MORGANTOWN — Sounds of scales and warms up scattered the parking lot of Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium as bands from West Virginia and Pennsylvania prepared for the Morgantown High School Band Spectacular on Saturday. Met with a beautiful day, bands from all over showcased their field shows to the crowd.
Clay-Battelle High School’s show was a culmination of songs by Panic! at the Disco including the hit song “This is Gospel.” Waynesburg High School out of Pennsylvania pumped up the crowd with their Latin themed show playing Ricky Martin’s iconic song “Livin’ La Vida Loca.”
East Fairmont High School Busy Bee Band & Honeybees came out with their high energy show, showcasing the HoneyBees can-canning Rockette style to Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York.”
From University High, the band put on a show titled “I Love the 80’s.” playing “Take on Me” by A-ha as their opening.
The hosting band, Morgantown High School, alongside the Mohiganettes and Majorettes did an Earth, Wind, & Fire show inclusive of the hit “Let’s Groove.”
Keith Reed, Director of the MHS band said this is his 42nd year of leading the band through the Band Spectacular. He said remembering where they started at the beginning of the season to walking across Mountaineer Field he is proud of the work his students have done.
“They’ve done a great job today, and it’s not all what’s on the field it’s everything else. How they get their equipment out and how they sit in the stands and how they applaud the other bands. I’m really proud of them they did a great job,” said Reed.
The band students sat through each performance and cheered on every school through their performances and as they left the field.
“We’re fortunate that we have such a wonderful place. Some of the bands that we have come in, you know they may never set foot in this stadium. It’s really nice for them to say. The university is really great working with us,” he said.
He commended the football program for finding a date for the bands to take the field. He said he was thankful to have all the bands there and to be able to work together to make the spectacular possible for the kids.
Though the band has been near and far, playing at Pearl Harbor and soon the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day parade, Reed said being at home is where it counts the most.
“Really I think the heart of what we do is right here in town. We always like to be, as much as we can at the “beckoned call” of the city if they need us,” he said.
Reed said he picks the music for the field shows based on music he can listen to and teach for 6 months. He said the kids also enjoy the music.
“I love Earth, Wind & Fire. Of course I grew up with it but I really think the audience likes that. They want to be entertained and they want to hear something they know,” he said.
gside the Mohiganettes and Majorettes did an Earth, Wind, & Fire show inclusive of the hit “Let’s Groove.”
Keith Reed, Director of the MHS band said this is his 42nd year of leading the band through the Band Spectacular. He said remembering where they started at the beginning of the season to walking across Mountaineer Field he is proud of the work his students have done.
“They’ve done a great job today, and it’s not all what’s on the field it’s everything else. How they get their equipment out and how they sit in the stands and how they applaud the other bands. I’m really proud of them they did a great job,” said Reed.
The band students sat through each performance and cheered on every school through their performances and as they left the field.
“We’re fortunate that we have such a wonderful place. Some of the bands that we have come in, you know they may never set foot in this stadium. It’s really nice for them to say. The university is really great working with us,” he said.
He commended the football program for finding a date for the bands to take the field. He said he was thankful to have all the bands there and to be able to work together to make the spectacular possible for the kids.
Though the band has been near and far, playing at Pearl Harbor and soon the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day parade, Reed said being at home is where it counts the most.
“Really I think the heart of what we do is right here in town. We always like to be, as much as we can at the “beckoned call” of the city if they need us,” he said.
Reed said he picks the music for the field shows based on music he can listen to and teach for six months. He said the kids also enjoy the music.
“I love Earth, Wind & Fire. Of course I grew up with it but I really think the audience likes that. They want to be entertained and they want to hear something they know,” he said.
