MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND NIGHT & BANDS OF AMERICA REGIONAL!
BIG PERFORMANCE WEEK WITH “MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND NIGHT” ON FRIDAY AND “BANDS OF AMERICA SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS” ON SATURDAY! THIS IS CRUNCH TIME – WE NEED ALL STUDENTS TO BE IN ATTENDANCE AT ALL REHEARSALS AS WE FINISH LEARNING THE SHOW THIS WEEK. MAKE SURE YOU EAT AT “TACO NAZO” THIS TUESDAY ANYTIME FROM 10AM-9PM, AND OUR FINAL GAHR INVITATIONAL PLANNING MEETING IS THIS WEDNESDAY AT 7:00PM IN ROOM 509! PARENT VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND NIGHT AND THE BANDS OF AMERICA REGIONAL.
Great job at the Homecoming Football Game on Friday, and congratulations to all our band and guard seniors who were recognized at Senior Night! A huge THANK YOU to the parents who worked concessions and who helped with props and equipment at the game. Drumline did an awesome job leading the lunchtime homecoming parade.
STUDENTS: Good progress overall this past Saturday, but we still have a long way to go this week to get the show ready for Middle School Night and Bands of America! Make sure practicing, memorizing, and reviewing DAILY so you are individually prepared for these important performances. Please keep hydrating, wash your hands frequently, and stay on top of your homework.
TACO NAZO FUNDRAISER THIS WEEK 10/24! — Go to TACO NAZO on Alondra THIS Tuesday, October 24th any time from 10AM-9PM! Make sure you show the flyer to support the Gahr Marching Gladiators — we receive 50% of each purchase, so be sure to eat there for all three meals :) Spread the word and we’ll see you there!
MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND NIGHT 10/27 – “Middle School Band Night” is this Friday, October 27th! High school students have call time at 4:15PM with pizza provided for dinner and setting up for the event. Middle schoolers will be checking in at 5:30PM at the stadium/tennis courts. We’ll have sectionals and a short rehearsal, followed by a "Show & Tell" performance at 7:00PM in the stadium! PARENTS: PLEASE CLICK HERE TO VOLUNTEER TO HELP.
BANDS OF AMERICA SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL – This Saturday 10/28 is the Bands of America Southern California Regional Championship at Ramona High School in Riverside. This is an all day event, and depending on Prelims, we have the possibility of performing a second time in Regional Finals. PARENTS: PLEASE CLICK HERE TO VOLUNTEER TO HELP.
STUDENT CALL TIME IS 6:25AM – DO NOT BE LATE. Make sure you pack everything you need for the competition the night before, including your water jug, money for two meals (lunch concessions and possibly dinner offsite), everything for full uniform – black sleeveless compression shirt, black compression shorts, LONG black socks, black marching shoes, and everything for guard hair and make up. Please note that BOA is cashless and there is a clear bag policy (it is recommended not to bring a bag into the stadium).
UPDATED INFORMATION: https://marching.musicforall.org/event/socal23/
Cashless – Please note that BOA has gone cashless. This includes ticket booths and may include concessions. Please plan accordingly for both parents and students.
Clear Bag Policy – Bands of America encourages spectators not to bring bags into venues. Only clear bags and emergency bags will be permitted. Spectators will be allowed to bring items such as cameras, provided they are not in cases that would violate the bag policy at that venue.
Live Streaming of all Bands of America Championships – All 2023 Bands of America Regional, Super Regional, and Grand National Championships will be live-streamed, powered by BOX5 Media, the leader in scholastic marching band streaming video. Subscribe to the whole season or watch by event at BOALive.tv.
TENTATIVE ITINERARY:
6:00AM Band Room open / Set up for uniform changing & breakfast
6:25AM CALL TIME – Set multiple alarms and DO NOT BE LATE.
