With the competitive year already underway, the Dartmouth High School marching band took time off from traveling to host its annual home show at Memorial Stadium on September 30.

This year, the band showcased its new fall show, called “Farewell My Love.” The show blends elements of a murder mystery with 1950s spy fiction, explained junior drum major Valrie Paynton, one of three this year along with sophomore Luke Higgins and freshman Mitchell Moran.

With the feel of a spy movie – complete with film-like narration – the show tells the story of a man in search of his lover’s killer. The show features performers playing the parts of various characters in the story as well this year.

“We’ve incorporated more in our visuals this year,” Paynton explained. “We don’t usually do that.”

The story does not, however, have an ending, Band Director Bill Kingsland noted. The show is still a work in progress, despite the band being in its third week of regional competition in the US Bands program. Kingsland said an additional 30 seconds will be added to the 15-minute routine by next week’s competition in Rhode Island.

Despite the work that still needs to be done with the show, Dartmouth High School still scored 85.725 from the judges.

Although it was the only school competing in its division, Kingsland noted the home show did provide valuable experience for band mates, as 12 other high schools from as far away as New Jersey competed in other divisions – some of which were division champions last year, including Dartmouth High.