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Health & Fitness

Jargon of Ram Band

Welcome to the Wacky World of marching band terminology!!

Every "activity" its own language. Take football for instance.

Try to explain to a newbie the meaning of such common terms as screen pass, suicide team and tight end. Chances are full understanding would be tough to come by. Nothing about a tight end appears "tight", suicide squads have zip to do with imminent death and screen passes...oh forget it.

Marching band and Music in Motion has its own lingo and here are a few,  with translation.

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Beachmaster- nothing to do with a beach or the CHS outdoor volleyball venue. The beachmasters can be found at Music in Motion as the tour de force welcoming committee to the bands and more importantly the judges.

Pit- nothing to do with barbecue but is the group of percussionists in front of the band. The pit is vital in marching particularly the opening of Ram Band 2012 opus known as Shipwrecked.

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Color Guard- not even closely related to the Coast Guard , or for that matter, guarding anything. This is the flamboyant group that waves flags, wooden gun stocks and juggles anything excluding live game. What the couple dozen are , are colorful , in unison and well- choregraphed.

Drum Major- simple huh? the guy or gal leading the drummers right? Wrong. The drum major , this year played by a gent named Joe, actually conducts the band. Is he telling them what to play or where to move I know not. What I can tell you is that drum majors come male and female and in all shapes and sizes. Joe in particular cuts a svelte figure and his movements are angular and with military precision.

Walking Taco- not really a marching band thing put one of the gastronomic extravaganzas dreamed up by one of  the wackos (aka hardcore Marching Band parents) to be peddled on Saturday.

Driving the Bus- nothing to do with the complex coming and going of 77 student/band members, hundreds of pieces of equipment and of course oodles of teenage drama. Driving the Bus is just one of the metaphors used by the mercurial percussion leader, Mr. B. More on him later.

 

50/50. Not the weather forecast but a legit raffle where the winner gets half the loot. The more outrageous the outfit the more tickets sold or so goes the legend. Last Saturday at Lyman Hall there was an Elvis impersonator. He didnt have the hip action but the side burns and Las Vegas type outfit were a hit. By some tickets and support the band , you may even get lucky...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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