6:30AM Change into full uniform / guard hair & make up
7:00AM Eat breakfast
7:15AM Load wind instruments and flag bags under busses
7:25AM Meet in Band Room with everything you need – change of clothes, uniform bag, money for two meals at concessions (please be prepared for the venue to be CASHLESS)
7:30AM Depart for Ramona High School – 7675 Magnolia Ave, Riverside, CA 92504
8:40AM Arrive and check in
8:45AM Box Office Opens – Skip the line and save money! Purchase tickets online before arriving at the stadium.
8:50AM Restroom / Unload
9:00AM Walk/Push to Warm Up
PARENTS PLEASE TAKE PROPS EARLY TO STADIUM FOR PRE-STAGING
9:25AM Official Warm Up Time in “Area B” – WE CANNOT START WARM UP BEFORE THIS
9:50AM Ensemble run-through
10:00AM Pit push to gate
10:05AM Pit report time – THERE IS A LIMITED NUMBER OF FIELD CREDENTIALS. ALL PARENTS (AND STAFF) GOING ON THE FIELD MUST HAVE A FIELD CREDENTIAL. You will not be able to help push pit/props with only a wristband like other competitions. Mr. Loney will be prioritizing giving out field credentials to parents who have already been helping this season at football games and competitions. If you are helping, please also come to Middle School Band Night on Friday at 7:00PM because we will be doing a timed push-on/off.
10:20AM Band report time
**ENTRANCE & EXIT WILL BE THE “SIDE B” BACK CORNER
10:30AM Performance time. Cheer and support the ENTIRE BAND AND GUARD! There are “moments” in the show where we need your applause :)
**PLEASE NOTE THAT WE WILL NEED TO “BURRITO” THE SPAGHETTI TARP AND CARRY OUT OF STADIUM BEFORE FOLDING. DO NOT FOLD IN THE END ZONE FOR THIS SHOW OR LEAVE ANYTHING IN THE STADIUM FOLLOWING THE PERFORMANCE SO WE DO NOT GET PENALIZED.
10:45AM Debrief
11:00AM Push equipment back
11:15AM Load – EVERYONE HELPS.
12:00PM Change into normal clothes (hang uniform correctly)
12:30PM Walk back to the stadium
12:45PM GROUPS OF 4+ OR MORE, even if using the restroom. YOU MAY NOT LEAVE THE STADIUM. Eat concessions and watch other bands. SIT AS A GROUP WHEN YOU ARE IN THE STANDS. Remember, Gahr is a CLASS ACT and we cheer for all the participating bands. We do NOT use our phones or talk during performances (just like we wouldn’t want others to do that during our show).
3:00PM Prelims Awards Ceremony / All Competing Band Drum Majors
3:30PM Finalist Directors Meeting / Stadium Cleared
* Finals performance schedule will be announced following the awards ceremony
Approximately 4:15PM…
If we do not make the finals or have an early performance time we will eat pizza dinner (provided).
If we have a later performance time for Regional Finals, we are planning to bus approximately 10 minutes away to the Galleria Mall (1299 Galleria At Tyler, Riverside, CA 92503). Please bring money to eat at the food court in the mall. GROUPS OF 4+ OR MORE.
The exact schedule will be sent out depending on our performance order. Please note that if we do not make regional finals, we will still stay to watch the bands who did.
5:00PM Gates reopen
5:30PM National Anthem / Special On-Field Welcome
5:45PM Class Exhibition (if needed)
6:00PM First Performing Finalist Band
We would most likely have time to load after the performance.
9:00PM Finals Competition Ends / Class Exhibition (if needed)
9:15PM FINALE PRESENTATION OF AWARDS
10:00PM Approximate Ceremony End Time / Walk back to busses
10:15PM Change out of uniform ASAP
10:45PM Depart for Gahr High School
11:30PM Arrive at Gahr / Unload ASAP – EVERYONE HELPS
12:00AM Approximate dismissal time
OUTSTANDING DONATIONS – AT THIS POINT, ALL DONATIONS ARE PAST DUE. We accept checks made payable to “Gahr Band Boosters,” cash, or you can pay online with a credit card. We will not be able to pay our instructional staff without your donation. Please communicate with Mr. Loney if you have any issues.
