27 posts tagged “homewood patriot marching band”
I know I talk about my city a lot but that is because I love it so much! It's a fantastic city with a real community sense about it and it has one of the best school systems around. Everyone else that lives here loves it too! They loved it so much that about 25 years ago they dubbed the first Saturday in May 'We Love Homewood Day'. I don't know the details of it's origin because I've only lived here for 7 years but today it is a huge fund raiser for the Middle and High School band programs. It starts out at 8am with a carnival and arts and crafts thingy at Patriot Park. At 6pm the We Love Homewood Day parade steps off from the library and marches down Oxmoor Road ending in Edgewood. Edgewood is a little neighborhood in Homewood that is as quaint as quaint can be. All of the streets have sidewalks and the homes are quaint cottages (the property values are through the roof in Homewood, especially in Edgewood so house flippers have descended upon the neighborhood and demolished the original homes, replacing them with gargantuous, multi-story homes that are too big for the modest size lots, this is unfortunate but many of the original homes remain). When the parade ends there is a 'dance in the street' in Edgewood for everyone to celebrate the city they love!
Hailey has been involved with We Love Homewood Day since she was in the 7th grade. She was in the H.E.A.T. group in 7th and 8th grade and working the carnival rides was part of the community service that the middle-schoolers in this group do. H.E.A.T. stands for Homewood Exploration Adventurer Team. The group was founded by a member of the Homewood Park and Recreation board specifically for Homewood students in middle school. In return for the community service they provide the group gets to go on various adventures. During Hailey's 2 years in this group she went white water rafting, snorkeling with manatees in Florida and skiing in Gatlinburg, among other things.
Of course, since she's been in High School she has marched in the parade with the High School band (that's one of my pictures by the way). The whole town comes out to watch the parade and always gives the band tremendous support and cheers! When I'm walking along side them, trying to video/photograph as much as I can I see the parents with their little kids, holding them up and pointing and saying "Look! There's the Band!". I can't even describe in words how PROUD it makes me feel that my daughter is a part of this!
So this year, Mother Nature played a dirty trick on us and decided to rain and I mean pour down rain on Saturday morning. The carnival and arts and crafts thingy was cancelled. But, by parade time everything had dried up, the sun was shining and it was absolutely perfect weather for a parade!
So here's my pics and one video that I made:
Notice Hailey telling me (nicely) to go away LOL!
I was feeling a bit down and angry and generally irritated tonight and decided to try and sooth my soul with music...I found that what soothes me the most is music Hailey's band has played. Two songs in particular have really gotten into my blood.
Tsaikovsky's 1812 Overture. The band played this as their closer in Hailey's freshman year. The song is very long. I did not have my video camera during that year so I have no video of the Homewood band but I did find a great rendition of the second half of the song by an orchestra. We did have many bells, our band director went around town to old churches and thrift stores buying bells. They were awesome. We also had live cannons at competition. It was awesome and we took grand champion at every competition that year.
The second song is Malaguena. This was their closer this past season. I didn't know anything about the song except that it was a favorite among marching bands. Apparently it was originally written for the piano as piano versions were all I could find. Here's one of them.
Here's the band's version.
Here's a fantastic rendition by the LSU marching band.
It really amazes me that these songs would come to mind but it's just another testament to the greatness of Hailey being in such a fabulous band.
Yeah! Yesterday was the annual Homewood Christmas Parade! My BFF Melonee came so we could get together, I could meet her newest addition and she could FINALLY see Hailey and the band! Her Mom came along too and you know that my Mom was there! We were one big clan all ready to watch a Christmas Parade!
We planned to meet at O'Henrys Coffee. Hailey and I (living only 5 minutes away) were running late (as usual). I dropped her off at the library where the parade was lining up and had to park a couple of blocks away from main street. I walked, half-ran to O'Henrys. When I got there Melonee, her Mom, my Mom and Melonee's kids were already sipping hot chocolate and chatting it up. We 'hurried up' to get out on the street and wait for the parade to begin.
The weather was great and there was a nice crowd gathering.
While we were waiting I got a nice picture of Melonee and Aaron, her soon to be adopted son (with her Mom in the background digging in her purse).
