There was a Barry in the Pontiac Silverdome on Thanksgiving Day, and he was leading the team in blue to an outstanding performance.
Only this time it was Director Barry Martin and Grand Valley's Laker Marching Band
The Laker Marching Band was chosen to perform at the Detroit Lions' annual Thanksgiving Day game, one of a select number of bands performing for the Lions this year at their home games. Thursday's game was against the Chicago Bears.
The Marching Lakers performed their seven-minute rhythm and blues show during the pre-game show, including When a Man Loves a Woman, Think, and Let it Roll.
It's our travel show and is tougher than our other routines, Martin said. But they have the music memorized because we've worked on it since band camp and have performed it this year several times.
The Laker band also made the tunnel that Lions players run through during pre-game festivities, and played the Star Spangled Banner.
The rock and roll band Third Eye Blind performed at halftime. GVSU band members participated in non-musical ways during halftime by shooting streamers every two yards along the field.
It's a return trip for the band, which had a Silverdome gig in 1996 when the Lions played the Minnesota Vikings that was broadcast nationally on ESPN. Locally, they have performed in the Celebration on the Grand parade, at the opening of the Van Andel Arena, during the Labor Day Union parade and at the annual Jenison Marching Band Invitational.
