Performers in the Columbus North and East marching bands have been putting finishing touches on shows as they prepare for their final competitions of the season.
The Sound of North will compete at 1 p.m. today in Indianapolis for the Bands of America super regional competition, where 65 bands from around the Midwest will gather in Lucas Oil Stadium and perform today or Saturday morning.
The top 14 groups from the two days of performances will be selected to compete in the final competition Saturday night.
“We think we’ve got a shot to make it to finals,” said Keith Burton, assistant band director at Columbus North. “We made it to that show last year in that competition, so that is definitely our goal.”
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Sound of North earned fifth place at the Indiana State School Music Association regional competition Saturday in Greenwood, which qualified the band for the Oct. 31 semistate competition at Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis, which will include 20 bands from around the state. The top 10 finishers will advance to state competition Nov. 7 at Lucas Oil Stadium.
The Columbus East Olympian Spirit Marching Band was second in its class but 11th overall at the Indiana State School Music Association regional competition in Evansville, which kept the local band from advancing to the semistate round.
The Olympians will instead compete at 5 p.m. Saturday in the Whiteland Invitational at Whiteland Community High School and then at Mid-States Band Association preliminaries Nov. 7 in Mason, Ohio.
If the East band places in the top 10 during the preliminary competition, it will advance to the Mid-States finals.
“We need to finish some things up that weren’t quite tight enough last week and put the polishing touches on the show,” said David Rodgers, Columbus East band director.
Only 20 bands from around the state will compete in the semistate competition Oct. 31 at Ben Davis High School.
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Columbus North
- What: Bands of American Super Regional Competition
- When: North performance at 1 p.m. today
- Where: Lucas Oil Stadium, 500 S. Capitol Ave., Indianapolis
Columbus East
- What: Whiteland Invitational
- When: 5 p.m. Saturday
- Where: Whiteland Community High School, 300 Main St., Whiteland
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