Official "banned" for flagging band

[Eastshire]

Originally Posted by Rich

I'd personally flag any band who takes more than 1:10 to play the anthem.

I'll go along with that. When did the anthem become a dirge?

[HLin NC]

I'd personally flag any band who takes more than 1:10 to play the anthem.

Sometime after we went to war in Iraq, I was working a Friday night and the PA announcer went over a short list of that school's grads who had deployed. The band then began to play the anthem, which I still believe is the longest version I've ever heard. At the end, I leaned over to the umpire and whispered "I heard those troops we were honoring are already back."

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Eastshire

I'll go along with that. When did the anthem become a dirge?

What those bands don't realize is this: If a band has glaring weaknesses (as many HS bands do), playing the anthem slower only emphasizes those weaknesses.

If it were up to me, I'd simply play a recording of Roger Doucet from the 70s. Exactly 1:10 and, to me, the best rendition (even with the French-Canadian accent).

Roger Doucet sings the US and Canadian anthems at Forum de Montreal - May 10, 1979 - YouTube