The marching band is stepping up this season, preparing to play in Lucas Oil for the first time in years, with an all new performance and a drive to do their very best. Made up of percussion, drum line, winds, and color guard, the marching band is bigger than ever, ready to perform in the Bands of America Regional. 

The BAR is one that only some bands get asked to go to every year. It is a way for bands to compete at a bigger level and gain experience, and go against bands from all over the country. 

“I just think it is going to be a great experience,” said band director Michael Richardson. “This is something I’ve been thinking about doing for several years, with having an opportunity like this almost literally in our backyard it was just too good to pass up.”

The performance theme, Bioluminescence, is an eight-minute long, four part performance, with different movements from the band and color guard. Each movement and part focuses on a different part of the deep sea.

“The setting is the very deep ocean, like to the point where you can’t see the sun,” said Richardson. “It is pitch black and what we are trying to do is we are trying to set scenes of different underwater creatures that have that glowing color, that bioluminescence.”

“It is very interesting. I mean I have heard it described as electric ocean, and I think that really sums it up well,” said senior Bray Parks, who is the center of the pit. “Musically, that is something very unique.”

Since before school let out last school year, the band has been working on their show. In May, they did a few preseason workouts that allowed them to get a feel for the show. In June, the percussion and color guard practiced for a week and then two weeks before school started, the entire band got together to practice from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. everyday. 

Now, during the actual school year, practices are at least three times a week, not including any Saturday competitions or Friday performances during half-time of the football games. 

There have been some changes since last year, in the way that they practice and what they do during each practice. 

“We have been really comparing yourself to Carolina Crown that comes here every year so we can get that practice etiquette going,” said senior color guard member Rhylan Johnson. 

“We’ve been working on basics a lot more this season than we have in past seasons,” said senior Mikayla Parker. “We’ll sit there for 30 minutes working on the same basics until it is right and everyone is doing it consistently. It’s just a lot of doing everything consistently.”

Each practice consists of 45 minute to an hour warm-up, and then two hours left to work on a different part of the show. One hour could be spent on one part, the next hour another part. Later in the year when competition season comes, there will be a time for a full run through of the show. 

“We stretch, we do a little bit of physical training just to get our heart rate up. We will do some marching band basics, some music warm up, making sure our horns are ready to go. And then from there it is whatever we need to work on,” said Richardson. 

Throughout the prepping, many students have stepped up in leadership roles to help the band prep and be the voice of the others in the band. There are 16 of them in total. 

“A couple of years ago we started what we are calling the band council, and basically it is a group of our student leaders who have various responsibilities, but this year more than any other they’ve really taken it upon themselves to be not just the voice of the student group as a whole but also being proactive,” said Richardson. “Like if they see there is an issue they work to correct it. A couple weeks ago they met just to talk about how things were going without any prompting from me or any of our other directors.”

Three of these students are the three drum majors, who help conduct on the field. Senior Ella Jones, Junior Von Uk Ceu, and Sophmore Myah Heinfeld are really embracing their roles as leaders. Addison Rhoeling, a flute player, is also taking charge of warm-ups, making sure everyone is in shape to perform. 

This competition is one every student in the band is looking forward to to compete in. From veteran seniors who get to end their high school band career out strong, to rookie freshman, who get to start their band career out performing in a higher competition. 

“I think it’s really going to affect the rookies, seeing how cool, how unique it is to be in Lucas Oil Stadium,” said Parks. “They have no idea what it was like before. I think it is also going to really affect the seniors seeing how it’s going to be their last time ever, and we are ending it off of such a huge bang.”

Not only is it a way for them to start or end their season, but it is a way for them to gain the confidence they need and the experience that not many get to see. 

“I think it’ll give us some inspiration for ourselves because Perry Meridian marching band alone isn’t like the best in the state but us performing at Lucas Oil Stadium will give us a confidence 

Boost,” said Johnson. 

Richardson, who was part of the marching band when he was in high school, got to perform at Lucas Oil as well, when it was called the RCA Dome. 

“I remember giving that performance and just being blown away by it,” said Richardson. “I just remember being able to look down and go ‘oh that’s the Colt’s helmet that’s pretty cool.’ So I am looking forward to being able to provide that similar experience to our students.”

As the band continues to practice, they perform bits of the show during half-time of the home football games, as well as performing the full show at smaller competitions before BAC.