Tribute to band leader Landes

The line started forming nearly two hours in advance and hundreds wound up winding all around the chilly Arcadia High School quad by the time the doors finally opened for the main event final of three back-to-back programs of the 45th annual Spaghetti Dinner and Recognition Show Saturday, Jan. 21, for the Marching Band, Color Guard, Pep Band, and Percussion.

Not only is the final show of the showcase focused primarily on the seniors of the units in their final year, this one drew many alumni students and parents who wanted to honor the retiring AHS Apache Marching Band Director Tom Landes.

Not a single person left the gym bleachers as the program continued until well past 11 p.m., being rewarded with a terrific three-minute video tribute to Landes by 2006 AHS grad and Marching Band and Color Guard alum JC Chang, who is producing a documentary about the AHS band program teased on YouTube called “Tradition of Excellence.”

Chang’s video tribute to Landes (HD version from YouTube embedded below following video) is included in the first video below that features two additional minutes of highlights of Saturday’s poignant and fun tribute to Tom Landes.

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— By Scott Hettrick