The Boardman Spartan Marching Band and the Boardman Band and Orchestra Parents, Inc. will host Boardman Band Night ’15 on Sat., Sept. 12 at 7:00 p.m. at Boardman Stadium on the high school campus.
      Participating high school bands include Struthers, Springfield, West Branch, Lowellville, Niles, Canfield, Howland, and the Boardman Spartan Marching Band. Admission at the gates is $5/adults and $3/students. Senior citizens are admitted free to all Boardman Band events. Gates open at 6:00 p.m.
      This year’s Band Night includes its traditional ‘run-on’ and “Fanfare for the Common Man.” The opening marching drill is set to Carole King’s 1974 hit “Jazzman” complete with an alto saxophone solo.
      The ‘features’ portion of the program will begin with the Spartan Silks spinning their flags while the band plays “Shout It Out Loud” and “Rock and Roll All Night” by rock super-group Kiss. Spartan Sweethearts and Twirler next take the spotlight on a vocal version of current smash hit by Walk The Moon, “Shut Up and Dance with Me.”
      The Spartan Marching band’s tradition of themed closing routines continues with music from the movie “Pitch Perfect.” The field and band will be transformed into a dance club with a deejay rig and turntables.
      Boardman Director of Bands Thomas M. Ruggieri says, “The movie features so much great music from the past and present that everyone should recognize at least a few of the songs even if they never saw the movie.”
      Ruggieri says he enjoys enlisting and working with parent volunteers to build intricate props to complement the theme.
      “This year I had them build the deejay rig with switches, motors, and lights that respond to the live sound of the band. Building props is another way to invite parents behind the scenes and get more of them involved in their children’s education,” says Ruggieri, noting “The visual elements of Boardman’s show always add to the excitement and emotion.”
      The Boardman Spartan Marching Band is under the direction of Ruggieri, Timothy P. Tuite, Steven Chambers, and Michael Shevock. Also on staff are Tom Porter, Kristi Guveiyian, Janet Gbur and Becca Platt who instruct the Sweethearts, Silks, and Twirler.
      Band Night ’15 will be the sixth performance of the Spartan Marching band since the season opened with Howland Band Night on Aug. 18.
      The big trip for this school year will take place in December as the Spartan Marching Band travels to Florida for a Disney World march. Also scheduled during the trip is a Jazz Ensemble 1 performance in Downtown Disney.