The lights in the auditorium dim as the lights on stage grow brighter. Silence falls as every person in the crowd holds their breath, impatiently awaiting the first few notes of Bandtasia. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been in that crowd, holding my breath in anticipation. I have always been blown away by what I hear. This year was certainly no exception.

From the jazz band’s enticing performance, to drum line’s fifth quarter, to trombone suicides, to color guard, Bandtasia is a feast not only for your ears but also for your eyes. Before you realize it, you’ll be bewitched by what you hear with your eyes fixated on the stage. But even with the multitude of things happening on stage, you never feel overwhelmed. It’s quite a lot for your senses to handle, but the band does a beautiful job of making sure it’s not too much.

A personal favorite of mine will forever be drum line’s fifth quarter. Although I hear it at every home football game, it’s never the same as getting to hear it in the auditorium. The sound is undeniably richer and more powerful at Bandtasia, making it feel as if you’re hearing it for the first time.

Our band is such an integral part of our school, especially in the fall, yet we often take just how talented they are for granted. But Bandtasia serves as a reminder of just how much hard work and love they put into what they do. The performance is replete with passion– an obvious result of their passion for music. And it’s that passion that makes Bandtasia a performance you simply can’t pull your eyes away from.

Although the main attraction is obviously the actual performance, there are other aspects to Bandtasia. Both before and after the show, the band displays all the different types of instruments and lets young children try them out. It’s a genius way to get future FHC high school students interested in band. But more than that, it makes Bandtaisa a large attraction for parents who want to peak their young child’s interest in the possibility of joining band.

I likely say this every year, but I think this year may have been my favorite Bandtasia yet. The tasteful mix of both sight and sound left me wishing I had some sort of musical talent and could take part in something so uniquely magical. So I have every hope that Bandtasia will continue to be something I get to experience every year, and that every year I will once again find myself blown away.