Perry’s division one marching band, the Puma Regiment, is ready to kick off a new school year with an extraordinary new show concept titled Machine Revolution. “It’s really about the evolution of machines,” drum major Isabella West shares.  The show expresses all aspects of how machines have affected humanity, conveying the journey in three movements.

The opener is about basic gears and how they’ve simplified life. “[Our second movement exhibits] how technology has affected our lives from a social perspective…how it has affected the way that we communicate and connect with each other,” director Brandon Kiesgen expounds. The thought-provoking finale exposes the dark side of technology and its negative contributions to humanity.

Kiesgen, assistant director Jesse Chavez, and the staff crafted a concept “that would make the audience think [and] create something new, something that’s exciting. We just try to find an idea that will communicate to the audience well and that the listeners can relate to,” Kiesgen says.  Students are excited about this new concept. “It’s lots of fun. I enjoy it a lot more than last year,” Connor Maxwell, junior band member, illuminates.

Though the band’s numbers have increased, it is no setback to the program. “Freshmen take more time to teach,” Maxwell explains, “but everyone is willing to put in the work,” adding, “It’s a good experience…something you can’t get in a regular classroom.” All regiment members possess extraordinary discipline and dedication. “It’s what I do, it’s my passion,” West exudes.

She expects “to progress even more than we have in the past and keep moving forward.” Freshmen newcomers Aaron Babbitt and Andrew Matthews just hope “to do our best and put on a good show.” Come out and see the Puma Regiment’s first competition showcasing Machine Revolution on September 27 at Williams Field High School.