As members of the Pocahontas County High School Warrior Band put on their best grimy snarls and practiced a pirate battle at band camp, drum major Khristian Smith was perfecting the art of directing the rough and tumble score of the Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and At Worldﾒs End.

ﾓItﾒs extremely intense,ﾔ Smith said. ﾓYou have to conduct a certain way and you have to make your hits right and pristinely. The band follows you, so you do have to learn the music frontwards and backwards. It can be tiring and get frustrating, but overall, I am excited to be drum major.ﾔ

Usually, a band field show consists of music in the most common time signature, four/four. But, when playing music that was created for an orchestra, a few curve balls are always thrown into the mix.

ﾓA lot of our show is in three/four which is uncommon,ﾔ Smith said. ﾓItﾒs also in six/eight, then two/four, and moments itﾒs in four/four. One song is completely in three/four, but it goes from very smooth and lyrical, to harsh and staccato, like that,ﾔ he added, snapping his fingers.

Smith explained that although parents and friends were able to see the band perform last Thursday on the last day of camp, they didnﾒt get to see the entire show.

ﾓMr. [Ryan] Ullman wants to teach us drill four at the high school because he wants us to have one, two and three fresh in our heads and we wonﾒt have to be worrying about all of them and not be overloaded,ﾔ he said.

Set sail with theﾠ Warrior band when it unveils the field show in its entirety at the first home football game September 17.