I also got a cute pic of Melonee with my Mom who was eagerly anticipating the parade in her shades.
I got a great little video that explains why both Melonee and I love our Moms SO MUCH! Melonee's Mother loves to dance and she will do it ANYWHERE LOL! She brings reality to the song 'Dancin in the Street'! And MY Mom thinks I buy everything at K-mart LOL! I laughed til I had tears in my eyes watching this video over and over! LOVE YOU MOMS!
Finally the parade began!
There were lots of groups in the parade including cheerleaders from the middle and high school, boy scouts, dancers and baton twirlers! There was another band from a local Christian school. There were military people. There were the cute dogs from the Humane Society, they all had on bandanas that said 'Adopt Me'. There were lots of cute floats with angels and other Christmas characters. There was the Mayfield cow (always in our parades in Homewood), unfortunately I only got a picture of his rear end. There were local business and government people in very kewl cars. They were all throwing candy and t-shirts and beads and the kids were having a ball!
Finally it was time for the Homewood Patriot Marching Band! They played 'Deck the Halls' mixed very well with some of their best marching candence. Last year they just played their normal 'Grand Old Flag' because we had only been back from New York for one week and they didn't really have time to learn anything new. I love their normal parade routine but it was GREAT to hear them playing a Christmas song! They stopped in front of the stage and got recognized by the city council for all of their achievements and it was OFFICIALLY announced to the City of Homewood that they will be going to the Rose Bowl Parade next year! The Senior band members were wearing Santa hats, which I thought was very cute! There were quite a few band members missing including the head drum major. I guess 8:30am on a Saturday is a bit early for some LOL. Plus I know some probably had to work. They were still an impressive size group as always!
I made a couple of 'normal' videos before I turned into 'insane band chasing Mom'! Hailey was SUPPOSED to get herself positioned on the left side so she would be on our side of the street, but it didn't work out and we didn't see her when they came by! Bummer! **Note: I had to let these play once and load before I could watch them. I think it's because I uploaded them directly to VOX instead of uploading them to You Tube.
So after the band came by me and my Mom took off to follow them to the dismissal area while Melonee and her crew went over to the plaza to see Santa! I took a couple of CRAZY videos of the band. I was filming while keeping step with them so the videos are QUITE shaky. I located Hailey and managed to march along with the line she was in. At one point she saw me and stepped out of line a bit so I could film her. We were all laughing! It was fun but I am SO SORE! The bottom of my feet and my calves are definitely reminding today me why I'm NOT in a marching band LOL! Pardon all the crazy shots and shaking in these videos, it's really hard to keep up with them AND film them. Visually they are crazy but these some REALLY GOOD music. I was marching alongside the woodwinds, just behind the percussion so even though we can't really hear the brass they still sound awesome! The kids were having some fun changing places while they marched, and AS ALWAYS, HOMEWOOD ROCKS!!!
After the band was dismissed my Mom and I collected Hailey and we walked back to the plaza to meet back up with Melonee and her group.
Then we went in this very cool antique store while 'Miss' Hailey took the kids to the toy store. All the shops were bustling. It was a very Christmasy feeling morning. We all had a great time and it was awesome getting together with my BFF!
This was Hailey's 5th consecutive appearance in the Homewood Christmas Parade. She marched two years with the H.E.A.T. group (Homewood Explorer and Adventurer Team). This is a group the Homewood Park & Recreation Board runs for middle school children in Homewood. She was in that group in 7th and 8th grade. Along with marching in the parade and working for We Love Homewood Day she also went snorkeling with manatees and skiing in Gatlinburg with this group. I got a little 'faklemt' watching the Dance Workshop perform. That is another middle school group that Hailey was in. The past three years she has marched with the band in the parade. Next year SHE will be wearing a Santa hat as a Senior and I will be a complete mess.
Merry Christmas and I'd like to send a 'get well soon' to our Mayor. He is a wonderful man and truly loves his community. He lives here, he shops here, he is one of us. He is usually on stage during the Christmas parade but he is ill this year. Get well soon Mayor!
