This year, Newport High School’s marching band is performing an 80’s themed show at every Newport football game. The band started practices at the beginning of August to get ready for the shows.
The band filled the 80’s performance with the throwback songs “Thriller” by Rod Temperton, famously known and performed by Michael Jackson, “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond, and “Never Gonna Give You Up” by Rick Astley.
Band camp practices started on July 31 and ended on Aug. 9. The students and staff worked hard to perform the show without the help of sheet music and flipbooks. The marching band received help from the Newport Band Boosters, including this year’s officers, Mrs. Briggs, Mrs. King-Maxey, and Mrs. Knouse, who prepared the food for the students each practice.
The marching band travels to every football game alongside the football players and cheerleaders. If the game that Friday is at home, the band plays their show before the football players come onto the field, and if it’s an away game, the band performs during halftime. After the band performs their show, the band goes into the stands to play some stand tunes, such as “Land of 1000 Dances,” “The Hey Song,” and “Let’s Go Blue.” A new song that has been added to the list of stand tunes is “Dynamite” by BTS.
Freshman trumpet player Callyn Maxey points out how the Short, “Chop” is her favorite song to play in the stands.
“I really like ‘Chop’ because everyone really likes it, and it just becomes kind of a vibe,” Maxey claims.
A one-time play at each football game is “The Time Warp.” This song is always played at the end of the third quarter and gets the cheerleaders and colorguard involved in front of the stands where the band plays.
