Devonte Wells waited patiently for his big entrance onto the Carver High School football field.
"That's when I dance and show out," Wells, Carver's drum major, said during the LUV the Band high-school band showcase yesterday at the school.
The Carver High School "Yellow Jackets" Marching Band sponsored the event as a fundraiser.
Also performing were High Point Central High School's Marching Band and the Boss Drummers, a drum group with the Winston Lake YMCA.
Carver gave the last show of the day.
As the band took to the field playing "JSU Fanfare," Wells made his entrance with a split. He quickly pulled out of it and started dancing, moving his hands and baton. At times, especially at the end of the show, his whole body gyrated on the field, at times just above ground.
All decked out in Carver's blue and gold colors, the rest of the band -- majorettes, dancers, flag girls and instrumentalists -- took turns performing out front during the show.
LUV the Band is a first for Carver.
Juan Eckard, the band's director, said he has tried other fundraisers in the past but decided to do a showcase this year.
"We know it's a good moneymaker if you can get the right kind of groups and get everybody in," he said. "Everybody is interested in a nice band competition."
He said that fundraisers are very important in this economy because schools have limited funds. He estimates that the Carver band has to raise, on its own, about 70 percent of the money it needs for some instruments, instrument repairs and accessories, and some trips such as band competitions.
Despite a low turnout of 150 people at the showcase, Eckard was happy with the $1,200, including presales, made from the fundraiser.
He hopes to make LUV the Band a yearly event that will grow and attract bands from throughout North Carolina.
"Once we get it going and it's annual, everybody will want to come," he said.
Greg Milton, the director of the High Point Central band, said that he wanted to come out to support another area band. His band will have a drumline event next Saturday in High Point.
"We are all struggling together," Milton said.
Several people who attended the showcase said they were disappointed that more bands didn't participate but still enjoyed the bands that were there.
"I think it was great," said Elise Lark, who was at the event with her husband, Bruce. "The bands sounded really good."
The Larks' daughter, Sydney, plays a saxophone in the Carver band.
Wallace Bishop, a bass drummer for the Carver band, had three people cheering and clapping in the stands -- his grandmother, Eloise Price of Winston-Salem, his cousin Donnita Hairston of Winston-Salem, and his aunt Sophia Sparks of Pfafftown.
"They showed up and showed out," Sparks said of the bands.
fdaniel@wsjournal.com | 727-7366
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