Wow! There has been much ado in the state of Alabama this week in regards to Class 6A high school football. Remember all of the contraversy surrounding Hoover High School's football coach and the team that I mentioned
Well the hammer came down this week and they were forced to forfeit 4 of their 7 wins due to an ineligible player participating in the game. The ineligibility stems from residency requirements. Very sad for the football players and the team but it sure caused a shakeup in Class 6A Region 6. Hoover dropped in ranking from #1 to #6 (just behind us). And those 4 teams got credited with a win against Hoover LOL! Unfortunately our game was not one where this player played (they were already wise to what was going on by that time and kept him on the sidelines). This put Hoover in a very precarious and embarrassing situation. The 'king of Alabama football' was in danger of not making the playoffs! What? The almighty Hoover was gonna roll out the basketballs in November? It all depended on their game tonight against Oak Mountain. More about that later.
Tonight WE played Vestavia. The previously #2 ranked team in our region that just got a free ride to #1 (thanks to Hoover's misfortune). Homewood and Vestavia have a beloved rivalry that pre-dates my involvement with Homewood football. These two towns are neighbors, they are practically next door. The kids know each other and so do many of the adults. The last 2 years we have beat them on their home turf. In 05, when we were still in 5A and they were 6A it was a non-region game and we beat them easily (because we had such a killer team that year) but we won every game that year and took home the big trophy at the end of the season, but it WAS their homecoming so it was still pretty sweet. Last year it was a region game and our late comeback and eventual win was what propelled us into the playoffs.
Well their team is much better this year and they had only lost to Hoover coming into tonights game. I had very little hope that we could beat them but I was still feeling pretty 'rosy' about the game.
We were running late, Hailey did not feel good, she chipped her reed and lost her ligature at the pep rally so her clarinet was useless (she waited to enlighten me with this bit of information as we were walking out the door). We were BOTH very ill and upset heading out to the game. We were SO late that she almost didn't get to march in with the band.
My son came with us tonight. He came to one game in 05 and didn't come at all last year. I was very glad that he was able to come see Hailey and the band. Even though he didn't want to admit it (metal head non-conformist that he is) he was also enjoying the football 'just a bit'. My Mom was so excited to see her eldest Grandchild (she's not sleeping her eyes just shut as I took the shot LOL). And I don't know WHY he can't take a picture without doing that 'rock on' sign with his hand. The child is 26 years old LOL!
Tonight was Senior football and cheerleader night. So they all got recognized with their parents just as the band did last week.
Before I begin going through the game (because there's not that much to tell) just let me remind you of our band competition at Prattville two weeks ago. Homewood was competing against Vestavia and won every trophy they could have possibly won. In fact, except for the Best in Class Majorette award they won (since we don't have majorettes) they were effectively 'shut out' by Homewood. Well they came to our stadium tonight hell bent on showing us up, but they only succeeded in showing what a classless, disrespectful band they are. There are two things you don't mess with at a High School football game, or any sporting event for that matter. The High School alma mater, National Anthem and raising of the flag prior to the game and the lowering of the flag after the 3rd quarter. Vestavia's band started playing some loud ridiculous song as the announcer asked for a moment of silence. Everyone was just standing there staring at that band and they just kept on playing. When they FINALLY stopped the announcer said "Thank You". So we were finally able to get some respect from the visiting band to conduct our opening ceremonies. Our first stand song prior to the game starting was 'Shout it Out'. After we played it, they immediately played it (this is common between opposing bands), but it just seemed like they were trying to taunt us. So after they finished, WE PLAYED IT AGAIN! They did not.
At the end of the 3rd quarter Homewood has a very ceremonial lowering of the flag complete with Jr Air Force ROTC members and a selected snare and a few horns from the band to play while the flag is lowered. It is a moment of complete silence and respect. Again, Vestavia's band played, loudly and very disrespectfully. Totally classless!
I've always heard that Vestavia was rude, cocky and classless and thinking back to the 05 game I remember that when my Mom and I walked over to their home side to watch our band perform their student section was screaming and throwing a blown up dolphin into the air during our whole performance. We could barely hear the band. I now believe the widely publicized rumor that Vestavia people put cow manure under the visitor grandstand when Hoover played them last year. Granted, they have a very good football team this year, but their band and their people are totally tacky and classless.