STUDENT SPONSORSHIP LETTER — The Student Sponsorship Letter is a great way to raise money for marching band, Winter Drumline, and Winter Guard! 100% of the money sponsorships goes directly to your student account. These may take a few hours to complete and mail out, but you can raise upwards of $500 if done correctly! Click here to download the instructions and letter.
GAHR INVITATIONAL FIELD SHOW NEXT SATURDAY 11/4
Our final planning meeting for the Gahr Invitational Field Tournament is next Wednesday, October 25th at 7:00PM in Room 509! This meeting is mandatory for all LEADS.
We have a MANDATORY PARENT MEETING on Wednesday, November 1st at 6:30PM in the stadium. The Gahr Invitational is our biggest event of the year, and we need all hands on deck to make it a success. WE ARE STILL IN NEED OF VOLUNTEERS FOR SPECTATOR PARKING, 2ND SHIFT OF CONCESSIONS, STADIUM TRAFFIC, AND 2ND SHIFT FOR JEWELRY. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER.
We are asking for all students to donate soda, water, or baked goods. Please check the list below, broken up by section. Donations can be dropped off to Mr. Loney or Mr. Miller in the Band Room 609/610.
THIS WEEK:
MONDAY 10/23
7:15AM Jazz Band A & B
3:30-5:30PM Winds & Front Ensemble Rehearsal (winds moving & playing)
6:00-9:00PM Battery rehearsal
TUESDAY 10/24
TACO NAZO FUNDRAISER 10AM-9PM!
7:15AM Jazz Band A & B
3:35-4:30PM Sectionals – Mvt. 3 Memorization w/mini-drill
6th-5:30PM Color Guard Rehearsal
WEDNESDAY 10/25
PERIOD 3 & 4 – PLAYING MVT. 3 IN CLASS
AFTER SCHOOL: Do your homework, eat dinner, and hydrate.
5:00PM Set up for rehearsal — DO NOT BE LATE
5:30-8:30PM Rehearsal in stadium — full ensemble Mvt. 3, take out met
THURSDAY 10/26
NO JAZZ A OR B
3:35-6:00PM Full Ensemble Rehearsal
FRIDAY 10/27
WEAR FIELD SHOW SHIRT & JEANS TO SCHOOL / GUARD WEAR SHOW SHIRT & WARM UPS!
NO JAZZ A OR B
PERIOD 3 & 4 – MVT. 3 MEMORIZATION TEST WITH MINI-DRILL
6th – Move all props and front ensemble equipment to the stadium
4:30PM Pizza for HS students (provided)
5:00PM Call time at tennis courts for Middle School Night – show shirt & jeans / guard warm ups
5:30PM Middle Schoolers check-in / mingle at Tennis Courts (until JV football is over)
6:00PM Sectionals – winds learning pep tunes, drumline learning cadences, guard learning routine
(front ensemble rehearsal in stadium)
6:45PM Wrap up / Set up for performance
7:00PM FREE Show & Tell Performance (Drumline, Guard, Pep Tunes, Field Show)
8:00PM Clean Up / Load for Bands of America – EVERYONE HELPS
8:45PM Dismissal – hydrate and go to bed early
SATURDAY 10/28
Bands of America Southern California Regional Championship
LOCATION: Ramona High School (Riverside, CA)
ADDRESS: 7675 Magnolia Ave, Riverside, CA 92504
MORE INFO: https://marching.musicforall.org/event/socal23/
VOLUNTEER: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E48AFA82EA3F8C61-45019171-102823
6:25AM CALL TIME – Set multiple alarms and DO NOT BE LATE.
10:30AM Performance
3:00PM Prelims Awards Ceremony
The rest of the schedule will be sent out depending on our performance order.
See above for full itinerary.
