Marching Blue Devils Make Their First Appearance

As Norcross thrashed Dacula on Thursday during the first game of the season, fans were entertained throughout by the marching Blue Devils.

The Norcross High School marching band, just like the football team, is a force to be reckoned with. Under the leadership of the school's new band director, Lee Newman, 146 marching Blue Devils took to the field for a home opener against the Falcons to present the first half time show of the season.

There was a lot of opening night jitters for the students, but Newman said he was "very proud" of their performance. "We're pretty pleased, and we hope to build on the performance to improve every week," he said.

The Blue Devils performed two pieces, and the band is busy practicing another piece to add to the next halftime show, "Georgia on My Mind."

The marching band practices after school, percussion and the guards on Mondays from 6 - 8:30 p.m. and the entire band on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6 - 8:30 p.m. The band students work on concert music during class and practice the show music on their own and during evening practices. "There's a lot of individual work on the students' parts," said Newman.

Newman, taught at Elbert Co. High School for the past eight years before coming to Norcross. There were 100 band students and a much smaller student body. The work is the same he says, the difference is the "sheer magnitude of the school. Everything seems bigger," he said

Newman has high expectations for the marching Blue Devils which will also be competing regionally with other bands in the state this year.

"I want to see this program grow and move the bar higher," he said.