Their show sucked just like it did when I saw it at Prattville. Their dancers look like hookers with their little 'halloween costume' fake 60s dresses put on OVER their blue sequined uniform. You can SO see the blue straps and a little blue 'peekaboo' everytime they do a high kick. CHEAP AND TACKY! WHAT A COMBINATION!
I made several videos of Homewood's halftime show but people were walking in front of me and I got really frustrated. You can 'hear' my frustration and a few choice words on the videos so I don't think I will even upload them. This was our last home game and I just wanted to video them one last time. People are so rude! Why do they think that halftime is time to a) get up and talk to somebody, b) go to the bathroom, c) go get food...aaarrggghhh! I just get so angry! But I've still somehow got such a 'rosy' attitude about this game.
The temperature dropped steadily as the night went on and it was quite cold near the end of the game. Vestavia was up 30 points on us and we were ZERO, NADA, ZIP! My Mom decided she would leave with about 4 minutes left on the clock. Well with about 2 seconds left on the clock we FINALLY scored! So the final was 30-6 Vestavia. It was a good clean game with very little penalties and although we lost, our defense was tough and equally matched to theirs. Nobody even scored until almost the end of the 2nd quarter. There were numerous interceptions by both teams. They have some very big players and moved the ball much better than us. So it's all good. Everything's still 'coming up roses' in my book!
After the game was over the band stayed in the stands and played the fight song as they always do. Then the band directors told them all to sit down and be quiet. I thought they were going to get in trouble or something. We all waited as Mr. Pence got the megaphone and began telling them how well they had done this year and how proud he was of them and how blessed he felt to be their band director. Then he made apologies to the Seniors for some reason. I wasn't sure why. Then he said he had sent in an application for them to be invited to appear in a parade. Then he said he received a phone call today and we had been invited to march in the 2009....
WOOHOO! California here we come! This is what I have been praying for! What a wonderful addition to my daughter's Senior year! What wonderful memories she will take into adulthood with her appearing in both the Macy's Parade and the Rose Bowl Parade during her 4 years of high school. Being a part of a quality band program can provide so much opportunity for kids and give them memories that last a lifetime (as a couple of my neighbors have attested to). It is really overwhelming and I would LOVE to be able to call my Dad and give him this exciting news, but I know, somehow, he knows!
I'm so excited! I'll provide more details as they come available...
So we're....whatever, I don't even know what our record is...we've only won 2 games out of 8.
We're off to Thompson next week. It's a non-region game at a stadium that I've heard is horrible. FUN, FUN! Yipee! We beat them last year and can probably (hopefully) beat them again.
I'm very sad that we're not going to the playoffs but in a way I'm kind of relieved because I'm just so darn tired. Hailey is tired. We're ready for this season to end. Hailey wants to get an after-school job and my classes start back on November 12th.
So take that you tacky, classless Vestavia band as you ride back to your school in your yellow school buses because you aren't good enough to travel on charter buses like we do. Your behavior tonight was unforgiveable and your band director should be fired for allowing it to happen! You really showed your true colors tonight!
We may have lost the football game but we won the class game hands down!
MY CHILDREN, TWO WONDERFUL AND UNIQUE INDIVIDUALS!
"I'M GOING TO CALIFORNIA!"
Btw, Hoover beat Oak Mountain 21-18.
We left today at 3pm to go to Muscle Shoals High School and compete in the Tennessee Valley Invitational Marching Competition.
It's about a 3 hour drive north and west of Homewood.
My Mom and I headed out ahead of the buses so we would have a little lead time. We had our directions this time and I wasn't stressing too bad (the traffic wasn't too bad although I did see quite a few cars with Tennessee tags and that big orange 'T' emblazoned on their vehicle tee-hee, I guess they couldn't get out of Bryant-Denny fast enough huh?)
We missed our exit and drove a good 50 miles too far north. So we had to turn around and go back. Finally we found the right exit. The reason we missed our exit is because our directions were written by some Muscle Shoals yocal who assumed we know which exit was 'Hwy 157'. And the directions didn't include any distances. It said things like 'go until you see the Shell station on the right'. Wonderful! I LOVE taking a road trip with retard directions!
