BANDORAMA 2015

On Friday October 30^th, at Penn State many people were getting ready to go out, it was Halloween weekend.  I chose to do something completely different, I went to BANDORAMA at the Eisenhower auditorium at 7:00pm. 

Every year this event is held at Eisenhower Auditorium, hosted by the Symphonic Band and Blue Band.  This year the symphonic band played first.  Not to insult anyone who is in the Symphonic band, they were a nice opening act, playing only four songs, for the main event the Blue Band. 

The Symphonic band played four pieces of classical music all the work where composed over 100 years ago.  The mood was vary relaxed while they where playing.  The melodical sound that set the mood curtsey of the symphonic band was thrown out the door at the entrance of the Blue Band.

The Blue Band entered cheering, “GO! STATE! BEAT! ILLINI!”  I was not ready for the sudden jump in volume and energy.  Eisenhower transformed from what one would imagine a crowd watching a symphony, to an environment alike to a PSU football game. 

It was defiantly loud enough to be a football game.  For the performance the Blue Band went through all the music they had played all year long ,  starting with the September 12^th game against Rutgers, and working all the way to the Illinois game.  This event was not only about the blue band, there were also performance integrated by the PSU dance team, baton team, flag team and ribbon team.  It was everyone who on game day at Beaver stadium would be out performing. 

It was a really neat experience since at a football game the band and these other accessory teams are just there they are not the focus.  So I will admit you can not appreciate them, but in this environment the spotlight is on them. 

Before I knew it the show was over and I was surprised to notice that it was 9:30pm, the performance had lasted for 2 ½ hours.  As I walked to the parking garage my friend and I made the sudden connection that we where vary close to the creamery.... So we had to stop by to complete the Friday night.  I ordered my favorite flavor, Bittersweet Mint. 

This performance is an annual thing, so even though you all missed it this year, there is always next year.  To me it was more like a pep rally for PSU than anything. One strange fact,  I concluded average attending age was 60... still fun if you appreciate music.