The second year of Eruption Drum and Bugle Corps and unfortunately the last one for Mr. D. and a few of the North Mason band and color guard students, but we'll get into that later Mr. D. had moved up to more of a director's position and the corps practiced one weekend a month at Peninsula High School (Gig Harbor) throughout the school year. They grew in size in comparison to their first year. Then as with the previous year, had intense all-day practices for two solid weeks, before they took the show on the road.
This year's show was based on the novel Dante's Inferno titled Inferno and included "Inferno" and "Ascension & Paradiso." Dante's Inferno if you didn't know is about Hell and burning alive or something. I really don't know; I've never heard or read the novel. It's an epic poem, I later learned.
I do remember this: I had shown up to a performance with my parents, and it was like the weirdest thing I'd ever seen. I mean my first real experience watching a marching band show and I found it very weird and strange. For real, it started with the performers on the ground screaming in pain, acting like they were on fire. I had no idea what the show was about or what marching band even was, maybe if I did, I wouldn't have been scratching my head trying to figure out what was going on.
Anyway, Eruption Drum and Bugle Corps had moved up to Open Class. Their first field performance took place in Renton, Washington. The band scored a 45.1, and they continued on to other performances ending at "Drums Along The Columbia" in Pasco, Washington. There the band scored 46.9. Sadly, however, Mr. D. and those participating from North Mason wouldn't go on to do Eruption Drum and Bugle Corps again. Due to the lack of funding, the program closed.
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Band Geeks Rule
Non-FictionFollow the North Mason High School band over the course of a few years. Hear some of the members stories and memories. From a small band to a big family read how the North Mason High School band turned into what it is today.
