesday to put on a preview of the competition and football show to come this fall.
Band Director Leigh Thomas welcomed the large crowd gathered on the hill on Eastview Drive at 5:30 pm. She commended the volunteers who helped prepare the field and the food for another successful band camp. Next, she gave recognition to the large freshmen class that has stepped up to replace the 53 seniors lost from last years band.
With that, the band launched into their competition show titled ‘the divide’.
The show features patriotic songs and reflects the mood of the country and bringing everything together by the end of the show.
The football show will again have the Patriettes dance team, precision rifle, and color guard team. It will have two on electric guitar.
“We are featuring pop music that makes everyone want to move and dance,” Thomas said. “You will hear older tunes from Michael Jackson and more recent music from Bruno Mars and Justin Timberlake. It’s kind of a tribute to pop music. It’s exciting. There are dance elements and electronics that will fill out the show. The first 2 games we will do a portion then add segments.”
The band has most of the show on the field and played that for the crowd.
The band spent the first week of camp on the soccer field then moved to their practice field the next week.
“The weather was excellent the last week,” said Thomas who is in her seventh season since coming here from the MDB at U of Alabama. “It was the coolest band camp I have ever been a part of.”
The only returning drum major is Madison Emmons who will direct both shows as will Sarah Mays. Walker White will be on the 50 in the tall stand for the halftime show.
The band is marching 160 which is smaller by 7 from last year.
“We have a large freshman class that has come in and made a big impact,” Thomas said. “Losing a third of the band they had some big shoes to fill but they have stepped up to the plate in both shows. Ten freshmen are on the color guard. Lots of young talent and they are well prepared coming from Discovery.”
Kevin Smart is in his fourth year as assistant and works a lot of the field elements.
The band will take a pep band of the leadership team, mostly juniors and seniors on one bus to Bob Jones’ second game in Alpharetta, Georgia.
Thomas said the football show will last six minutes and the competition show eight minutes.
The band will go to the Alabama Marching Band Championship at the end of the season and will compete against other 7A schools.
The band is now in the sixth year of fielding a separate competition show.
