We could feel it in the air on Saturday night – that calm, collected confidence before the show. The students were going to do something special. The excitement of exposing the show to the general public for the first time was thick.

And then the performance…

Yes it was our first show out, but we don’t think we’ve EVER seen a first show out quite like that one. The connection between the band and the audience was electric – it was impossible to not be drawn in. The students were focused and on fire. There was not an ounce of flatness to the show – just controlled, focused energy aimed at the audience in front of them, and if you were there, you truly experienced something magical.

We are so proud of the students and could not have asked any more out of them. Everything worked. At that point it comes down to subjectivity, and we make no apologies for who we are and what we do. We aim to entertain, and if you walked away from that show and weren’t entertained, well…you need to search for a pulse. The thrill of performance is what it’s all about, and we think the students experienced something Saturday night that they will never forget. It’s not every day that you go and spend 160+ hours with 250 other people your age to attempt to make complete magic – and that’s exactly what happened Saturday night. We want to congratulate all of the other bands on their outstanding performances and for making this activity such an exciting one. Everybody is out there working hard and putting in the countless hours to experience that thrill of performance, and we love seeing it on a broad scale. Thank you to ALL who made this outing a COMPLETE success. Let’s all look forward to doing it five more weekends!

Dan Carlson and Bob Carlson

Pursuit of Excellence Competition Saturday 9/19; Southwest State University, Marshall, MN.
1) Schedule:
-Load buses at 9:30 am at LHS.
-Clinic at Marshall starting in early afternoon.
-Gates open for the competition at 4:30 (You need to arrive early or you won’t get good seats or maybe any seats)
-Competition starts at 5:25pm
-LHS performs at approximately 9:40pm
-Awards at 10:35 pm
-Load buses following Award Ceremony
-Return to LHS at approximately 2:00 am – your student can call when he/she is 30 minutes away.

2) Everyone Needs to Know:
-All students need to pack a lunch and a dinner to bring along, food will not be provided. (No nut products on Bus 5). Concessions may be available, so bring some money, but don’t count on that for your meals.
-If you plan to have your child ride home with you, you will need to fill in the permission form and get it returned by the Thursday before the performance.
-Do not drive through or park behind LHS when dropping off or picking up students for bus trips.
-Remember to check for ALL parts of your uniform and instruments.
-Do not put your shoes in your garment bag. Carry them in your backpack.
-PLEASE: NO ENERGY DRINKS — THEY ARE VERY DEHYDRATING
-Please shine you Drillmasters before Saturday!
-Remember to put sunscreen on your body or in your backpack before getting on the bus.
-Only G or PG movies are allowed on the bus.
-You may want to bring a pillow and small blanket to sleep on the way home.
-Please remind your student that our band is being represented from the minute we walk off of the bus, until we leave.
-Competition Information, including schedules (once they are set) and directions are available for all competitions at www.midwestmarching.com, except the Quad States competition, which is available at www.marching.com.