Detective Show

Rainy New York Streets, men in tan trench coats, fuzzy pink cats - the AAMB is putting on their Detective halftime show. When I found out about this theme, I was sitting in my office (or dorm room, if you will) when there it appeared - Max had sent me a daily schedule for marching band practice. "City of Angels," "Live and Let Die," "Detective Medley" - musical selections all so...suspicious. I quickly read the note, knowing it would self-destruct in 15 seconds (or rather, I was late for class and deleted the e-mail in a hurry). Glancing behind me as I locked the door, I noticed no one followed (my roommate must have been at class or so I suspected). Quickly I hurried down the dark stairwell (the curtains were closed) to the secretive side door (or so I'd like to think) leading to the not-so-secretive parking lot. Trudging across the damp street (curse the Indiana rain!) to the black pavement which I like to call the practice field, I risked a fleeting look at the director atop the podium. "Band, we're learning the 'Detective Show' this week!"

The band started learning drill that day and hasn't stopped since. Although the band only has five days to put this show together, it proves to be just as good if not better than the Joe Tiller tribute. The band starts out with traditional drill for the first tune, featuring some complicated-looking drill, and halts for "Live and Let Die." The medley, starting with the theme from "Dragnet," is a bit more complicated consisting of a formation of the Pink Panther's head when the band performs none other than the "Pink Panther" theme with "snake drill" following and corresponding with a drum break. After the drum solos and insane trumpet fanfare, "Peter Gun" is played - watch the piccolos who have inserted a few surprising visuals. The band will end with a wave formation which transforms into a cruise ship for the final song, "Hawaii Five-O."