So once we get off the interstate we have to drive about 80 miles to get to this town. I know some people live in areas that are 'off the beaten path' and I'm sure that is their preference, or they are just born there and never leave, but for me, I would feel so isolated if I had to drive 80 miles just to hit the interstate! I can access 2 different interstate highways from my house within 10 minutes.
Along this very long 4-lane highway there were long stretches of nothing but trees and hills sprinkled with little groupings of dwellings. One house would be a beautiful 2-story house with a 2-car garage and manicured lawn. Just next door would be a top-o-the-line double-wide trailer complete with underpinning, next would be a ranch-looking house with the big wooden awning at the entrance to the driveway with deer antlers hanging in the center like mistletoe. I think I even saw an old bus parked next to a mailbox. One thing they all had in common was they had their boats parked in the front yard, very prominently. This must be a sign that they are doing pretty good for themselves.
Finally we begin to see some signs of an approaching town and stop at what appears to be a normal looking gas station/convenience store. I need gas and coffee and my Mom needs food and a bathroom. When I get out of the car a man pumping gas hollers at me that he will pump my gas and asks me how much I want. I tell him. So we go inside the store and everybody in there seems to know each other and they all know the girl behind the register. I felt very much like the 'out of towner'.
When I go back to my car the man has pumped my gas as promised. I sat in my car and watched while waiting for my Mom and a woman pulled up. This man proceeds to pump her gas too. "Where is that baby?" he asks her. OK, I get it now. It's a self-serve gas station but he pumps people's gas anyway PLUS he seems to know everyone that pulls up (except for us of course). I also noticed people pulling up and pumping their gas without going inside to pay or swiping a debit card. Talk about a blast from the past! A guy pulled up in a pickup truck with 4 generators (complete with Mossy Oak skins) in the truck bed and filled them all full. Then went inside to pay.
I look across the street and see a field and some cows grazing in the setting sun. I found it rather strange to go into a store, buy a cappuccino and then come outside to see cows across the street! This one was staring right at me as if to say "You're not from around here are you?".
Hey Harve, look at the tourists!
So we get back on the road and finally arrive at Muscle Shoals High School (as our directions promised, it was 'right across the street from the Baptist Church' also known as 'on the left'). The school looked very nice and very new. I thought I was going to be impressed. Boy was I wrong! The new looking school was just a facade to hide a stadium that was at least 40 years old and extremely inadequate for a 'prestigious' marching competition for 20+ bands!
Since the competition started around 1pm for the smaller bands by the time we arrived the home side, where the parents and spectators sit, was completely packed. And the visitor side which was advertised to have 'a section for every band' was sparsely filled with band members who had changed into jeans and whatnot. There was no discernible section for any band and nowhere was there room for our band to sit in whole.
I became infuriated almost immediately due to the pitiful conditions of this place. Band programs pull down a NICE chunk of change from these marching competitions between the entrance fees, ticket sales and concessions and I just feel like the school should provide adequate facilities for the competing bands and their spectators. The seating was completely inadequate, the bathrooms were pathetic, the parking was horrible. We had to walk almost a mile to reach the stadium and by then my Mom's hip was hurting so badly that I had to plant her at a picnic table outside of the stadium and go stand in line at an inadequately staffed concession stand to get her a drink so she could take a Lortab.
So we sit there and just 'chilled' for a while, waiting for her hip to calm down. A couple of the bands we were competing against we had already seen at our competition in September so we didn't really need to see them again. Finally it is almost time for Homewood to perform so we venture into the grandstand in search of two seats. Luckily we found a couple of feet at the end of a row so we planted it right there.
Hailey had told me that there was a band coming from Mississippi that Homewood has never been able to beat in competition. This band would be our biggest competitor!
They performed before we did. When they came out they had tons and tons of props. Big black stages and stuff. It was a bit much. Their marching and music was very good. Their color guard was very good. The show was kind of strange with all the props and the story about Pearl Harbor was a litt