The beat from the drums. The scuff of shoes on tarps. The metronome ticking away. All silenced on Jan. 17. After making their comeback this season, the first Winter Drumline to be hosted at FHN in over fiver years, loses its spotlight once again. While participating in the Winter Drumline at FHHS for the past two years, FHN had finally bridged off to start up their own program once again.

The Winter Drumline’s first show at FHN since 2014, titled “Unwind,” featured music from movie soundtracks such as The Secret Life of Walter Mitty and The Danish Girl. The front ensemble combined with the Drumline had already made progress through the first movement of “Unwind.”  

“I was really excited for North to have their own Winter Drumline show,” sophomore Tanner Rogers said. “When we got our music, I loved it, at least the start of it.” 

After numbers were dropping and rising with every practice, director Mike Davis and Rob Stegeman came to the decision to retry the Winter Drumline again next year, opting for a boot camp. The boot camp is now intended to prepare their percussionists for the upcoming marching band season.

“I think that the Winter Drumline at North was unrealistic for this year, percussion boot camp is probably our next best option,” junior Brianna Lamb said. “It’ll allow us to continue to get better while having the help and support of everyone in the group still.”

Before ending, students active in the drumline met on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. They were set to compete in three competitions. Starting a drumline from the bottom is difficult, but ending one proves even more difficult. Director Mike Davis from World Class group Freedom Percussion, promises to restart fresh next season.

“As for a full winter drumline, we’ll try again next season,” Davis said.