[BJWilliams]

Dr. Kerr has subtly announced the trip to Myrtle Beach via our band website, www.liberty.edu/band, under the 2006 Schedule. We are hoping to add some more color and content to the site over the course of the next few weeks, and then throughout the semester with more pictures and possibly videos. I know that Dr. Kerr was looking for a band photographer and videographer outside the band for the upcoming semester. Should be a great year. Last I heard, we received the show score from the arranger, and were in the process of making revisions, and Dr. Super was going to get to the drum book once the score was finalized. Drumline and colorguard camp starts in just over three weeks, and I can't wait to see the band practice and perform this year. Drumline should be even tighter than last year, with this year's drum captian being very discipline-oriented, and very good (he was, unfortunately, the last snare cut from the Boston Crusaders' line for this summer), and we have new guard instructor, and a larger band enrollment overall. The only question reamins how long (if at all) we'll be able to practice on East Campus.

Oh yeah baby! Chris, I'll be up that weekend to help wherever I can

[phoenix]

A kid my wife and I taught is headed to LU this year, and he's trying out for the pit. He'll be loving life if he gets to go to Myrtle this year.

[PAmedic]

Dr. Kerr has subtly announced the trip to Myrtle Beach via our band website, www.liberty.edu/band, under the 2006 Schedule.

yet another story which broke FIRST here on Flame Fans .com!

[BJWilliams]

That's right...FlameFans.com, your FIRST source for Liberty University athletics (and marching band) news

[BJWilliams]

Well folks, a week from today the percussion and color guard reports for registration to begin the 2006 marching band season

[Flamesfanva]

Any plans to add more tunes to the band site? Better yet, just produce a game day CD.

[BJWilliams]

Any plans to add more tunes to the band site? Better yet, just produce a game day CD.

Im not sure. Id talk to cdbilton about that. He is the closest one to Dr Kerr among the membership right now

[cdbilton]

We did record a CD last fall with about six or seven tracks, just for the band members to have. Hopefully we can continue to produce recordings each fall, and make them available for purchase. It would also be nice to do recordings before November, because it was really cold and windy when we made the last recording, which negatively affected the quality of some of the tracks. I've spent some time at LU with the percussion instructor, and a couple other drummers preparing equipment for the show. This is going to be a great show, and I'm loooking forward to stopping by practice a couple times during drum and band camps. I've been told that the band will still practice at East Campus for one more fall, and then we will have a parking lot near the Football Operations Center once they finish it, which will be permenantly ours.

[BJWilliams]

We did record a CD last fall with about six or seven tracks, just for the band members to have. Hopefully we can continue to produce recordings each fall, and make them available for purchase. It would also be nice to do recordings before November, because it was really cold and windy when we made the last recording, which negatively affected the quality of some of the tracks. I've spent some time at LU with the percussion instructor, and a couple other drummers preparing equipment for the show. This is going to be a great show, and I'm loooking forward to stopping by practice a couple times during drum and band camps. I've been told that the band will still practice at East Campus for one more fall, and then we will have a parking lot near the Football Operations Center once they finish it, which will be permenantly ours.

Hey Chris thanks for the info. Im sure the bandos will be happy to hear about that. Any new cadences for the drumline this year?

[BJWilliams]

Oh I looked over the roster and we are looking at about 160 folks come the start of band camp in a little over a week

[PAmedic]

impressive.

good to see growth there, too.

250 would be nice

[cdbilton]

I would like to see 250 as well, but its probably three or four years away. Numbers are up throughout the band (nine tuba players this fall), except for the colorguard and the drumline unfortunately. We had quite a few drumline members not come back (one returning bass drummer and one returning tenors player), and are about six or seven fewer than last fall. Should be an outstanding year, though, and the percussion feature will be sweet. We modified the drum racks from the Riverdance show to mount cymbals on them for the snare drummers, and we are trying to figure out how to raise the bass drums with legs (used in the New York show), so that the other drummers can play them without bending over. Drumline and Colorguard report in two days, and drum majors (including my fiance, the head drum major) come back on Wednesday. This is shaping up to be the best year to date. I'll be dropping by rehersal on Wednesday after work, and I'll let you know how things are coming together.

[BJWilliams]

Well as I type this the percussion and guard are hard at work on this year's show. As cdbilton said, we are down in numbers from last year (the "pit" a.k.a. front ensemble taking the bulk of the losses) but I am liking what I hear so far so what we may lack in size we will certainly make up for in quality of sound (although as was told to me yesterday, a bigger drumline does look better on the field). The drum majors come in on Wednesday and pick up their score copies and the rest of the officers come on Saturday morning before the rest of the band checks in on Sunday

[thesportscritic]

What is the name of the show for this year?

[BJWilliams]

What is the name of the show for this year?

\

It was posted a few pages back but by way of review:

Let the Music Move Your Feet
Boston Bolero: The Boston Crusaders 2003 version of Bolero
Moondance
Swing, Swing, Swing
Got To Get You Into My Life by Earth, Wind, and Fire
Conga by Gloria Estefan (show title taken from this song)

[SuperJon]

I could play in the pit, I just don't have the time nor the energy to put the practice time in.

[thesportscritic]

What is the name of the show for this year?

\

It was posted a few pages back but by way of review:

Let the Music Move Your Feet
Boston Bolero: The Boston Crusaders 2003 version of Bolero
Moondance
Swing, Swing, Swing
Got To Get You Into My Life by Earth, Wind, and Fire
Conga by Gloria Estefan (show title taken from this song)

Oh yeah forgot about that.

[phoenix]

Got a phone call a little while ago from a VERY excited freshman who is in the pit this year. Said he learned more today than he ever did in high school. He's loving Liberty so far. I told him just wait until classes start

[Flamesfanva]

I'm looking foward to hearing them play on opening night. I have even learned the words to the fight song

[BJWilliams]

Hey Phoenix. Where you at? I met the two guys in the pit and they seem like great guys. One of them is on my hall even

I will say that things are off to a great start, although one of the members had to leave for a day to get something done at teh dentist. he got back last night. One guy did leave yesterday though because he didn't like where he ended up after auditions Sunday. That's all I can say right now about that

[phoenix]

Hey Phoenix. Where you at? I met the two guys in the pit and they seem like great guys. One of them is on my hall even

I'm in Southern Ohio.

[BJWilliams]

Well more good news out of drum camp today. The guy that left Sunday, he is back with the drumline after a nice talk with Drs Kerr and Super (with his dad in the room as well) and he started this morning with the pit. Also one of the percussionsts from last year has returned and she is also in the pit. As I type this they are running through the show music they have learned thus far.

[BJWilliams]

Well the percussion and color guard wrapped up their rehearsals this evening. The band officers came in this morning and have been in meetings all day. Tomorrow the rest of the marching band (hornline) arrives for registration. Were lookin at a pretty big number this year so watch this section for updates throughout the week (hopefully I will get pictures and have them up as soon as I can)

[thesportscritic]

definitely keep us updated bj.

[BJWilliams]

Well the 2006 season is now underway for the marching band. Everybody checked in this afternoon and I just got back from a reception for all the new people. Tomorrow there is a band meeting in the band room and 10:15 we are hitting the practice field for the first time. We are looking at about 160 members in the band this year based on what Dr Kerr said at the reception tonight.