As the rain of Friday night cascaded down from an unpredictable sky, the Hoover Tornado Marching Band didn’t back down from performing their annual home show. In fact, they only came out shining.
The home show was a chance for the HTMB to show the community the hard work and dedication they put into their program before competing at division finals.
Due to weather conditions, division finals were rescheduled to this Friday. However, rain didn’t stop the Tornadoes from having an exhilarating performance.
“My run in the rain was pretty amazing…But it felt surreal, mostly because it was more of a ‘live in the moment’ run rather than a ‘you’re getting scored and penalized’ run,” claimed senior Ani Davoudiyan. “I enjoyed every bit…besides slipping a couple times. At the end of the day, I loved every minute on that field with the band and I wouldn’t trade them for the world.”
Other seniors shared similar feelings about the unforgettable, rain-soaked performance.
“Despite the rain, we persevered,” said senior Genesis Molina. “I really didn’t want to have my last home show be postponed or performed indoors. I think the weather only added to our energy, and our run made me hopeful for what’s to come this weekend.”
Additionally, an honorable plume ceremony takes place at every home show for the graduating class, making it a special night for the seniors in band.
Each senior receives a keepsake plume for their time in the band and an opportunity to have their own speech read out to the audience.
“I felt pretty emotional the whole night. It clicked to me that I’m leaving this band during the ceremony, and that’s when the tears came out when the speeches were being read out,” said Davoudiyan. “I never thought I’d have to write a senior speech…But, I’ve come this far, and I knew I would have to thank the whole band for playing a big part [in] my life. The band has grown on me, on and off the field.”
Other seniors shared similar emotions as they prepared their final speeches.
“If I’m being completely honest, I had no idea how to start my speech. I remember staring at my computer screen for a good 30 minutes, reflecting on my experiences from being at Toll to now,” recalled Molina. “I focused on including the people who are the most important to me; those who have not only shaped me as a musician, but as a person. People aside, I had to give a shoutout to Pizza Pie, a staple for many of us at HTMB.”
